Picture this: You’re driving down a busy highway when suddenly traffic starts backing up ahead. What do you do? You observe the situation, orient yourself to understand what’s happening, decide on the best lane to switch to, and then act by making your move. Congratulations – you just used the OODA Loop without even knowing […]

I’ve been using the phrase “Leadership Powered by Common Sense” for years. It’s been my tagline, my podcast name, my brand identifier. But lately, I’ve realized something troubling: nobody really knows what it means. Including me, sometimes. When I say “common sense leadership,” people nod knowingly. But when I dig deeper—when I ask what they […]

My early years as a junior officer in the Army proved to me something that was impossible to deny. The level of rank on someone’s collar does not make them any more effective as a leader. Yes, seniority usually weeded out poor performers, but in the lower ranks while the system was waiting on results, […]

The call came at 11:47 PM on a Tuesday. Sarah, a VP at a fast-growing tech company, was supposed to be celebrating—her team had just closed their biggest deal of the year. Instead, she was sitting in her home office, laptop open, responding to “urgent” emails that could have waited until morning. “Doug,” she said […]

Here’s the fourth article in my “Stop Leading On Empty” series: Jennifer had just closed the biggest deal in company history. Instead of celebrating, she spent the night wondering when everyone would realize she “didn’t belong here.” She wasn’t alone—nearly half of all leaders feel the same way, trapped in a cycle of self-doubt that […]

Here’s the third article in the “Stop Leading On Empty” series: “They just don’t have work ethic,” complained the CEO about his Gen Z employees. Meanwhile, those same employees were working side hustles, building personal brands, and questioning why “face time” mattered more than results. The disconnect was so profound that within six months, he’d […]

At 11:47 PM, Mark sent his fifteenth email since dinner. By 6:15 AM, he was already checking responses. He called it “dedication.” His family called it “never being present.” His body called it a warning. Mark isn’t unique—he’s part of a silent epidemic sweeping through leadership ranks across every industry. Recent studies reveal that 60% […]

Sarah thought she was managing her remote team well. Weekly Zoom calls, Slack check-ins, quarterly reviews—all the boxes were checked. Her team hit their numbers, meetings ran on schedule, and everyone seemed “fine” in their little video squares. Then her top performer quit with two weeks’ notice, citing “feeling disconnected and undervalued.” Sound familiar? Sarah’s […]

You’ve said it a dozen times. Maybe two dozen. Your team nods, takes notes, asks clarifying questions. The meeting ends with what feels like alignment. Then a week later, you’re staring at results that look nothing like what you discussed. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Most executives I work with are brilliant strategists and capable […]

“If you give me a lever and a place to stand, I can move the world.” – Archimedes Most of us share a common drive: we want to make a real difference. We want our work to matter, our efforts to count, and our impact to ripple outward in meaningful ways. But here’s the frustrating […]