Art's Blog

As an Executive Coach for senior-level federal employees, I’ve seen firsthand how the current change of administration has impacted my clients. Navigating leadership transitions in tough times isn’t for the faint of [read more]

Leadership failures have a negative impact on team members’ productivity, commitment, desire and other performance indicators. In my presentation, Performance Maximizing Leadership, I present on these failures and how to correct them. [read more]

Building rapport is one of the most critical skills I teach to leaders of all levels. Rapport is your ability to be on the same wavelength as someone and connect with them [read more]

As an executive coach, I work with leaders who are adept at managing their teams but struggle to lead their boss. To lead your boss, or "leading up," is an essential skill [read more]

Constantine “Cus” D’Amato was an American boxing manager and trainer who trained champions like Floyd Patterson, José Torres, and the latter half of Iron Mike Tyson’s career. All of whom went on to [read more]

As a leader, you may be faced with leading a workforce that’s unlike any you’ve led before. Because of these differences, you may be struggling to find ways to inspire your employees. [read more]

This post picks up from Part I Another example of people who aspire to greatness and don’t settle for success is that of Debbie Fields of Mrs. Fields Cookies. Her greatness is summed [read more]

Playing it safe is one of life’s biggest risks. It’s amazing how the very thought of a potential reward is overlooked by the fear of loss. This is before anything has even materialized. [read more]

It’s human nature to stay in our comfort zone, to lean into the familiar and to avoid taking big risks. We’re drawn to the path of least resistance even when we know that [read more]

The term emotional intelligence was coined in 1990 by two psychology professors, John D. Mayer of UNH and Peter Salovey of Yale, and through the years it has become a key leadership skill. [read more]

Skill levels, age gaps and technology can make communication difficult, especially in a hybrid work environment. Effective communication is essential for leader to communicate success to their team.Leaders who want to communicate what [read more]

I teach a course entitled Leading People as part of the Senior Leader Candidate Development Program at the Graduate School USA. In this course, I discuss the common challenges that every leader might [read more]

With the increase in technical skills required to join the workforce, it’s common for executives to lead team members who have a specialized skillset. However, many bosses are noting a need for more [read more]

Whether I’m working with senior executives or entry-level staff, private sector or public companies, no one wants to get caught up in office politics. Office politics: power dynamic, networking, information management, decision-making influence, [read more]

What do you look for in a top performer? How do you ensure they have the skills and the mindset to succeed long-term? When identifying a top performer, make sure they aspire to [read more]

Indeed, those who have settled in their purpose generally get paid very well! We all have a purpose or reason for being; something we showed up in this life to accomplish. The challenge [read more]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli wrote, “I’ve brought myself by long meditation to the conviction that a human being with a settled purpose must accomplish it.” Every human being has a settled purpose [read more]

Intelligence is defined as “the capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and grasping truths.” It simply means consistently getting smarter and smarter. It amazes me how people will change cell phones almost every year [read more]

As a cadet at West Point, part of the 47-month training requirement was to take the leadership raw material that we showed up with and increase it. The goal was to turn out [read more]

The ego seeks to balance your primal instincts with social norms and reality. Everyone has an ego; it’s part of what makes us human. However, loosening ego’s grip on your decisions and actions [read more]

Analysis paralysis refers to the angst and overthinking that often happens when you’re unable to make a decision. It’s the excessive consideration of options, the influx of new information and the inability to [read more]

According to cognitive scientist, Scott Barry Kaufman’s “Wired to Create” study – 72% of people get their most creative ideas in the shower. Kaufman’s findings stress the importance of relaxation for creative thinking. [read more]

Whether you are taking criticism or giving it – critiques can be uncomfortable, awkward, and even painful. There are many perspectives on constructive criticism. Here’s a list of several quotes from iconic leaders, [read more]

In October 2008, Mr. Calvin Sun wrote an article entitled 10 Ways to Survive Office Politics, that I still refer to today in my presentation Performance Maximizing Leadership. Part 1 of this article [read more]

The number one question I get as leadership speaker and executive coach is, “What are the common characteristics of a good leader?” Every characteristic I share all comes down to one simple truth: [read more]

According to John C. Maxwell, the most successful people: Plan and think Focus Surround themselves with successful people Take risks Accentuate the positive Seek adventure I’m a long-time follower of Maxwell’s work and [read more]

Many organizations don’t develop a strategic plan and those that do rarely implement it effectively. In his article The Big Lie of Strategic Planning, Roger L. Martin states, “All executives know that strategy [read more]

Procrastination – it happens to the best of us. You leave a meeting, sit at your desk and begin cranking out amazing work. Your significant other sends a text message about dinner and [read more]

Motivating new hires is easier said than done. In the age of cheesy incentives, employers are challenged to identify motivating factors that are both realistic and effective. Before delving into personality types and [read more]

You are here because you want to inspire your employees. And you have a great group to lead! You know that when your employees are performing at a high level, your company is, [read more]

Everything about workplaces from just five years ago to now is shifting. As a C-Suite Executive, losing relevancy is a scary and very real prospect. New share-economy business models like Uber and AirBnB are disrupting [read more]

  As a leader, your responsibility is to provide the support that inspires growth and engages your team in a diverse workforce. Easier said than done. We are in a new era – [read more]

Weight loss is a common, if not the most common goal of many exercise and nutrition programs. But what impact does attention to nutrition and exercise have on performance in the office? Dr. David [read more]

My purpose is to help others gain the clarity and focus they need in order to manifest their intended level of greatness. As much as I drive to that end, I can’t help clients [read more]

How much time do you spend on tasks that do not align with your purpose, skills or gifts? Say no to most things you’re asked to do so you can get better and [read more]

Notice a positive change in your professional and personal life within twenty-one days. Affirmations are essentially declarations of truth that you make to yourself. On your life’s journey, you are constantly evolving. Declaring to [read more]

If you’ve read “Successful Senior Leader Branding” then you know how important it is to align your personal brand with your goals and aspirations. Synchronicity is key if you want to put a [read more]

Simple Ways to Master the Art of Networking - Part I My favorite part about being a professional speaker is the chance to network and meet potential new clients at the many conferences [read more]

According to John Maxwell, "People will rise to the level of conversation around them." But, how do you manage to get around influential people and hear their conversations? The answer – you read [read more]

According to John C. Maxwell, the most successful people: Spend time each morning planning and thinking. Focus on what they're doing at the time rather than jumping from one project to another. Spend time [read more]

According to Darren Hardy, the Publisher and Founding Editor of Success magazine (April, 2014) "the success of those you admire has less to do with their inborn talents, intelligence, nature or any other [read more]

John C. Maxwell is am American author, speaker and pastor who has written many books, primarily focused on leadership. For years, I’ve quoted and used his leadership principles and I highly recommend a [read more]

Politics (Poly-ticks) Poly means many. Ticks are blood-sucking insects. So my personal definition of ‘politics’ is ‘many bold sucking insects.’ That’s a really funny definition but unfortunately sometimes it’s true. Many people avoid [read more]

One of the most effective management and leadership tools is the ‘open door policy’. Most organizations have some history with using these policies which allow employees access to just about any and all [read more]

“If I just do my job really well, I’ll get noticed and recognized and promoted.” I can’t believe I once thought that was true. I worked really hard at my job. I showed [read more]

This is going to be really short. Not that I don’t have a lot to say, but I’ve got another paper due as soon as possible. As some of you know, I’m working [read more]