There is a bigger difference between management and leadership than most people realize. Not all leaders make good managers and vice versa. Whereas leadership is about providing clear direction through strategic thinking, decision making, and planning. It is about the macro. Management is about executing leadership initiatives through directing, organizing, coaching, and holding people tactically accountable. It is about the micro. A good manager knows his/her people well and is committed to their success individually and collectively.
Meetings Aren’t the Problem—Misunderstanding Leadership Is Why CEOs and Business Owners Need to Rethink Meetings and Their Role I’m always fascinated by leaders who complain about being in too many meetings. At a…
The Mirror Test: Five Hard Truths About Leadership Accountability Leadership conversations often revolve around strategy, vision, and growth plans. Those things matter. But after years of working with business owners and executives, I’ve…
Management vs Leadership: The Journey from Manager to True Leader Part of my work — and frankly, part of my calling — is helping participants in my Vistage Emerging Leader and Advancing Leader…
Are Your Business Goals Optional—or Mandatory? The start of a new year brings optimism, energy, and ambitious business goals. Leaders and teams are focused on growth, opportunity, and what’s possible. It’s a time…
One-to-One Meetings: A Missed Leadership Opportunity Most leaders will tell you they believe in one-to-one meetings. Far fewer run them well. In too many organizations, one-to-ones slowly drift into status updates, get cancelled…
High performance is achievable You don’t need jargon to run a tighter, faster shop. You need a simple way to set priorities, make decisions quickly, and keep work moving without drama. I think…
These perormance management issues are silent because they creep in slowly. One missed conversation. One rushed hire. One unclear expectation. But over time, they stack up—and they sabotage your culture, your execution, and…
Over the years, working with numerous clients has revealed a persistent challenge: creating career paths that are clear, practical, and suitable for all types of employees. It's not because they don't care or…
At the heart of every successful organization is a clear understanding of roles. As a leader, it’s vital to define your own five core responsibilities—the primary tasks that drive your business forward. But…
Commitment is more than just a quality we admire in others—it is a profound virtue that lies at the heart of human achievement and fulfillment. As a virtue, commitment represents the unwavering dedication…
In any high-performing organization, accountability is not just a buzzword—it’s the foundation upon which success is built. Accountability ensures that every team member understands their responsibilities, takes ownership of their work, and fully…
Too many people these days live their professional (and personal) lives as if they are only ever driving on a one-way street. However, in our rapidly changing business environment, the way we interact…
As a small business owner, you assume multiple responsibilities. You’re responsible for setting the vision, inspiring your team, and driving change, all while managing day-to-day operations, resources, and people. Understanding the difference between…
Remember, what you do at work isn't just about hitting KPIs or closing deals. It's about building a team that's all in it together, where everyone feels like they're part of something bigger.…
Remember, genuine compassion involves helping individuals become the best version of themselves, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable life challenges. Accountability is something you do for someone, not to them.
As a leader, it is essential to consider all three options—building, renting, and buying capacity—continuously. Rarely will a single path suffice at all times. When faced with the operational challenges of adding labor…
Instead of treating these important meetings with the professional respect they deserve, most individual participants view them as a means of simply fulfilling a team obligation and/or humoring the senior person in charge…
Growth is hard work. For the past 27 years, I’ve worked as an executive coach, Vistage Chair, trainer or management consultant with hundreds of organizations. They have varied in size from just under…
Transitioning from being a buddy to a boss can be a challenging task. As a boss, you must make tough decisions that affect your team's performance and well-being.
Business leadership isn't easy. If it were, everyone would be able to do it. Some talented people make it look easy, but we often don't see all the effort that goes into making…
Introduction—Be the Best Part of Their Day Communication matters. Every leader leaves a footprint after every interaction. The only real question is: did you lift people up—or wear them down? In Be the Best…
Introduction to “Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings” Every day, somewhere between 200 and 500 million one-on-one meetings take place around the world. That’s roughly $1.25 billion invested daily…
Welcome to Beat the Odds – A Journey from the Stage to the Boardroom By Sandy Gennaro — Rock Star. Mentor. Speaker. Difference-Maker. What do Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett, and The Monkees have…
All of the data over the years shows that the single most important thing that you can do as a manager to improve your performance and increase retention is to spend time getting…
Classify your relationships by the benefits they provide. Generally, benefits fall into one of six categories: information, political support and influence, personal development, personal support and energy, a sense of purpose or worth,…
I believe that business and nonprofit leaders need to think differently about what constitutes success. Besides the quality of their people, what differentiates most high-performing companies is their vision, focus, and discipline. Culturally,…
Introduction: Why communication matters on the shop floor (and in the boardroom) Most teams don’t stall out because of skill gaps; they stall because people feel unseen, uncertain, or uninspired. When communication frays,…
Introduction: The Power of Effective 1:1s Using Simple Conversations So much of leadership is wrapped up in big things—budgets, strategies, growth plans, new technology. Yet what often separates great leaders from average ones…
Introduction In the pursuit of organizational excellence, aligning the hearts and minds of employees is crucial. Jon R. Katzenbach’s “Peak Performance: Aligning the Hearts and Minds of Your Employees” provides a comprehensive guide…
We have a weekly newsletter packed full of weekly updates of latest content posted here.
‘Ask Ed’ AI Chatbot: Ed has developed this chatbot to allow you to easily access the content he has complied over the last 30 years as a business and leadership coach. Click ‘Ask Ed’ below to get your questions answered.
