In September 2012, I first said the words out loud. I was sitting on a wooden bench, drinking with a friend at one of Albuquerque’s newer breweries, … Read more
Best of TLNT: Top 5 Culture Stories of 2021
How fitting that the final post of the year focuses on culture — for as famed management thinker Peter Drucker remarked, “Culture eats strategy for … Read more
The Most Important Culture Factor to Produce Results
Nearly every business on the planet has felt the impact of pandemic-driven lockdowns, closures, and staff shortages. Throw in variants and confusing mask … Read more
SHRM Inclusion Conference Features Keynote Speaker With Anti-Inclusion Past
The keynote speaker at the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM’s) upcoming INCLUSION 2021 conference (Oct 25 – 27) is on record saying that … Read more
This One Word Is Ruining Leaders’ Ability to Be Empathic
Empathy is, in essence, seeing the world or a situation from another person’s viewpoint. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus … Read more
Should White People Do DEI Work?
“I just can’t even, anymore” he sighed, exasperated. “My patience for well-meaning white people has run out. We’re supposed to congratulate white folks for … Read more
Do Your Company Values Mean Anything?
It is critical to establish core values for your company, a list of your core beliefs and values — what you and your company stand for (not who you wish … Read more
‘I Have MS. Would Your Company Hire or Recognize Me?’
I still remember the first time I sat in Bergdorf Goodman’s shoe department and realized I wouldn’t be able to wear high heels ever again. I broke down and … Read more
You Might Be Building the Wrong Type of Corporate Culture
When HR executives tell me that they want to improve their corporate culture, they often imagine a workplace where employees are socially connected, people … Read more
What a Near-Death Experience Teaches About Employee Engagement
Contrary to the old-school mindset that compassion and empathy are better left outside of the office building, if this past year has taught us anything, … Read more
Inclusion Is Not Someone Else’s Responsibility
Meet Mark Benton. Mark is vice president of talent management and development at the healthcare giant McKesson. As a Black man, Mark has a valuable … Read more
One Simple Question to Ask All Employees During LGBTQ Pride Month
June is LGBTQ Pride month, and while many companies offer public displays of support, we still need to do a lot of work. For example, a McKinsey study … Read more
What Leadership Looks Like Today
Less than 1 in 5 businesses say existing leaders are “very effective” at meeting business goals. What’s more, 84% of companies predict a shortfall of … Read more
When You Need to Change Your Culture ASAP
Culture change doesn’t happen overnight, but sometimes you really need it to. It’s a tricky time for organizations and their employees. An ever-faster … Read more
Engagement Surveys Don’t Create Everyday Engagement
Long ago, before the time of quarantines and face coverings, I attended one of those things where adults get together to share drinks and conversation. I … Read more
When Empathy Is Bad for Business
If you’ve ever watched TV coverage after a crazed killer has gunned down innocent victims in a shooting rampage and felt your own muscles tighten as … Read more
A Look at Amazon’s Compensation Practices
No matter how clear your leadership principles and yearly plan may be, they speak softly in comparison to financial incentives. Money talks — if your … Read more
HR’s Responsibility to Combat Anti-Asian Bias
In response to the undeniable spike of violence, harassment, and other hate directed at Asian Americans (Chinese Americans in particular), many … Read more
Steve Jobs’ Former Assistant Reveals Lessons About Burnout and Wellbeing
I was working for one of the most iconic CEOs at one of the most innovative companies in the world — and my hair was falling out. It was my first job out … Read more
The Enemies of Inclusion: Cancelling, Consensus, and Perfection
It was a Friday morning, and I was more excited than usual about a client meeting. The client was a small organization, the staff young, and their work … Read more