closeup of woman's eye with tear running down

I Do Not Know…

June 1, 2020

Growing up in suburban Chicago I had the mistaken notion that racism was a thing of the past. When a long-term friendship with someone from a different race morphed into a dating relationship, I learned how mistaken this notion was. The first time we walked into a restaurant as a couple, people glared at us. […]

handwritten checklist

Planning Vs. Preparing

May 26, 2020

No one could have adequately planned for COVID-19. Not only did it come unannounced, it has changed things at such a rapid pace that what you thought you knew yesterday is outdated by the time you drink your morning’s coffee the next day. This is a crisis, which means you cannot plan for it. But […]

group of young children

Time for Action

May 18, 2020

As the West’s experience of COVID-19 continues into another month, I have begun noticing patience growing thin. I have noticed myself becoming more critical of decisions being made by governmental officials, and more annoyed at the inconveniences of sheltering in place. The economic decline, and potential repercussions, add to the already immense stresses of the […]

don't panic with face mask

3 Qualities Your Team Must Embrace in a Crisis

May 11, 2020

Whatever we want to call this season we are in (COVID-19, Recession, or something else), the reality is that it is different from the one that roughly ended on March 13, 2020. The previous season can almost be characterized with one word: GROWTH. Words like innovation, technology, robotics, and sustainability, all became commonplace. In return, […]

world vs corona sign

Can One View It Dutifully?

May 4, 2020

I write these words from my home office. It is Tax Day, or was supposed to be Tax Day. The view I have is to our backyard and the ground is covered with a thin blanket of snow. A week ago, the temperature approached 80 degrees in Chicago. Now winter has reminded us that it […]

man sheltering his head with a book while papers fall all around him

Healthy Coping Mechanisms

April 27, 2020

I sense that most people are experiencing some fatigue these days. This is uncharted territory that we are in. I mean, who would have thought Tom Brady would choose the Bucs? The Bucs! Ok, I meant the other thing. I don’t want you to burn anymore brain calories reading this blog so I am going […]

man reading expert secrets book

Embracing Limits

April 20, 2020

Much of leadership content these days is about hustling, doing more with less, increasing productivity in general, and on and on and on. There is even discussion about “side hustles,” “plus time,” or “google time.” The reality, however, is that no one can do everything. Conversely, have you noticed that there is a natural rhythm […]

alex gretchen and charlotte

Leading Through Crisis as a Family

April 13, 2020

On January 1 of this year our father moved into a new role as Chairman of the Board. This meant that he had to pick one of his three kids to run the business. Except that is not how it went down. Instead, the three of us spent the last few years growing our work […]

iceberg in blue water

Do this ONE thing to help with Emotional Health

April 6, 2020

A year ago, my Executive Coach challenged me to read Pete Scazzero’s “The Emotionally Healthy Leader.” It entirely rocked my world, and challenged me to get in touch with my feelings. I know. I feel like I need to do something manly after writing that last statement – maybe some push-ups or something? But let’s […]

covid 19 model

Not Another COVID-19 Post

March 30, 2020

If you have opened this blog post up, I would encourage you to stop reading it. In fact, set aside the next 30 minutes, or 30 minutes sometime today, to just be still and silent. Some of you are rolling your eyes, and that is fine. But as leaders, we need to be still and […]