My wife Rachel and I have an 8- month old. During Rachel's  9 months of pregnancy, everyone kept saying to us – “everything is going to change.” Frankly, that "advice" wasn't helpful. It didn't help me understand how things would be different as a father and as a parent.

Meet Peter. 

He is a force to be reckoned with. 

He silently follows you around. Lurking. He watches you when you aren’t looking. He waits patiently. And then he strikes when you least expect him. 

Last week, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I shared some information on how to recognize people in the workplace. So, to continue on the theme of recognition, here is another video. 

The way that leaders recognize their people matters. Comments like "great work" and other general accolades almost never have a positive impact. In fact, they may unintentionally backfire.

Want to learn a more effective way to deliver recognition?  Watch here...

Thanksgiving is a time to express gratitude. As leaders, we can show our people that we are grateful for their contributions to the business by recognizing their efforts. Recognition is a core component of building team member commitment. But, most leaders struggle with how to effectively recognize their people. Watch this video to learn a simple framework on how to recognize people in a way that actually impacts business results.

As most Denver Broncos fans know, John Fox, the Broncos highly respected head coach, went into unexpected surgery this past Monday to replace an aortic valve in his heart. It's still unknown when Fox will return to the sidelines, but he will likely be out for quite some time. 

In my last post I wrote about "The Big Why" - the importance for leaders to communicate the rationale behind their decisions. After all, who wants to be told what to do? And emotional commitment only comes when people understand why.

When was the last time someone told you what to do without explaining the reason behind their directive? What was your reaction? Did you unquestionably cooperate? 

The "100-year flood" hammered Boulder, Colorado. Between September 10th and September 15th, 17+ inches of rain poured down, including over 9 inches on September 12th alone. The torrent overwhelmed the steep terrain of the foothills and flat-landers to the east.

Today’s global business environment requires leaders to navigate geographical and cultural differences that team members and constituents bring to the business. Perhaps it’s remote employees based in China, India, or the Philippines. Maybe it’s the sales relationship with customers in different regions of the country.

So, you are a leader in a matrix organization. Perhaps you are the Line Manager to whom a Team Member reports directly, although you rarely see each other.