What Makes a Good Leader?

The traits and actions of a good leader can be incongruent with your initial ideas. That was the case for me. When I tried to figure out what gave me fulfillment in my career, I focused on the wrong things. I chased shiny objects that didn't help me

Use Exposure Therapy to Overcome the Fear of Leadership

It's tempting to sit on the sidelines of your career. It feels safe. It's hard to exit your comfort zone and become the leader you are capable of being. There's no growth in the comfort zone, sd why do we stay there. We know

This is My Bad Writing, Where's Yours?

This post you're reading is my bad writing. I'm only ~30 posts in. There's no way it can be that good. But I'm writing it anyway. Are you doing the same? Do bad work, then good work will follow We must create

Technical Competence is a Form of Leadership

I'm a hypocrite. In another post I talked about building technical competence before leading. Now I'm about to tell you that building technical competence is a form of leadership. Which is true? Both. Let me explain. What is leadership, really? Leadership is the ability to get

Build Technical Competence Before You Lead

Whatever you do, don’t lead too early in your career. If you try too hard, people will judge you. They wonder why you are taking so much responsibility, delegating, or giving opinions on things you know nothing about. There’s a first step before you should focus on leadership.

Use Your Worst Boss to Become a Better Leader

I've had some pretty bad bosses in my career. I'm sure you have too. Here's how you can use your worst boss to help you become a better leader. For managers Think about (and potentially write down) what you didn't like about

How to Lead When People Behave Differently

If you want to lead, you must understand the baseline behaviors of those around you. Be conscious of their emotions, interests, and problems. If you're oblivious, you won't know when someone is feeling "off". You won't be able to help them. They

Leaders are Professionals

A question from Steven Pressfield: "Do you have amateur habits or professional habits?" Hopefully the latter. If you believe that being a leader is critical to your success in work and life, you must become a professional. You must analyze your actions and be honest about what you

The 3 Steps to Overcome Any Obstacle

It is inevitable that you will face obstacles in life and work. When the confrontation comes, you have two options: To overcome or to succumb. To succumb is to be weak. To overcome is to be strong. Leaders treat obstacles as tools for improvement. Approach them appropriately and you will

How to Achieve Job Security Through Leadership

Fear of losing my job is one thing that keeps me up at night. Are you the same? There are many things we can't control in life. How do we make sure that when things go bad we aren't laid off? Or if we are, how