My favorites, readers’ favorites, and a little about me as a human — Four years ago, I was gathered around a campfire with a few friends, and I told my buddy Alex that I wanted to be a writer someday. …

“He who indulges empty fears earns himself real fears.” -Seneca — Several years ago, I was interviewing for a job I really wanted, and I realized that my mind was actively working against me. I had spent hours preparing for the interview: I researched the company, drafted questions I thought they might ask (along with how I’d respond), and prepped questions…

Think of Your Career as a Climbing Wall, Not a Ladder — Six years ago, I made what some people would call the dumbest career move a person could make. I left a job as Director of Client Services at an international SaaS company and became a Business Analyst at a credit card processing firm. Depending on how you count it, the…

A Duplicate Test question to help you make the decision if it’s time to part ways with that employee — Because I work in HR, I hear about a lot of employee performance issues. So needless to say, I wasn’t surprised last year when our company executive, let’s call him Randy, came to talk to me about a problem he was having with one of his new team members, let’s…

From listening to public speaking, these books will improve all the ways you communicate with others — I frequently turn to books to solve the challenges I face in life and work. One of the skills I’ve been working to develop for years is communication (in all its forms): public speaking, leading meetings, simplifying complex messages, and even listening. From the dozens of books I’ve read about…

These hidden gems are worth your reading time. — Here are a few of my favorite lesser-known novels that you won’t find on many bestseller lists: *Note: Each book includes an affiliate link from Bookshop.org. If you purchase one, you’ll support me and local bookstores. Win-win! Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Marc Twain

It took me a long time to realize efficiency and effectiveness are not the same thing. — I’m a bit weird. When I go to the grocery store, I obsess over which path of picking up groceries will require the fewest steps (it’s gotten to the point that my wife doesn’t like shopping together anymore). When I run errands around town, I mentally map out my route…

I’ve read hundreds of nonfiction books. These hidden gems are worth your time. — Just like everyone else, I spend a lot of time reading bestsellers. (They’re bestsellers for a reason, right?) But it’s important to remember there are countless books that haven’t sold millions of copies that are also mind-blowingly good. Here are a few of my favorite nonfiction books that you won’t…

Don’t focus on activity, focus on achievement. — I know being a manager is overwhelming because I’ve been in your shoes. I’ve been managing teams and training managers for the past decade. For managers, the work is constant: meetings, 1-on-1s, performance reviews, nonstop emails, Slack messages, questions from team members, etc. There’s so much going on at any…