Recently, I was traveling to Kenya with my good friend, Juan. Some think my friend is actually my personal bodyguard. If I needed one, he would definitely be my first choice. As a military veteran, Juan is always thinking about safety.
Research from McKinsey & Company shows that sustainable performance improvement comes from diagnosing root causes—not applying more pressure. I recently had to stop sending emails entirely. Not by choice — by necessity. Something wasn’t working.
Is there a real cost when difficult conversations are avoided? What about for your team? Research published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior shows that teams engaging in open, constructive dialogue see up to 25% higher decision quality.
I’ve spent my life helping people move. I’ve written 29 books on the subject of growth, change, marriage, and leadership. But this Friday, all that expertise feels very small. This Friday, we're moving my mother into an Assisted Living Facility.