The Human Edge™ Blog
Lead with impact.
Communicate with clarity, sincerity and respect.
Remain resilient on the rollercoaster ride of life.
…because strong humans build strong cultures.
Before You Lead the Room, Read the Room
Your title may get you a seat at the table. It doesn’t guarantee you influence at the table.
I’m hearing more and more leaders ask how to influence people they don’t have authority over. And increasingly, that includes the person above them. They want to know how to challenge a boss without sounding insubordinate, how to get an executive to reconsider a decision, how to raise a concern that isn’t going to be particularly welcome, or how to advocate for an idea when the person sitting across from them has considerably more power.
That’s not a junior-leader problem. It’s a leadership problem.
I…
The Work No One Sees. The Cost Everyone Pays.
Imagine this.
You have two people on your team. Both consistently deliver excellent work. They hit deadlines, produce quality results, and clients love working with them.
One…
What If Your Perspective Is the Problem?
I’ve spent much of my life believing I was a pretty good judge of people.
Growing up on the south side of Chicago, reading people wasn’t…
The Mistake I Made at 4:30 in the Morning (And What It Taught Me)
It was 4:30 in the morning in New Mexico. I was in an Uber, half-conscious, heading to the airport for yet another flight, when it…
The Human Edge™ in Interviews: What the Best Candidates Do Differently
If you’re in the middle of a job search right now, you already know this truth: interviewing is exhausting.
You prepare. You research the company. You…
Get Your Ask Together: Why Asking Well Is a Power Skill at Work and at Home
Valentine’s Day is a time many of us think about connection, care, and partnership. Yet long before flowers or chocolates arrive, many of us struggle…
25 Questions That Move Conversations Beyond Small Talk
(Because “Fine, thanks” is the Conversation Killer of the Century)
Picture a room of ten people, your team, your family, or a table of conference attendees….
Connect Rather Than Correct: The Leadership Skill AI Can’t Replicate
A senior executive recently shared a story with me. During a strategy session, a director presented a proposal with one glaring flaw. The executive leaned…
What a Tile Game Taught Me About Leadership (at My Mom’s 90th Birthday)
Last Wednesday, I flew to celebrate my mother’s 90th birthday, an age she wears with the kind of energy that makes the rest of us…
Your Gut Already Knows
It’s the season of costumes, candy, and things that go bump in the night. But let’s be honest, the scariest thing most of us face…
From Shame Spiral to The Human Edge™: Bouncing Back After Mistakes
This past week, I managed to make a mistake that cost me time, money, and my sanity. (Let’s just say my computer and I are…
