Is Change Always About Doing Something?

Is Change Always About Doing Something?

Consider the fact that in 2004 there were 9,000 Blockbuster stores worldwide, and in 2011 Dish Network bought Blockbuster for a “bargain price” of $320 million. By then Blockbuster had shrunk to 300 stores and filed for bankruptcy in 2010. But beyond being an iconic curiosity, what does this mean for contemporary leaders?

Three Ways to Drink to Your Health

Three Ways to Drink to Your Health

If you’re trying to take care of your body and make healthier choices the first thing you might do is take a closer look at what you’re eating. But, have you thought about what you’re drinking? Or, maybe not drinking?

Water should be everyones beverage of choice. You see our bodies are around 60% water and every organ, tissue, muscle and cell needs water to operate properly. We need water to help regulate our body temperature, aid in digestion, and clear toxins.

The Difference Between Intuitive & Informed Decisions

The Difference Between Intuitive & Informed Decisions

When you think about leadership, the one thing that leaders do that makes them different from any other person, is they DECIDE. They also decide WHEN they are going to decide. They not only determine the direction their organization is going to move, they also manage the clock of when they make those decisions and choices.  

With decision-making, we are faced with the question-- How do I make very difficult choices?

Why Organic Isn't Everything

Why Organic Isn't Everything

Do you want to make healthier food choices but are unsure about whether or not to choose organic? Or, do you feel like you should choose organic food but your wallet just can’t handle it?

When trying to eat more healthy and nutritions foods it can seem like eating 100 percent organic is the best option and a must. But this may not be possible for everyone. If you live in a colder climate you may have very limited access to organic foods during winter months. Plus, let’s face it, organic food can be more expensive and not affordable for everyone.

How to Eat Like a Leader On-The-Go

How to Eat Like a Leader On-The-Go

Do you have a hard time making healthy food choices while on business trips? Have you just resigned yourself to the idea that eating well while traveling is impossible so, why bother? Traveling AND eating well can feel like an impossible combination. Business meetings are often held at sub-par restaurants, workshops are stocked with sweet breakfast pastries, and a bag of fast food looks like the only option when you’re trying to catch your flight connection.

It's Time to Stop Confusing Leadership and Management

It's Time to Stop Confusing Leadership and Management

In working with clients, I have found that often leadership and management are used interchangeably. However, leaders and managers have very distinct responsibilities. Confusing the two or treating them the same can cause create very dysfunctional organizations and overwhelmed leaders. 

3 Ways to Get Better Sleep, Tonight

3 Ways to Get Better Sleep, Tonight

It really is our ethical responsibility to get plenty of sleep and rest. Our teams, colleagues, organizations, and our families need us to be at our best, to be able to think clearly, and make sound decisions. Lack of sleep can deeply compromise our decision-making ability and mood.

Leading Your Peers

Leading Your Peers

At Diamond6 we frequently speak about four “dimensions” of leadership. They are:

  • Leading ourselves

  • Leading others

  • Leading the boss

  • Leading (or being led by….) our peers

The last of these, leading peers, is perhaps the most difficult and least examined. Leading peers is hard because it often leads to conflicts over loyalty. It raises thorny questions: Is my greatest loyalty to my peers (friends, colleagues, and co-workers) OR is my loyalty to the organization? Are the mission, vision, and values of the organization more important than my personal relationships?

Take The Risk

Take The Risk

At what point during your Diamond6 workshop did you have a “light bulb moment”?

On the third day of the workshop we were at the Army Heritage and Education Center and we heard Dr. Chris Maxwell
’s presentation, Lead Like a Guide. One of the things he talked about was taking risks. At the end of his presentation he asked us to write down what resonated most with us from his presentation. In my spiral notebook all I wrote down was, “take the risk.”

Honoring the Seasons of Your Life

Honoring the Seasons of Your Life


The leaves are beginning to turn from green to red, the temperatures are dropping (well, sort of), and pumpkins are appearing on porches. It’s a time for change and reinvention, to start anew or perhaps start over.

These seasonal changes are predictable, they happen with ease, and they require no effort on our part for them to take place. Fall will go into winter, whether we like it or not. Sure, they may result in sleepless nights gluing together the last-minute Halloween costume or stress-induced hives when you can’t get the Christmas lights untangled. I’ll save that for a future article!

McCausland’s Laws: Leadership and Critical Thinking

McCausland’s Laws: Leadership and Critical Thinking

In my talks on leadership I frequently point out that the one thing that makes leaders different from everyone else is that THEY DECIDE! Though the effective leader wants to be open to input from as many perspectives as possible, the leader is the ultimate decision maker and must also decide when he/she is going to decide! As a result critical thinking is essential if a leader is going to make the best possible decisions in today’s complex and ever changing world.