Author: Rachel Hanson

What’s the difference between a leader with a vision for change and an individual risk taker? The leader creates conditions that make it safe to take manageable risks. This goes right back to Google’s study on psychological safety. Leaders drive for change…sometimes BIG change.  AND they both do it in an iterative fashion (rather than … Continue reading Risks

"We labour at our daily work more ardently and thoughtlessly than is neccessary to sustain our life, because to us it is even more necessary not to have leisure to stop and think. Haste is universal because everyone is in flight from himself." - Nietzsche You have enough time. I have enough time. It's only … Continue reading Time

Marry the mundane. That was the big melody line in a team practice the other day. I hear lots of excuses when people don't get their productive actions done. I'm so busy (that never changes), life got in the way, blah blah blah. All BS. Do it or don't, but stop making excuses and lying … Continue reading Excuses

I believe we only get one beautiful life to live. It's written all over my core to wake up and live it well, and to help others do the same. I believe it's far better to expend rather than conserve energy, to do hard things well rather than half ass or take the easy way, … Continue reading One shot

It's far too rare as a leader for a member of your team to bring you hard truth. That is a powerful and pivotal moment in the life of a team. Your team will drastically change their behavior based on how you respond to that moment. They will become more comfortable or they will become … Continue reading Comfortable or careful

As Chet has said many times, truth may hurt but it doesn't harm. Truth heals and reveals. It reveals the underlying root issues. It reveals the problem that was always there but not talked about. It reveals the possible next steps out of the current state. It may be a painful reveal and an equally … Continue reading Truth

Partners, both at work and at home, don't want to be inspected. They want to be understood. When deep trust has been built, then the punches (i.e. productive conflict) can fly and are far more likely to be received well. That's next level partnership. You don't get there without building trust FIRST. Slow down, seek … Continue reading Partners

I watched a talk given by Alex Honnold (a crazy guy who free solos mountains - i.e. climbs them with no safety equipment). Fear, he said, is a death sentence on the mountain. Can't allow it to creep in. Makes sense. So what does he do to prevent it? The key for him was realizing … Continue reading Reps remove doubt