You make the plan. You walk out the door ready to execute it. And within an hour, something happens that throws the whole thing off course. If that sentence made you nod, you have probably worked in public works. But honestly, it doesn't matter what field you're in. Plans falling apart is not a public works problem. It's a work problem. It's a life problem. The only difference is how often you have to face it and how quickly you have to adjust.

Last December, I sat through a conference presentation on permitting and solar farms. I'm not in the permit department. I'm not in engineering. At the time, that presentation meant absolutely nothing to me. But the people presenting had lived it. They'd hit every wall you can hit, chased down every regulation, and dealt with every frustrated landowner and township board along the way. They were generous enough to share what they'd learned, mistakes included. So I listened an

Clutter is just a lot of things out of place. That's it. But don't let the simple definition fool you. Clutter can surround us at home, at work, in our car, in our lives, and in our minds. If we aren't careful, it creeps into every corner we have, including the corners where our leadership lives. That's because clutter accumulates slowly, and it looks the same whether it's in my office or my home. Something comes in, and I set it down. The first piece of paper. The first boo

Over the last few weeks, I lost my focus. Not entirely, but when you've got a lot going on and like to make progress on a bunch of different projects, even a small sidestep in focus makes a big difference. If you write it down and put it somewhere you see it regularly, guess what happens? It actually happens. You still have to put in the effort, don't get me wrong. But seeing it, right there in front of you, helps. It reminds you of your goals, your focus, your priorities.

We watched the whole thing unfold. Let's be honest, watching is a generous word. It was closer to staring. From the back of the boat, someone called out, “We must be something to watch.” I called back, “You really are!” What I missed in that moment was tone. A second after I said it, I caught myself and asked someone else who was clearly watching whether I'd misread the situation. I had. Her body language said it all. She was not enjoying being the center of attention.

I've been at the Road Commission for 21 years. That's a long time. Not the longest tenure in the room, but long enough that my brain is basically a filing cabinet of random history, processes, institutional knowledge, and details that most people don't even know to ask about. I remember looking at the long-timers when I first started and thinking...how do they know all of that? Will I ever get there? Well, I sure don't know everything. But I've gotten there in a lot of ways.

The result? They look like a diamond. Their coworker looks like a chunk of coal. And nobody actually did anything different. One person just decided their shine required someone else's shadow. Here's what I know about people who build others up. They are magnetic. People want to be around them. People want to work for them and with them. They create environments where everyone does better, because when one person wins and it feels safe to celebrate, the whole team gets more

I have spent a lot of time in rooms with leaders. New ones, seasoned ones, reluctant ones, and ambitious ones. And one thing I see over and over again is this: most leaders are so busy leading that they never stop to ask themselves the most important question of all. Who am I as a leader right now? Not who they want to be. Not who their organization needs them to be. Who they actually are today, with all the strengths and blind spots and unfinished edges that come with bein

Last week I interviewed 19 people for the same position. One hundred and eighteen people applied. Getting from 118 to a manageable interview list took time, focus, and more than a few passes through a whole lot of resumes. It got me thinking. About the process. About what makes someone stand out. About what hiring managers are really looking for and what applicants often miss. So whether you are on the applying side or the hiring side, this one is for you.

So that’s what this post is. The actual how. What job shadowing looks like when it works, how to cross-train without overwhelming your team, and how to stop wasting your vacation coverage opportunities. Let’s get into it. And yes, I know all of this. I’ve written it right here. That does not mean I do it perfectly or consistently. I am a work in progress too, and that is completely okay. I share this stuff because I believe in it, not because I have it all figured out.

Here's where I am sitting today as I write this. Graduation is May 9th. I'm not walking. There won't be a ceremony for me, no cap, no stage, no speeches. And yet, somewhere in my brain, I've decided I am not allowed to celebrate until after May 9th. Why? I don't have a good answer. The work is done. The degree is earned. But there's some invisible permission slip I'm waiting for. Some "official" moment I think has to happen before I am allowed to mark this.

Change is hard. Some people love change. Some people resist it. But honestly? Whether you welcome it or dread it, change is still a challenge. Picture this. You're at work, somewhere you've been for a long time (in my case, 20+ years). You know the systems. You know the people. You know how to get things done. Then someone new walks in with fresh ideas, a different perspective, and a totally different way of thinking. Suddenly, the way you've always done things is up for de

Here's what this year has taught me: you learn by doing. By setting goals. By having dreams and actually sticking to them. By living it. A year ago, I set a goal to share my leadership experiences through this blog. I didn't know if anyone would read it. I didn't know if I'd have enough to say. I didn't know how it would fit into my already busy life. I had doubts. I had fears. I had a million reasons why it might not work. But I set a plan. I created a path. And I dove in.

If you're reading this and wondering how self-aware you actually are, that's a good sign. People who completely lack self-awareness don't ask that question. Here's how to develop it: Pay attention to the cringe. When you look back at an interaction and something doesn't sit right, don't dismiss it. Explore it. What about it bothers you? What would you do differently? Notice the patterns. If you keep having the same problem with different people, the problem isn't them. It'

The pace of change isn't slowing down. Technology like AI is transforming how we work. Generational dynamics are shifting as new generations enter the workforce and older ones retire. Best practices evolve. Leaders who stay curious adapt to these changes. They learn new tools. They understand new perspectives. They adjust their approaches based on new information. Leaders who think they already know everything become increasingly irrelevant. They keep doing things the way t

Here's the thing. Procrastinating having a difficult conversation doesn't make it easier. It actually makes it harder. Most of the time, the conversations aren't those that I didn't have, because I am not afraid to have a difficult conversation. It's that I waited too long to have it. Let's use a performance matter as the example. Then let's put ourselves in the shoes of being the person with the performance issue. How would you feel if your boss came to you and told yo

When you're decisive, even when you're wrong sometimes, people trust you more than when you're perpetually uncertain. Because they know you'll move things forward. They know projects won't languish. They know you'll take responsibility for the direction you're setting. And when you do make the wrong call, when you realize your hiring decision was a mistake or your strategic direction needs to change, your decisiveness shows up there too. You acknowledge it. You adjust. You m

I worked with someone who wouldn't take accountability for anything. Well, unless it was taking credit for something. For that, credit would be taken. If they made a mistake however, the finger was pointed. The idea they were presenting suddenly became someone else's. The decision they had made became a decision they were overturning. Often this person did all of this behind the backs of others. We watched relationships crumble and trust fail and had no idea why.

Adaptability isn't about being a pushover. It's not about abandoning your values or flip-flopping on important decisions. It's not about saying yes to every change that comes along. Adaptability is your ability to adjust your approach when circumstances change. To stay effective when the plan falls apart. To lead through uncertainty without pretending you have it all figured out. It's recognizing when the path you're on isn't working anymore and being willing to find a diff

I'm very imperfect in communication. Not to say I don't study what works, what doesn't, and make many attempts to regularly do better. But effective communication is hard. The line between too much and too little communication is so fine it's missed often. And here's what makes it even harder: the location of that line changes based on who you're working with, what the topic is, the day or time, the feelings of the other person, and so much more. A perfect way to communicat