“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” –Nelson Mandela As always, this Black History Month has been a time to elevate and celebrate the history and cultural contributions of Black Americans; a time to learn about and contemplate the achievements, perspectives, struggles, and extraordinary contributions of Black Americans…

Visionary: noun: one having unusual foresight and imagination The above definition of “visionary” comes from Merriam Webster. While we generally reserve the term for folks like Barack Obama, Bill Gates, and Sheryl Sandburg, those towering figures who have applied their genius to change the world for the better, the reality is we are all blessed with…

“A good coach will make his players see what they can be, rather than what they are.” – Ara Parseghian As one of Notre Dame’s winningest coaches, Ara Parseghian revived a losing team, bringing them back to national prominence in the early 1960s. He understood the power of a coach in bringing perspective and building…

The starting lineup of a team is key to the level of effectiveness and execution in meeting business targets and strategic goals. Clarity on organizational goals and resources to achieve the goals are necessary to ensure everyone is engaged and aligned to work toward a successful and fulfilling 2024. It’s the same with any business.…

It’s that time of year once again. The temperatures and the leaves are finally beginning to fall, and folks are gathering around their widescreen TVs for the big kickoff. That’s right, it’s football season, time to get revved up and ready to fight our way to the championship. For business leaders, these final months of…

With the Supreme Court’s recent decision to end affirmative action, the need for institutes of higher learning to consider information about student identities such as race, ethnicity, or gender in their admissions policies has been greatly reduced, if not eliminated. Whatever one might think about the wisdom of this decision or the heated politics surrounding…

Remember when we had only a few holidays each year? Scanning my calendar today, it seems like every other day is a reason to celebrate something; pets, knitting, skydiving, restaurants, you name it. I noticed that in July, we’re supposed to be ready for something called “Get to Know your Customers Day.” In fact, it…

It’s hard to believe, but we’re almost halfway through 2023. Caught up in the frenetic, day-to-day work of running a business from one quarter to the next, it’s easy to lose perspective and feel a bit of burnout creeping in at this time of year. But that’s what summer is for, right? It’s the season…

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” – John F. Kennedy Excellent communication skills, a clearly defined vision, decisiveness under pressure, and the ability to successfully inspire and support a team of people – these are the some of the positive traits commonly attributed to effective leaders. One important quality that isn’t talked about quite…