Content by Mike Figliuolo
Leaders Who Empower: Why Kenny Wins Every TimeDo you allow low-rank employees to make decisions?
Tue, 07/02/2024 - 12:02
Are you giving your lowest-level employees the power to make crucial customer-relations decisions without supervision? If not, you’re making a huge mistake. Within a four-hour period on Friday I witnessed both excellent leadership and an abject…
A Leadership Lesson From Kung Fu PandaFocusing on today, not yesterday or tomorrow
Tue, 06/18/2024 - 12:03
You can learn a lot about leadership from Master Oogway in Kung Fu Panda. He emphasizes leading today rather than worrying about yesterday or tomorrow. My expectations for the movie were quite low. I mean, a panda that does kung fu? A jackrabbit I…
Authentic Leadership: ‘He Drinks 7Up’It helps to know your people
Wed, 06/05/2024 - 12:02
One of the most exciting things you can do as a young tank platoon leader is participate in a tank gunnery exercise. Essentially it’s going to a shooting range with some really big cannons mounted on a 68-ton chassis. One particularly hot summer in…
How You Can Lead Like the Green HornetThe famous crimefighter can teach us a lot about leadership, both good and bad

Mon, 06/03/2024 - 12:03
I just rewatched The Green Hornet, and it was awesome. As I finished the movie, I wondered what made him a great leader (or not) and how those lessons might apply to the business world. I know. I’m weird like that. The good news is I’ve unlocked…
‘He’s under the tank, sir’The benefit of leading by example
Tue, 05/28/2024 - 12:03
My platoon was out in the field on training exercises. We had been out there for about two weeks, so we all smelled kind of “ripe” at that point. One of the more senior officers in my battalion came to my unit’s area to see how things were going.…
How Mr. Spock Helps You Make Better DecisionsSurround yourself with people capable of challenging you
Wed, 05/22/2024 - 12:03
As leaders, we like being decisive and making quick decisions. We know our businesses well and are willing to act. Doing so without true contrarian input can be dangerous, though. You can make better decisions simply by identifying and relying on…
Barbecue, Planes, and Coffee: Keys to Customer LoyaltyStrengthen relationships and affinity with your customers, and they’ll likely come back and promote your business
Wed, 05/01/2024 - 12:03
I’m fortunate enough to travel to some great places to serve my clients. During those travels, I can’t help but have many customer service interactions from which to draw lessons. Here, I’ll share how barbecue, airplanes, and coffee can teach you a…
Ditch the Rules and Grab the GuidelinesInstead of a long list of ineffective rules, give your team solid behavioral guidelines
Tue, 04/23/2024 - 12:03
This article is an excerpt from the cutting room floor. It was in an early draft of my book One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership (Jossey-Bass, 2011; order your copy here). It covers how to lead through guidelines…
Doing Nothing Can Make You More ProductiveTake a break, recharge your batteries, and do more
Wed, 04/17/2024 - 12:03
Sometimes the key to getting a lot done is to actually do nothing at all. I’ve been dreading writing this post. Massive writer’s block. “I have nothing to say,” says the tired little voice in my head (no comments from the peanut gallery). Normally…
Safely Navigating the Pay-for-Performance MinefieldAvoid booby traps by defining metrics and enforcing standards
Wed, 04/10/2024 - 12:03
Pay. It’s the topic we love to avoid. We don’t discuss it with friends or family. It’s verboten at cocktail parties. Heck, we discuss cancer, religion, and abortion at dinner parties more easily than we talk about our paychecks. We don’t even like…