We are weeks away from a fresh calendar. The temptation right now is to coast. To put on the holiday music, eat the cookies in the breakroom, and tell yourself, "I'll deal with that  problem in January." And by "that problem," I mean that person . Every manager has one. The employee who drains the energy out of the room. The one who constantly misses deadlines, stirs up drama, or does the bare minimum while your superstars pick up the slack. You’re telling yourself a lie right now. You’re...

‘Tis the season. The holidays are creeping in, and managers everywhere are placing bulk orders for $10 coffee gift cards. They’ll hand them out with a forced smile, check "employee appreciation" off their to-do list, and wonder why nobody seems all that motivated. Let’s be blunt: that $10 gift card isn't a gesture of gratitude. It's a symptom of lazy leadership. It’s a transaction. It’s the bare minimum. It’s a quiet, corporate way of saying, “I am required to give you a token of...

People ask me all the time: "Why leadership training? What made you do this?" The truth? For years, I was a solution without a problem. I went to radio school, became an announcer. The job was fun, but it didn't pay the bills. I graduated with a speech communication degree. I loved speaking, but I had nothing meaningful to say. Then, about 30 years ago, everything changed. The Three Hours That Changed My Life I met Ross Reishus. Brilliant communicator. For three hours, he delivered specific,...