Trust is the foundation of successful leadership. Without it, even the most brilliant vision or charismatic leader will struggle to gain traction.

When I was a new manager, I made a classic mistake. I transferred knowledge linearly.

Step 1, then Step 2, then Step 3…

It worked until it didn’t.

Here was what happened. Whenever a junior hit a roadblock, they’d get stuck. I’d feel frustrated, “I already told them what to do!”

Easy first or hard first? Here’s a smarter way to decide where to start to tackle your task. 

One common approach in the productivity circle is to start doing easy tasks first to build momentum and confidence. On the other hand, there's the "Eat That Frog" school of thought popularized by Brian Tracy: do the most difficult, important task first to create a domino effect for the rest of your day.

It’s a hard truth to swallow, especially for those of us who believe in the power of purpose and doing the right thing. But in the real world, opportunities often don’t go to those who work the hardest—they go to those who are seen.

As managers yourself, the subject of career planning should be a continuous, intentional conversation between you and your team member. It’s about understanding their aspirations and mapping out their development pathways that will serve both the individual and the organization in the long run.

Have you ever led someone who seems stuck? It’s not because they lack ability, but they just stopped…growing? What do you do?

What if avoiding conflict is the very thing that breaks the relationship?

For most of my life, I saw conflict as a threat. I was a person of peace, and peace to me meant the absence of arguments, the avoidance of tension, and always trying to keep things calm. I told myself, “I don’t want to argue and fight.” I genuinely believed that avoiding conflict was how you built strong relationships. After all, who enjoys confrontation?

You know that feeling when you meet a leader, and something inside you just says, “I want to follow this person”? 

I’ve felt it before. And I’ve been told by my former staff and community that I inspire them too. But I wanted to “science” it: “What actually makes someone inspiring?” Because God knows, we need more inspiring leaders today.

Are you leading with authority or with influence? Here are the differences and the impact it has on our team members.

I’ll be honest. When I first became a manager, I thought being polite, nice, and overly agreeable was the key to earning respect. I believed that if I could be liked, people would naturally respect me and follow my lead.

Most of us lead on autopilot. We react instead of responding, especially in high-pressure situations - and that’s not always helpful to our people.

We’ve all heard it before: “Great leaders don’t just give answers; they ask better questions.” But what happens when questioning goes wrong?

Giving tough feedback is one of the most uncomfortable yet necessary responsibilities of leadership. However, many of us struggle with it, often avoiding it altogether.

I’m particularly passionate about this area of leadership because I’ve struggled with it myself. I’ve lost teammates and friendships because of these barriers. I’ve learned that delaying difficult conversations only erodes trust over time. While I’ve gotten better at having these discussions, there’s always room for improvement.

Recognition is a universal expectation, yet not a universal practice. Despite its importance, many leaders overlook the profound impact of acknowledging their team's efforts.

A leader isn’t just someone who checks the boxes. Here’s what directing a short film 10 years ago taught me about leadership.

“Everybody is coachable, but not everyone is coachable by you.”

I was frustrated. My client just wasn’t getting it.

“They’re not coachable,” I complained to my mentor.

She smiled and said those words to me.

What if the key to unlocking your team’s potential lies in meeting three universal human cravings: safety, belonging, and mattering? Leaders who understand and act on this can inspire loyalty, drive performance, and create a culture where people thrive.

A great mentor doesn’t just challenge their mentees; they also provide the scaffolding to help them rise to the challenge.

“Find balance,” they say. But is leadership really like balancing a scale? What if it’s more like adjusting the sliders on an audio mixer? 

Conflict is not always a bad thing. Understanding and managing conflict effectively can transform it into opportunities for growth.