Beginning in January 2019...

My monthly writing can be found in the Writings section of our website under my Blog tab. 

Parents and leaders: decide carefully when to be involved

Wise parents and exemplary leaders need to know when to be involved or uninvolved.

When hiring a leader, look for character, maturity

Selecting good leadership candidates requires more than resumes and interviews. It's important to dig deeper than competency in order to measure character and maturity.

Succession mantra: lead as if I'm not there

This mantra can help guide leaders through the course of their succession planning and prepare new leaders to move the organization forward.

Surgeon chat sparks leadership lessons for businesses

A chance encounter with a skilled surgeon offers unexpected but important leadership lessons.

Seek out-of-the-ordinary experiences to learn about self

Leaders have a responsibility to stimulate their own self-learning and can do so by stepping out of their usual circles and comfort zones.

Unresolved family issues can hobble closely held businesses

Family businesses can present relationship challenges in the workplace and at home when connections become unhealthy.

Leadership arises when easy answers are hard to come by

Facing imperfect options, leaders must make careful, reasoned decisions.

Leadership of Frederick Douglass still applicable in 21st century

Frederick Douglass was born 200 years ago and became the most renowned African-American of his time. His life provides important leadership lessons that can help us in the 21st century.

Managing relationships a key skill of the best leaders

Good leadership development begins with quality training programs centered on managing relationships. 

Self-responsibility is the primary leadership lesson

Self-responsibility is the starting point to good leadership. It requires looking inward to discern values before choosing a course of action.

How would you describe what it's like to be a leadership coach?

For John Engels, his role as a leadership coach is not about leadership or coaching per se, but to help clients manage life's challenges.

Applying clarity and firmness helps with difficult breakups

Breaking up or leaving a partnership?  John Engels suggests guiding principles in his latest leadership column...

New leaders: work on yourself, help others grow

Are you new to leadership?  Breaking down what it means to help others grow.

Reducing avoidance in leadership requires skill and will

With determination and practice, you can reduce avoidance and improve leadership.

Two ways leaders can foster calm and clarity of thinking

Proposing two strategies to increase your calmness and clarity.  

Real differences separate managers from leaders

The words "manager" and "leader" are not interchangeable.  

Millennials are different but display positive traits

"Millennials" stereotypes warrant caution.

Coaching requires deeper conversations - it's not the same as mentoring

Coach your employees to help them reach new levels

Is adversity a leadership advantage?

Adversity and resilience can become leadership assets

Revealing relationship patterns results in better leadership

... Sidestepping relationship challenges can be just as costly as ignoring other high-impact problems, such as medical symptoms. If you developed a strange lump under your armpit, how long would you wait before asking a physician to check it out? Unlike some medical problems, relationship disorders cannot be easily X-rayed and diagnosed. There’s no quick formula for determining what’s really going on. ...

Avoid mistakes, live by clear relationship principles

In some family businesses, family members get along, communication is effective, each individual contributes to the success of the business, and the transfer of leadership from one generation to the next is planned, smooth and seamless. ...

'Present' leaders give valued employees reason to stay

These days, more people are leaving their jobs because they want to, not because they’re asked to. ...

Self-management includes some tough challenges

People regularly ask me, “What are the most common issues you see leaders struggling with?” ...

Think deeply: A talented workforce is a big deal

“It’s hard to find and keep good people.”

That theme song, sung louder than ever by today’s owners and executives, is reflected in the intense competition for talent that challenges large and small businesses alike. ...

You're in the people business; hone relationship skills

Talk to any business owner or leader and they’ll tell you: “We’re in the people business. Our success depends on relationships.” ...

Acknowledge mistakes, build powerful credibility

One of the memorable traditions of my upbringing was confessing my sins to a priest. It became a monthly practice of my early childhood, one I both detested and looked forward to. ...

Lose sight of the purposes of leadership at your own peril

What’s the point of leadership? When asked that question, my clients responded: ...

Disinterested leaders: Consider what you're missing

... I’m writing this column for the disinterested majority.

This is not a slam; it’s just respecting what is. ...

Pay attention, learn from these valuable coaching lessons

When it comes to helping others grow, I’m suspicious of formal coaching certifications and the view that reading books can teach someone how to coach. There’s a better way. ...

Acknowledge dishonesty; it's a starting point for integrity

A lot of leaders are full of bull. At least, that's what some of their followers think. ...

Take a personal retreat and make time to reflect on your life

I have often remarked that most leaders know more about their pets, cars and investments than they know about themselves. This would deserve a good belly laugh if self-awareness were not so central to leadership. ...

Practice emotional neutrality, address sticky situations

What single characteristic do most funeral homes, car dealerships, heating contractors and construction companies share with large businesses such as Wegmans, Constellation Brands, Samsung and Walmart? ...

Healthy suspicion separates real threats from fake ones

Leaders who investigate problems using appropriate suspicion can distinguish a real threat from a fake one. 

Look beyond passion, temper excitement with discernment

It's commonly believed that a child having a temper tantrum is out of control. ...

Be a powerful leader; embrace use of the pronoun "I"

One of the most powerful words any leader can speak is the pronoun "I," but most leaders are too skittish to employ it. ...

Live in the real world, deprogram fantasies around leadership

"You have to at some point be honest about what's happening in the real world as opposed to what you would like to have happen." -Newt Gingrich, 2012 Republican presidential candidate, announcing his intention to drop out of the race, April 25 ...

Want to be an effective leader? Identify your beliefs

My client, Paul, is a senior vice president at a sizable urban hospital.
  
Paul has learned a lot about the inner workings of hospitals over the years and believes his expertise and experience are his greatest leadership assets. ...

Leaders: Develop emotional maturity to foster excellence

What do you actually do in your job?
  
I am asked that question frequently, and it nudges me to continually clarify the essence of my work. ...

Relevant, lucid leadership insights from the Dalai Lama

What does a 76-year-old Tibetan monk know about organizational leadership?

Plenty, it turns out. ...

Make a smart move, find courage to address taboo topics

Sometimes an interaction ventures too close to a sensitive issue, eliciting an immediate "I don't want to discuss it." The tension can easily be observed: fidgeting, abruptly changing the subject, deflecting through humor, tightness in the face, red blotches on the neck or "shutting down." ...

To be effective, top-level leaders need coaching too

Every day, top-level leaders have a direct impact on group survival. They make important decisions, influence key individuals and guard the overall health of the organization. ...

Seek feedback from family, open the door to self-awareness

... Self-awareness-the degree to which one is conscious of one's thoughts, feelings, beliefs, behaviors and destiny-might be the last but most important frontier of leadership. Why? Because self-awareness decreases knee-jerk decision-making and emotional over-reactions, two of the main roadblocks to leading effectively. ...

Try admitting ignorance, become a better leader

My work as a leadership coach gives me the satisfaction of interacting daily with people who have gained a high level of subject-matter and technical expertise in their chosen fields. ...

Reduce addiction to approval; find courage to say no

When asked to state their philosophy of leadership, a recent group of Leadership Coaching's executive clients responded:

"A leader is someone who is always there when needed." ...

Drop the excuses, make time to coach high performers

A popular song in the Bahamas is titled "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven, but Nobody Wants to Die." For today's business leaders, the song could be renamed "Everybody Wants to Grow Their Business, but Nobody Wants to Coach." ...

Memo from self-aware boss: 'I am going to improve'

Bosses are quick to want others to improve but slow to spend education and professional development dollars on their own growth and development. That doesn't make sense ...