Seth's Blog

JUNE 24, 2025

Most of the pitch and the demo is all about how terrific our plans are, and how well our gadget works. But if we hope for resilience, perhaps it makes sense to show off how gracefully the system breaks. Because it will break. Because plans won’t work out. Because we’ll be surprised. And then what happens?

IT 148

IT 148

Let's Grow Leaders

DECEMBER 2, 2024

Not only will you protect your reputation, but you’ll also foster a healthier, more collaborative team dynamic—and that’s a win for everyone. Why Scapegoating Happens When things go wrong, some people toss blame around like a frisbee in a windstorm—random, chaotic, and bound to hit someone who didn’t see it coming.

Construction 596

Construction Solution Problem Solving Accounting 596

Let's Grow Leaders

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

They’re blindsided–concerned for themselves and the mission. Maybe its tied to recent government turbulence or related downstream impacts. Or a corporate shake-up. Either way, theyre reeling, and youre wondering how to help without overstepping or offering a bunch of empty clichs. So lets talk about it. Instead, say: This sucks.

Networking 538

Networking Government IT Career 538

Let's Grow Leaders

JANUARY 13, 2025

You can transform those tough conversations into opportunities for connection and understanding with one straightforward communication skill. Its called Reflect to Connect, and its one of the most powerful tools you can add to your leadership toolkit to build stronger relationships at work. It sounds simple, but it requires intentional practice.

Communication 501

Communication IT Leadership Management 501

Let's Grow Leaders

MAY 19, 2025

Overcoming the Quiet Room: Why Your Training Needs Psychological Safety Imagine this: you kick off a training session with a question, and youre met with hesitant silence. Its not that your learners have nothing to say its that they dont feel safe saying it. Why does this matter so much for learning?

Development 427

Development Communication Creativity Consulting 427

Let's Grow Leaders

JUNE 5, 2025

Listen Actively:Because Sometimes the Most Powerful Phrase You Can Say Is Nothing In a world full of deadlines, devices, and drive-by updates, deep, active listening has become a rare (and powerful) act. Its easy to half-hear while scanning Teams, thinking about your next meeting, or mentally composing your grocery list. But when you truly tune in?

Communication 487

Communication IT Development 487

Let's Grow Leaders

DECEMBER 30, 2024

No More Vague Reports: How to Give Useful Information (September 2024) As is with many of our articles, we wrote this one in response to a frustrated CEO, asking to help us fix this problem with his team. Read here Why it clicked: Most employees were never taught the art of effective reporting and readouts.

Leadership 447

Leadership Communication Strategy Leadership Development 447

Let's Grow Leaders

JUNE 21, 2025

You might be a “show me the patterns” kind of person, so you prep your analysis the way you’d want to receive it. But what if your leader prefers quick takeaways and big-picture clarity? Influence often comes down to presentation, and the best communicators flex to match their audience. You default to “just the facts.” How do they want it?

Communication 429

Communication Leadership Development Leadership Motivation 429

Let's Grow Leaders

MARCH 17, 2025

The Key to Alignment: Build a Team Agreement (AKA “Couth Code”) If your teams expectations arent clear, or people arent meeting them consistently, you dont just have a frustration problemyou have a clarity problem. One of the best ways to fix this is by creating a Team Agreementor, as we like to light-heartedly call it, a Couth Code.

Brainstorming 438

Brainstorming Communication Leadership Leadership Development 438

Let's Grow Leaders

JANUARY 31, 2025

Maybe theyre overwhelmed, introverted, or just wired differently than you. Instead of taking their frostiness personally, lets get strategic. You have more power to shape this relationship than you think. Instead of filling in the blanks with worst-case scenarios, open the door to understanding. ” This phrase, inspired by G.O.A.T. #7

Leadership 476

Leadership Career IT Management 476

Let's Grow Leaders

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

The Right Words at the Right Time: Crafting Recognition That Sticks Think about the best recognition youve ever received. Who said what, and why did it hit you so deeply? Recently, two people told me, I am proud of you. Both times, my throat tightened with unexpected emotion. The Words Matter Powerful words are simple, specific, and sincere.

Accomplishment 426

Accomplishment Communication Solution Motivation 426

Let's Grow Leaders

JUNE 12, 2025

Maybe you both used some of your favorite codes or Powerful Phrases. Maybe it even ended in a smile. But then comes Monday. Same conflict. Same reaction. Oh yes, and same result. Welcome back to the recurring conflict merry-go-round. So what do you do when you think you’ve resolved a workplace issue… and it just keeps spinning back your way?

Accounting 323

Accounting Solution Communication Leadership 323

Let's Grow Leaders

MAY 12, 2025

More information here, about licensing this series for your team. 6 Frequently Asked Questions About Accountability Conversations Now let’s tackle some of the most frequently asked questions about common frustrations during accontability conversations. What if they get defensive or shut down completely? Is that your understanding?

Accounting 384

Accounting Leadership Development Construction Leadership 384

Let's Grow Leaders

MARCH 21, 2025

Practical Ways to Summon a Bit More Personal Courage You want more personal courage. You want to take that bold step, make the big decision, or speak up when it matters. But then fear creeps in. What if it goes wrong? What if you fail? What if people judge you? If that sounds familiar, youre in good company Fear is natural.

Creativity 407

Creativity IT Development Career 407

Let's Grow Leaders

JUNE 4, 2025

The Find the Fun Habit: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Bring It to Life This Week Weve all been on that team where everything feels heavy. The deadlines are looming, the to-do list is growing, and the energy? But heres the good news: you can find the fun at work and get the results you need. Not because the work doesnt matter.

Milestones 368

Milestones Creativity Motivation IT 368

Let's Grow Leaders

JUNE 16, 2025

Make Meaning to Spark Motivation (Without Sounding Like a Walking Mission Statement) You’ve seen it. Maybe you’ve been it—the glazed eyes. The robotic checkbox ticking. The “I’m just here so I don’t get fired” vibe. It’s not burnout. Not boredom. It’s sneakier than that: disconnection from meaning. It’s not fluff. They want to matter. Connection.

Motivation 266

Motivation IT Leadership 266

Let's Grow Leaders

MARCH 31, 2025

What Wisdom at Work Looks Like (and How to Cultivate More of It) Youve probably worked with someone youd describe as having wisdom at work. They dont always talk the most, but when they do, everyone leans in. They dont overreact, overpromise, or overpower. They just… bring something different. Grounded presence. So, What Is Wisdom at Work?

Leadership 344

Leadership Leadership Development IT Development 344

Let's Grow Leaders

OCTOBER 18, 2024

Your team seems to work well together, but then you get that call: “I need to talk to you about …” or a team member suddenly explodes at their teammates and storms off the floor. It’s conflict, a disagreement, or a clash of personalities. Handle it well and you’ll build trust and influence. Not every complaint needs a solution.

Solution 552

Solution Communication Accounting Leadership 552

Let's Grow Leaders

APRIL 21, 2025

This Quick Gut Check That Can Save Your Team Hours of Rework You move fast. Decisions pile up. Calendars fill. But in the rush to deliver, its easy to overlook the moments that make or break real collaborationthe ones where people feel included, respected, and clear on whats happening and why. Who needs to know it? Whos connected to this work?

Engineering 344

Engineering Communication Consulting Leadership 344

Let's Grow Leaders

APRIL 14, 2025

One tool that works brilliantlywhether you’re in-person or remoteis something we call the Development Discussion Planner. Its straightforward, easy to use, and, more importantly, it works. This is a tool you can use for yourself, and once you know how it works, you can also use it with your team members. Youre not locking yourself in.

Career 266

Career Development Leadership Development Management 266

Let's Grow Leaders

MAY 5, 2025

” Pay Attention to What Your Manager Prioritizes Listen for repeated themes, urgent projects, or frequent mentions of specific results or metrics. If your manager consistently talks about customer churn, speed to delivery, or talent development, its likely those are areas their leader is tracking closely as well. What are your thoughts?

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Communication Management Management Leadership 398

Let's Grow Leaders

APRIL 7, 2025

When You’re the Stakeholder AND Out of the Loop Youre reading the latest executive update when it hits you: youve been left out of the loopagain. You didnt miss the memothere just wasnt one. Youre a key stakeholder. You own part of the work. Your team is affected. And yet somehow, you were left out of the conversation. But you are.

Accounting 266

Accounting Construction Consulting Management 266

Let's Grow Leaders

MARCH 27, 2025

Difficult Conversations: It’s not just WHAT you say, BUT WHERE you say it If youve ever been blindsided by feedback via Slack, had your stomach drop at a cryptic text from your boss, oryes, it happensbeen let go over Zoom, youre not alone. One of the most common complaints I hear about difficult conversations is where they are held.

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Management Management Accounting Performance 291

Let's Grow Leaders

FEBRUARY 3, 2025

The right communication strategy helps your message cut through noise and distraction. Youve said it. Youve said it again. And yet, somehow, people still dont seem to know whats going on. If you’re ever frustrated that your team doesnt act on important priorities, youre not alone. Leaders everywhere wrestle with getting their message to stick.

Communication 266

Communication Strategy Leadership Management 266

Let's Grow Leaders

JUNE 28, 2025

They’re technically “doing the thing”… but not really doing the thing. You know what I mean. They’re checking the box. Going through the motions. Phoning it in. And not even with great reception. They say, “Yeah, I’m doing it,” but you can practically hear the unspoken: “…and see? It doesn’t work.” Let’s talk about that. Draw the line.

Communication 234

Communication Leadership IT 234

Let's Grow Leaders

JUNE 30, 2025

You do need a pulse check from the people: Who are most affected Who will help execute Who might derail you if they’re caught off guard Think of it like collaboration triage : the goal is connection, not consensus. And that doesn’t require a meeting. It just takes intention. Duck into their office (or virtual chat). Keep it short. moment later.

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IT 291

Let's Grow Leaders

JULY 2, 2025

It’s one of the most reassuring phrases you can say to someone—especially at work, “ I’ve got your best interest at heart.” Said sincerely, it can be comforting, encouraging, even inspiring. Said poorly, it can come off like, “This is for your own good,” right before handing someone a project they’ll absolutely loathe. Mute the notifications.

Development 234

Development Leadership IT Career 234

Let's Grow Leaders

JANUARY 27, 2025

In our leadership development programs, we talk about being interested and interesting. If someones drowning in deadlines, dont just watch from the sidelines like its a reality show. Offer a hand. And if they turn you down? Offer again. Sometimes people need to know you mean it. And then do what you say. How can I take something off your plate?

Leadership Development 298

Leadership Development Leadership Development Communication 298

Let's Grow Leaders

JANUARY 24, 2025

How to Stay Curious Without Getting Completely Sidetracked The rabbit holeoh, its so easy to fall in. You want to stay focused, but it’s hard. Its not that youre unfocusedyou care. If your core tasks arent done, the rabbit hole can wait. Think of it as earning your deep-dive timelike dessert after a solid meal. Productivity hack?

Management 234

Management Management Accomplishment Communication 234

Let's Grow Leaders

APRIL 28, 2025

Your Ability to Disagree with Your Boss Constructively is a Game-Changing Leadership Skill Ever faced one of those moments when your boss rolls out a decision and your gut screams, Nope!? Maybe its off-brand, ethically sketchy, or just a bad call. You know staying silent feels wrongbut speaking up? That can feel even scarier. Thats a good sign.

Career 266

Career Construction Leadership Solution 266