What I Learned at my 30-Year High School Reunion

October 11th, 2018 by Kelly Kienzle

As my faithful readers know, I usually write about a topic on leadership growth and transformation. But last week I went to my 30-year high school reunion and unexpectedly learned something I want to share here. What I learned was this: Our strongest and longest-lasting relationships

Appreciate the Now or Pursue the Dream?

October 31st, 2017 by Kelly Kienzle

So often we think we must do both. We believe we must slow down and appreciate what we have. Yet we also want to believe in and pursue our dreams. But does pursuing a dream mean that we are unhappy or dissatisfied with the present? On

Moving Back to Center

August 29th, 2016 by Kelly Kienzle

Sometimes after we’ve been in a role for a while, we are no longer happy. We go through our work almost blindly and do not need to exert much intellectual energy to fulfill our responsibilities satisfactorily. Sometimes we can even be performing above average, but doing

What is Not a Manager’s Job…

November 11th, 2014 by Kelly Kienzle

“It is not the manager’s job to prevent risks. It is the manager’s job to make it safe to take them.” Ed Catmull used this maxim to guide Pixar, Inc. through its birth and emergence as one of the most creative and innovative companies of its

Make Victory Inevitable

May 6th, 2014 by Kelly Kienzle

Small superhero

“Design and launch a meaningful marketing initiative for 2014.” I wrote that 4 months ago in January. Since then I haven’t done anything meaningful in tackling that goal. It is critically important, requires huge mental energy, and has many moving parts and multiple steps. All of

An Unlikely Source of Inspiration

March 4th, 2014 by Kelly Kienzle

I always have cheesy wall calendars.  Every year, I don’t remember until January to buy a new wall calendar.  And then I’m left with paltry options like “Rainbows!” or “Justin Bieber Unleashed.”  And 2014 was no different. Sometime in mid January I trekked to our local

Thank You Fridays

November 8th, 2013 by Kelly Kienzle

Don’t you wish that you could feel just a little calmer?  What is that elusive “thing” that would help you feel more engaged and at peace?  How do you put just a little more joy in your work life? Try “Thank You Fridays.”  “Thank you Fridays”

What’s Macro-Issue Feedforward?

October 7th, 2013 by Kelly Kienzle

The next time you have the urge to give someone feedback on what they did, here’s an alternative: Re-focus to the macro issue and think forward. Macro-Issue Feedforward is my spin on Marshall Goldsmith’s excellent Feedforward tool.  I added the “Macro-Issue” part.  Here’s how my (and

Leadership and Kite-flying

July 3rd, 2013 by Kelly Kienzle

“If everything depends on context, how can you still have principles?” This is a question asked of Sonia Sotomayor, as described in her autobiography, “My Beloved World”.  This question is asked of her in high school, when she is accused of arguing from multiple viewpoints, always

Feeling You Are Without Options? Let’s Create Some…

March 29th, 2013 by Kelly Kienzle

Our frustration at work usually comes as a result of feeling we have no options. We hear ourselves and our colleagues say: “This is the only result that will please the client.” “We don’t have the resources to do anything else.” “We simply don’t have any