Author: Rachel Hanson

High performers fuel the engine of success. You must have the talent. Facts. AND culture matters immensely. Far too many leaders sacrifice their culture on the altar of talent. How you treat your high performers, and the standard you hold them too, matter both to the high performers and to their teammates. If you want … Continue reading High performers

Anxiety and depression tend to be birds of a feather, and are often characterized by the same mental habits - overly tuned to self. They're marked by a turning inward and a heightened awareness of self. Some versions of it need clinical and medicinal help, no doubt. Not so for all, or perhaps even most. … Continue reading Take action

"Trust your instincts" is not a panacea for all your struggles. In fact it can be pretty terrible advice. There are times, however, where you absolutely should trust your instincts. So how to know the difference? Captain Sully, when making an emergency landing on the Hudson River, trusted his instincts. If you listen to the … Continue reading Trust your instincts

Make sure your communication reflects your intent. If you're communicating four items of importance to your team, as a leader recently was planning to do, make sure you're clear on what's actually important. After I asked some curious questions and he did some writing, it was clear there was a 1a and a 1B. Number … Continue reading Clarity and communication

Figuring out your company's value proposition is an inside-out process if it's to be both sustainable and reach high levels of excellence. Far too many use an outside-in strategy. They survey the customer to see what they say they want and need, they look at industry trends...they look at all the external data they can … Continue reading Inside-out

Great leaders know how and when to wield a high level of energy, similar to a skilled warrior in battle. They know how to turn the room, raise the energy level, lower it, turn the tide in a certain direction. Not everyone has that ability. But the ability itself is not what’s impressive, it’s the … Continue reading When to wield

I dislike the phrase "we're all dispensable/replaceable." I believe it's often a misguided attempt at humility. The problem is it's in no way inspirational to you or your team. No one, especially those who work for you, wants to feel replaceable, like they're simply a cog in the machine. Communicating to someone that they're an … Continue reading Words matter

Having hard conversations is a skill. It starts with a willingness to be truer (read day 173). AND...mastery of this skill looks like an ability to have these conversations in a way that does not cause others to go triple D (defend, deny, destroy). Giving someone truth is half the battle. Giving it IN LOVE … Continue reading Truth in love