Every seasoned hiker knows the moment on a mountain trail when the route hits a brutal switchback, forcing you to completely reverse direction and face a slope you hadn’t planned on climbing. Or worse, a sudden weather front rolls over the ridge, demanding an immediate change of course. In the organizational wilderness, leadership pivots are just as inevitable. A new… Read more →
When a new employee steps into an organization, they are essentially walking onto an unfamiliar trail in the dark. If you ask them what they are most afraid of, the surface answers usually sound like, “I’m afraid of making a mistake on the software” or “I don’t know the filing system yet.” But beneath those tactical anxieties lies a deeper,… Read more →
There is an old survival truth in the backcountry: nobody likes a surprise avalanche. Yet, walk into almost any corporate office or municipal agency, and you will find brilliant professionals operating on what I call the mushroom theory of management—keeping their boss in the dark and feeding them manure, hoping somehow a masterpiece will eventually sprout. In reality, nothing destroys… Read more →
The reality is, there’s no such thing as “perfect.” Searching for “perfection” is a fool’s quest. Belief in “perfection” is dysfunctional behavior gained through faulty learning and self-deceit. Yet, some proudly say, “I’m a perfectionist!” Such delusional exclamations are self-defeating and, in my experience, forecast someone with high ego need and low self-esteem. It is clearly a claim from someone… Read more →
The brochure for the backcountry always shows a smiling trekker standing atop a sunlit ridge, arms outstretched toward a cloudless blue sky. It never shows the blisters, the sudden dropping temperatures, or the slick mud of a washed-out switchback. Organizations sell the same brochure. They promise a clear path, collaborative harmony, and a steady ascent to the summit. But anyone… Read more →