Why You Should Never Run Your Boss Under the Bus
Why You Should Never Run Your Boss Under the Bus Read time: 4 minutes TL;DR: Running your boss under the bus might feel satisfying in the moment, but research shows it destroys your reputation, kills future opportunities, and actually makes you the target for exploitation. Smart professionals protect their career by building trust instead of burning bridges. Let’s dive into it. 👇 Your boss just made another terrible decision. Everyone’s rolling their eyes. Someone suggests throwing them under…
Stop asking permissions to be yourself
Trust Yourself Read time: 4 minutes TL;DR: That promotion you want? It’s not about playing politics or becoming someone you’re not. I learned this the hard way when I had to fire my own mentor for crossing ethical lines. Self-authority—trusting your internal compass even when it costs you—is what separates leaders who last from those who flame out. The Day I Had to Fire My Own Mentor (And Why It Made Me a Better Leader) Picture this: I’m sitting across from Dave, the guy who taught me…
Saying ‘No’ Can Cost You Everything
The Dumbest Advice Some Give You is to Say ‘No’ (And Why You Should Be Saying ‘Yes’) Read time: 4 minutes Every productivity guru tells you the same thing. “Say no more often.” “Protect your time.” “Focus means saying no to 1,000 things.” They’re wrong. 👈 I’ve led teams of 1,600+ people. I’ve navigated corporate politics at the highest levels. And I discovered that saying “no” is career suicide disguised as wisdom. The executives who get promoted? They never say no. They do something far more…
#68 When you miss detail, you risk damaging your reputation
Why Your Big Executive Brain Can’t Count Anymore (And How I Fixed Mine) Read time: 5 minutes TL;DR: That Thursday I quoted $320K instead of $3.2 million to our board nearly ended my career as CIO. Turns out, your promotion literally rewires your brain to miss details. Here’s the science behind why executives make dumb mistakes and my ZOOM framework to catch them before they catch you. 👇 Let me tell you about the most humiliating 30 seconds of my career. I’m standing in front of our board,…
#67 Stop Hiding Behind “We”
Stop Hiding Behind “We”(Your Career Depends On It) Read time: 3 minutes TL;DR: Using “we” when describing your accomplishments makes you invisible in leadership conversations. Learn to articulate your specific contributions without sounding like a credit-stealing jerk. I watched a director get passed over for VP three times. Same story every promotion cycle. “We increased revenue by 40%.” “We launched the new product line.” “We restructured the entire department.” The hiring committee had no…
#66 Your Boss Is Playing Favorites (And Here’s How to Become One of Them)
The RISE Framework: How to Build Upward Influence Without Being a Brown-Noser Read time: 6 minutes TL;DR: Stop waiting for your boss to notice your hard work. Use the RISE Framework – Read the Room, Invest in Relationships, Show Strategic Value, Execute Consistently – to systematically build influence with executives. It’s not about politics; it’s about positioning yourself as indispensable through proven psychological principles. You know that sinking feeling when your less-qualified…
#65 The Corporate Dropouts, Misfits, and Rejects
The Three Types of People Quitting Their Corporate Jobs (And Which One Will Actually Succeed) Read time: 6 minutes TL;DR: Research reveals three distinct types of corporate leavers: Dropouts (85% success rate), Misfits (65% success), and Rejects (35% success). Knowing which type you are determines whether your career escape will be brilliant or a disaster. Your most successful friend just quit their executive job to become a life coach. Again. And you’re thinking, “Is this another midlife…
#64 Your First 100 Days: The Executive Playbook
Your First 100 Days: The Executive Survival Guide Nobody Gave You Read time: 4 minutes (Some of what I am sharing here will shock you.) TL;DR: Most executives blow their first 100 days by moving too fast, trusting too quickly, or getting sucked into operational quicksand. Here’s the framework I developed after watching dozens of leaders crash and burn (including myself once or twice). This isn’t about making friends—it’s about setting yourself up, actually, to deliver the transformation you…
#63 The AI Job Apocalypse is Coming Your Way
Why Your Resume is Already Dead (and AI is Coming for Your Job)
#62 You shouldn’t protect your team
The Leadership Myth That’s Burning Out Your Team Read time: 4 minutes TL;DR: If you’re constantly protecting your team from work challenges, you might be creating weakness instead of strength. Strong teams don’t need shields – they need strategic clarity and the freedom to manage themselves. The real problem isn’t the workload; it’s the lack of accountability and poor expectation management that creates a culture of learned helplessness. The Protection Trap Last week, I got a call from a VP…