People have a need to be engaged in purposeful work. We want to feel like we’re part of something bigger than ourselves, and that our work makes a difference in the world. […]
Servant Leadership: Key Concepts
Quick Read: Better?
Here’s a short thought experiment about the difference between better and good. Imagine you’re driving a big truck along a highway. You see a sign that says low overpass ahead. 13′ clearance. […]
The Secret Formula for Building a Winning Culture
The challenge with growth companies is to figure out how to scale the culture as the size and complexity of the business grows. How do you grow the business without breaking the culture that made the business great to begin with?
Demma’s Notes: Limbo. A book about working class kids who migrate to the middle class.
Limbo, by Alfred Limbrano, is an eye-opening book about what it’s like to be raised in a working class family, be the first in your family to go to college, and then migrate to a middle class world.
Forgiveness
Jack is going through the sacrament of First Penance and Reconciliation next week. This is the Catholic ceremony of the first confession in which a child examines their conscience, asks for forgiveness […]
Demma’s Notes: Orwell’s 1984 for Managers
1984 is a book about power, life, government, freedom (or lack thereof) of speech, human nature, love, strength, and weakness. It’s gripping, suspenseful, horrific, and at times, maddening. This post contains a summary of the book, some of my favorite (or most terrifying) quotes, and some applications for business people.
What is Leadership? Defining Leadership and What Leaders Do
The primary job of a manager is to provide leadership for their team. To be a leader. But what is leadership? This post is about my definition of leadership.
New Job, Mistakes, Travel, Family, and Discovering My “Why”
I have made some mistakes during my on-boarding, mostly centered around my ambition to start contributing quickly and my obsession with getting things done.
Demma’s Notes: How to Talk So Kids Will Listen (or what I like to call The Parenting Bible)
The term “game-changer” is so overused today, but I can’t overstate how much parenting has changed for me since listening to “How to Talk”.
How to Create Great Team Building Exercises
Teamwork is important.
In fact, teamwork may be the most important competency for an organization operating in a world of complexity.
The Ultimate Leadership Skill
Hubris slays another Ancient Greek. “Pride comes before the fall,” says the bible. Gatsby was ruined by his own opulence and swagger. People have been warning other people through stories to stay humble for a long long time now.
How to Use Your Vacation and Paid Time Off
This post is for anyone thinking they shouldn’t use their PTO because it might upset their boss or cause their boss to look unfavorably upon their work ethic. Because that’s just not the case.
My Stand Up Desk Experiment
I decided about two months ago to give a stand up desk a try. A stand up desk is just like it sounds – it’s a higher desk that lets you stand up while working instead of sitting.
Demma’s 4 P’s: The fundamentals of management
Those fundamental principles that lead to sound business management: Demma’s 4 P’s. A meaningful framework for doing the job of management effectively.
Leadership Style: Fake it till you make it
About a year ago, I wrote this post about how to articulate my/your leadership style. Thanks to Google, this has become my all time most viewed post with over 1,000 views. Today […]