Building better teammates and creating a winning culture are intertwined. In order to build a long-term, winning culture, it takes months and years of continuous, dedicated, deliberate effort. It's a never-ending commitment to sharpening each other at every turn. The New Zealand All Blacks, the national men’s rugby team, were smacked in the face with this undertaking. They … [Read more...]

I want to work with people who flag problems and then offer up solutions. Whistle blowers, tattletale, and rumormongers are a dime a dozen. If you took one-tenth the energy you put into complaining and applied it to solving the problem, you'd be surprised by how well things can work out… Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. Any time we … [Read more...]

In any organization, including people in important decisions is of paramount importance. It makes them feel heard and, subsequently, confident in their positions. We are trying to construct a more inclusive society. We are going to make a country in which no one is left out. -Franklin D. Roosevelt A few years back, I was involved in a startup company called egraphs. Our … [Read more...]

We are not defined by our job descriptions. Whether you’re a CEO or an intern on your first day of the job, society’s boundaries are negotiable. In baseball, we have a saying. "You don't have enough dirt in your spikes." This statement is absurd. It’s used to suggest, because you’re a rookie, you’re incapable of contributing beyond your experience level. This mindset is … [Read more...]

"Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress.” -Mahatma Ghandi If you want to make improved decisions and elevate your critical thinking skills, do not avoid confrontational conversations. In fact, you should embrace the challenge and seek out debate. Your mind will grow stronger. From ideate.org:  "The process of debate offers profound and lasting benefits for … [Read more...]