Author: Rachel Hanson

If you have a performance edge, you will be seen as an ass at times. By that I mean that you will be an irritant and will make people uncomfortable. You will agitate others to achieve their best and they will not always enjoy or appreciate that. It's a natural and unavoidable byproduct of creating … Continue reading Ass or ?

“Anger is rarely a primary emotion. Usually anger is some kind of defense against something else - humiliated, sad, hurt. People don’t like to feel vulnerable so they put up anger." Heard this the other day and I believe it's right on. Anger is a often a masking emotion. What's underneath it? Dig in and … Continue reading Anger

You have no control over how the other side will react when it comes to a hard fight, litigation, dissolution of a partnership. You cannot control the outcome. Clarity of aim and peace in the process is what we're after. Have you acted in alignment with your beliefs? Have you done everything in your power … Continue reading Peace in the process

"Our chief want in life is someone who shall make us do what we can." - Ralph Waldo Emerson "The role of the leader is to do for the team what they can't yet do for themselves." - Ken Blanchard Stop taking on the tension when a team member says they can't do something. Make … Continue reading Bookends

Rich is flashy. Wealth is stealthy. Rich spends to feel a certain way, impress certain people, maintain a certain image. Wealth is built largely by the discipline to not spend what you currently have (or more precisely too much of what you currently have) in order to buy options and time down the road. Spending … Continue reading Spending and saving

I've got a client who had to deliver hard news to one of his employees - this employee was not getting the big promotion he'd been working toward and counting on. My client nailed it. He led with belief first. He believes in his employee's ability, cares about him and his career, AND doesn't believe … Continue reading Lead with belief

The best things in life must often be pursued indirectly. I read this in someone else's opining recently, and I believe there's a lot of truth in it. Said differently, if you want to be happy don't focus on being happy. Get lost in pursuit of something, lose yourself fully in flow, focus on the … Continue reading Indirect pursuit

Leaders must have a vision. AND they must have an edge in order to implement that vision. No vision comes to fruition without hard decisions, hard climbs, hard conversations. Without an edge a vision is relegated to a pleasant dream. Soothing to think about, but no hope of becoming reality. So leader, if you've got … Continue reading Vision needs edge