What Lloyd Austin Taught Me about Leading in Tough Times

Retired Four-Star General Lloyd Austin is set to become the next U.S. Secretary of Defense. Many years ago I worked for Austin and saw him lead in uncertain times. Allow me to share a story with four lessons that we can all use during the uncertain times… Many years ago, my wife, daughter, and I…

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Why You Should Revisit Your Thinking

I recently talked to Prakash Raman about how our thinking shapes us. Prakash is a leadership coach who is listed on the MG100 and recognized as a global thought leader. It was a very interesting conversation that focused on the concept of attachment and how our attachments can shape our mindset, behaviors, and results. Prakash shared…

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4 Reasons That You Should Start a Business Today

Every semester, I invite entrepreneurs into my classroom at Vanderbilt University to share their stories with my students, partner with student teams to address business challenges, and receive recommendations about how to improve their businesses, drive growth, and better position themselves in the marketplace. Using these experiences as a backdrop, coupled with my own business…

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Tool: 3 Leadership Behaviors that Work

I’m excited to share our latest free leadership tool. Do you want to be a more effective leader? I’d recommend that you embrace three leadership behaviors that work: Recognize people as individuals Invite people to participate in something bigger than themselves Create positive memorable experiences Here’s a PDF of 3 Leadership Behaviors that Work for…

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3 Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

About 20 years ago, my wife, Jamie, and I started Wedgewood Consulting Group. We built the business from scratch, led it for over a decade, and then sold it. We learned mountains of lessons, many of which I’ve discussed on LinkedIn over the years, including some of the stories which form the basis of the 5…

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How COVID-19 Barriers Remind Us that Great Leaders are Barrier Busters

In recent weeks, I’ve watched as neighborhood businesses began to come back to life amid COVID-19. After last week’s article, I’ve been making an effort to (safely) get back into my old routine. In addition to asking customers to wear masks and comply to social distancing standards, restaurants and stores are installing plexiglass barriers at…

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