by Michael Holland - What can be learned from a survey of 1,000,000 employees and 80,000 managers about why talented employees decide to stay in a job or go? What can you learn about yourself as a leader if you looked at yourself first as employee who has a manager? At times leaders believe -- [...]
By Michael Holland - I was recently asked if I knew about a local restaurant. My response was immediate. It's a great place, a little pricey but every meal I've ever had there is great. The food is always good and I've had different dishes there over time. The service is great, even on a [...]
By Michael Holland - One of the most irritating comments I hear from leaders at all levels is along the lines of ". . . my team is my family . . . " And when a leader above the rank of VP talks this way, I become extremely concerned for the welfare of the company [...]
By Michael Holland - Great leaders stand out like an oak tree growing in the desert. You see it, feel it, know it when you're around a great leader. There's an authenticity about them that is so endearing. They are great because they have the capability to be vulnerable and seek as much information as [...]
By Michael Holland - Bring me problems. Your leadership mantra challenge for the rest of 2019 should be Bring Me Problems. We have so often heard the opposite phrase of don't bring me problems, bring me solutions. We are too busy to solve all these problems and we want our employees to stand on their own, [...]
By Michael Holland - I love the look of that frantic leader who is lost in the world of overbooked meetings, a flooded inbox with hundreds of emails, and employees frustratingly lined up at the boss' door to ask questions. It's that scene in a movie where you don't want to watch the dramatic climax [...]
By Michael Holland - My keen financial planning colleagues can speak for hours about the art and science of balancing portfolios. For the rest of us, we know that it's good to have a balanced portfolio whether it's with financial assets, the food we choose to consume over a week, or the selection of adult [...]
By Michael Holland - The moment you were first promoted to lead others you stepped across an enormous chasm. You thought it was a simple small step forward; just a mere couple of inches to the first rung on the ladder up the organization's hierarchy. But in reality you were suddenly one of "them", part [...]
By Michael Holland - The Adirondack Mountains in Upstate NY provide a beautiful opportunity for hiking. There are 46 mountains that are higher than 4,00 feet. I’ve spent some time climbing a few of the "46ers" and one challenge appears often: the false summit. After a few hours of hiking you come to a spot [...]
by Michael Holland - How far can a bungee cord stretch before it will break? I squinted at the 4th bungee cord I was using to hold down my son’s modified couch for Young Life’s couch race (a story for later). As I stretched and stretched it, I held my breath, hoping it wouldn’t snap. My [...]
