In industrial work, the only work worth doing is work that works. That’s one reason why we use the same four-letter word in so many different ways. Put in the effort, get the results. And if you don’t get the results, you failed. Not only that, you are a failure. …

Authority? You want the authority to create, to be noticed and to make a difference? You’re waiting for permission to stand up and speak up and ship? Sorry. There’s no authority left. Oprah has left the building. She can’t choose you to be on her show because her show is…

What a bizarre holiday. Every year in Pennsylvania, they wait for a furry animal to come out, look around and decide on whether or not he can see his shadow. And then we know if our hemisphere is due for more winter or not. Predicting the weather is important for…

Here’s how to fall asleep: Turn off digital devices, go for a walk, brush your teeth, put on some comfortable pajamas, find a dark room and a comfortable mattress, and then lie down and pretend to be asleep. Prepare for it and then fake it Once this becomes a habit…

Try to find a definition of ‘good taste’ and you’ll likely fail. It seems to be something we’re supposed to innately understand. But given how important it is, it deserves a practical way to understand it. So, here goes: Good taste is knowing what your audience will like just before…

It’s not complicated, but it’s surprising. The work makes us who we are. If you want to be a runner, go running. Go running every day and now you’re a runner. And the same simple approach works for anyone who signs up to do work we call creative. Do the…

Some criticism comes from the well-meaning but misguided. They are afraid for you, and imagine that your life would be better if you weren’t rejected or even noticed. And so, they will express their fear by criticizing your dreams. Some criticism comes from the broken-hearted. They are bitter about what…

They are two sides of the same action. Leadership is different than management. Leaders are exploring, going to new places. Managers are enforcing, using authority to improve results. Leaders have to invent what is possible. That’s one definition of creative work. The generous human act of doing something that might…

(not management) Leadership is voluntary. It’s voluntary to lead and it’s voluntary to follow. When you have power and authority, it’s tempting to manage instead. Managers get what they got yesterday, but faster and cheaper. Managers use authority to enforce behavior. But leadership involves acting as if. Leaders paint a…