Diverse group of four business partners or entrepreneurs holding their thumbs up in approval or to like something in their office ” data-medium-file=”https://dougthorpe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/65604777_m-650×434.webp” data-large-file=”https://dougthorpe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/65604777_m-1024×683.webp” /> We’ve all heard various ideas about managing our lives. When you break it all down, things can get lumped into these three categories. And we’ve all heard the saying: “Live […]

  In learning how to fly an airplane, one of the first lessons has to do with understanding winds. Winds come in basically three types; Head winds – those hit you right in the face Tail winds – those from behind Cross winds – those at angles from the side I believe the challenges we […]

A few years ago I wrote a piece contrasting the “cool breeze” and the “fog machine”, whimsically (at least my attempt at whimsy) to illustrate extreme possibilities in the way a leader can show up at work. I think It’s time to delve deeper into that idea (minus the whimsy part). While the “Cool Breeze” […]

The Wizard of Oz may have been pulling levers and projecting smoke and mirrors, but that wouldn’t make him a very effective leader. In today’s dynamic world, the “man behind the curtain” approach simply doesn’t work. True leaders understand that inspiration stems from visibility, trust from approachability, and connection from relatability. Just like Dorothy needed […]

In the grand theatre of leadership, there’s a delicate dance playing out on the main stage: the display of expertise. On one hand, we have the confident captains, radiating knowledge like beacons, guiding their teams through uncharted waters. On the other, lurk the know-it-alls, tripping over their own pronouncements, leaving trails of deflated egos and […]

The new year stretches before us, a blank canvas full of possibilities. As a business owner, you’re likely brimming with plans and goals, but are you tapping into the full potential of your team? Setting objectives is crucial, but it’s only the first brushstroke. To unleash the masterpiece, we need to delve deeper, fostering personal […]

We, the captains of our professional and community ships, spend our days steering, navigating, and occasionally throwing out life preservers. We’re problem solvers, decision-makers, and cheerleaders, fueled by the noble ambition to make things better. But in the pursuit of progress, one crucial truth can get swallowed by the waves: you can’t fix what you […]

When it comes to being a great Leader, power of words can tip the scales between proactive dynamism and knee-jerk reactivity. A leader’s directives, those crucial pronouncements that guide and motivate, hold the potential to ignite transformative action or trigger a defensive scramble. Understanding the difference between these two outcomes is fundamental to fostering a […]

Overcoming Challenges as Your Business Scales As any entrepreneur knows, building momentum is exhilarating! But riding that wave of success isn’t without its challenges. Here are some of the biggest hurdles you might face and how to navigate them: 1. Scaling Without Sacrificing Quality: Stumbling block: Expanding too quickly can lead to operational inefficiencies, product/service inconsistencies, […]

For anyone who is now working in their first-ever management role, you know things can be tough. No doubt you have already made a few mistakes (at least YOU think they are). Well if you haven’t done these 5 things, your management career is well on its way to a successful run. 1. Dropping the […]