Most organizations don’t set out to be unclear. Ambiguity creeps in quietly, usually with good intentions. A role evolves. A process stretches. A decision gets deferred. Someone says, “We’ll figure it out as we go.” And for a while, that works. Then the organization grows. Complexity increases. The same ambiguity that once felt flexible is now expensive. The problem is that ambiguity rarely appears on a financial statement. It hides in plain sight. Ambiguity feels harmless un

As I noted in my previous article, the conversation that “more data doesn’t mean better leadership” is now out in the open, which naturally leads to the next question. If data doesn’t make decisions, what does? The answer is uncomfortable for some leaders. Judgment. Context. Accountability. And the systems that support them. In other words, decision-making quality is not a personality trait of leadership. It’s a business capability. Decisions are the real output of leadership

I like data. That probably isn’t a surprise. I’ve built scorecards, KPI frameworks, dashboards, and reporting cadences across manufacturing, healthcare, and service environments. I’ve seen data bring clarity, alignment, and momentum. I’ve also seen it do the opposite. Because at a certain point, more data does not make you a better leader. It often makes you a worse one. Not because data is bad, but because of how we use it. The illusion of control Most leaders don’t ask for

Every team needs someone in the driver’s seat, not to control the car, but to guide it. I’ve found smarts  to be the most misinterpreted or misunderstood of the three virtues.  Patrick Lencioni, in his book The Ideal Team Player , provides greater detail to ensure the description is clear to all, as the word itself can be misleading, given our traditional definitions.  Without the proper context, the terms Smart and Humble could easily conflict with one another. In Lencioni’s

Every high-performing team has a certain sound. It’s not loud or flashy. It’s that quiet hum that tells you something’s working under the hood. Progress is happening, not because someone’s cracking a whip, but because the team wants  to move forward. That’s hunger. Patrick Lencioni describes it as one of the three virtues of the ideal team player. But it’s easy to mistake hunger for something else, ambition, competitiveness, or even obsession. Those can all look similar on th

Over the last year or two, I've had the opportunity to write about Patrick Lencioni's work and its relevance to a Business Operating System. Today, and over the next few weeks, I'm going to focus on the other aspect of his writing that really drives (yes, pun intended) an organization and an individual. I’ve worked with a lot of teams over the years, some that purred like a finely tuned engine and others that rattled along, barely making it to the next pit stop. Through those

If you want to improve something about yourself, coach someone else, and then practice what you teach. A few months ago, a young...

Small teams don’t have time to waste. Resources are tight, priorities compete, and the idea of “data-driven decisions” often sounds...

Every organization has pieces of a system. Weekly meetings here, annual planning there, maybe a dashboard or two scattered around. But...

Who is your next in-line? It’s a very different question than "who is your next-in-command?". Your next in command, or “2IC”, is the...

Have you ever been simultaneously full of hope and completely panicked about your business? I've been there multiple times. The thrill of...

Imagine if your favourite NFL coach ran your Monday morning ops meeting (yes, that would be Mike MacDonald or maybe Chuck Knox from days...

Some forces you can see in a business: metrics rising, projects launched, and open conflict between people. But others? They’re...

If you've felt a subtle shift lately, with conversations increasingly turning toward touchdowns, fantasy football, and Super Bowl...

One of the most common frustrations I hear from operations leaders, especially in fast-growing companies, is this: "I know my teams are...

Have you ever felt like your team acts differently the moment you enter the room? As a leader, I'm sure we all have. And it's not just a...

My opening disclaimer: I'm not a certified PMP (Project Management Professional), although I have read portions of the PMBOK on multiple...

It was at the end of the island, the start of a new day, and the trek back would begin soon. I often ask myself why I would exchange...

There’s a wonderful thing that happens when systems align. In physics, resonance occurs when an external force matches the natural...

After prospecting, cultivating, proposing and closing, high achieving salespeople pay close attention to fulfillment. Did the customer...