Leadership Insights

Ever experience this?Question:"Hi, Honey, welcome home. Please tell me about your day?"Reply:"It was fine. The boss was in a grumpy[...]

If you opened this link based on the title alone, you either like butter or have time on your hands?[...]

Confession: I've abandoned the use of Microsoft PowerPoint for presentations.Mostly.Here's the caveat ... some of the courses I deliver are[...]

Some leaders command, but great leaders communicate. For whatever leadership role you currently hold (remember, everyone is a leader), ask[...]

More than 2 decades ago, one of my fave mentors suggested I start using Evernote as my "second brain".  Initially,[...]

Quick—can you name a resilient organization?How about the local dry cleaner that trims its hours because they can’t find new[...]

Building TrustHaving someone's trust is kind of like having a winning lottery ticket ... either you have it, or you[...]

Disaster and Emergency DeclarationsImagine this ... a global pandemic is impacting the entire country (USA).  You see news reports that[...]

Newsflash: There are no born leaders (or born followers, either, by the way).So, how are leaders made?Sugar, spice, and everything[...]

Simple definition, okay?Instruction - telling people what to do or how to do it.Learning is mostly pedagogical, which means that[...]

CASE STUDY:Retail Chain Evacuates During HurricaneBACKGROUNDHurricane Katrina; New Orleans, LA (2005) - Category 3 Hurricane (at landfall) that caused the[...]

Each morning that I'm in town I spend precious time with my elementary aged son during the daily processional known[...]

CASE STUDY:The Origin of L.C.E.S. for FirefightersCopyright TEAM-Solutions.US All Rights ReservedBACKGROUNDArizona, 1990:  Six (6) firefighters died after being overrun in a wilderness[...]

When seeking great Team Engagement, we've heard it before. "Bring the passion!" "Have a purpose!" We hear the battle cries,[...]

If you're a leader in an organization with customers who rely on your communication skills to be successful with your[...]

You’ve seen the teams. You’ve watched the dogs work. And maybe you’ve even wondered if your dog - and your[...]

... Or should we even reward folks at all?After being bombarded with the 'everyone earns a ribbon' strategy, a little[...]

Over 30+ years I’ve been fortunate to have gained a broad base of experience in several different industries in both[...]

__CONFIG_leads_shortcode__{"id":"12898"}__CONFIG_leads_shortcode_____TVE_SHORTCODE_RAW__<p>I recently facilitated an exercise for some folks who were enrolled in their organization's leadership development program. The more strategic[...]

When leading a) ourselves or b) others, many choices lay ahead.For instance, when leading your team into battle against the[...]

In mid-February 2021 a winter storm blanketed - in every way possible - the State of Texas.  What made this[...]

Johnny Dangerous ... cool name.Cool Hand Luke ... cool name.Henry Herpes ... not so cool name (especially if your real[...]

Being a leader among leaders, we all have a unique opportunity to inspire and motivate those around us.Whether managing a[...]

Shakespearean reference aside, the question doth does beg answers to the questions:WHY don't team members accept the why and/or the[...]

Read the news, trade journals, and industry 'insights' and you'll find conclusions that mostly deal with 1st-level consequences and solutions.[...]

Folks with functional needs have been historically under-served before a disaster strikes (think:  "notice event" like a hurricane versus a[...]

CASE STUDY:Leadership MicromanagementCopyright TEAM-Solutions.US All Rights ReservedBACKGROUNDThe Browerville Fire Department has 24 stations so far in service to their growing community.[...]

Cyber Intrusion – Responding to a Data Breach in a Financial InstitutionBackgroundOn September 8, 2024, a major financial institution experienced[...]

What's the future of training?  How long will professional instructors be relevant in front of a classroom? One could argue[...]

Have you worked with or for folks that like to use that saying?  I have too ... and in nearly every[...]

CASE STUDY:Communication Breakdown in Crisis ResponseCopyright TEAM-Solutions.US All Rights ReservedBACKGROUNDThe Westfield Emergency Operations Center (EOC) [named changed for privacy] was activated[...]

Despite our best efforts and intentions, sometimes we make mistakes in our approach as business owners, managers, coaches or parents.[...]

In 1905 an author named O. Henry published a short story called "The Gift of the Magi".  Here's the gist of it:Man and[...]

“I tried and tried, but failed to bring him back to life. It was clear he was gone. That was[...]

In today's fast-paced and unpredictable world, leaders must navigate a complex web of risks. From financial instability to natural disasters,[...]

Andrew Chen recently published a piece on unconventional business metrics that caught my attention. Among his examples - "Lies per[...]

“Rescue 4 on scene and has command ….”An EF3 tornado has torn through your community, and you know it’s bad.[...]

How soon is it too soon to start thinking about your legacy?Are you going to wait until you near the[...]

The problem with communication is the illusion that is has occurred. ~ George Bernard Shaw Ah, communication. The first thing[...]

"Oh, by the way ... just one more thing ..."Often, this last minute utterance at the end of a meeting,[...]

Ever wonder how much it costs to be a Search & Rescue Volunteer?  Your answer is below.CASE STUDY:Search & Rescue[...]

In a bustling city, nestled among towering skyscrapers and busy streets, two paths diverged within the walls of a prominent[...]

I occasionally prowl around social media. Somewhere along the line, the advertising overlords discovered my self-employed, entrepreneur status. My web[...]

  CASE STUDY: Corporate Office Shelters in Place During Hurricane Copyright TEAM-Solutions.US All Rights Reserved BACKGROUND Hurricane Wilma; South Florida (2005)[...]

Lost Little Timmy Deserves Our Best: Why SAR Training and Certification Matter More Than EverWhen someone goes missing, whether it's[...]

Building and maintaining a high-performing team (agency, organization, company, etc.) is a fickle thing. Just having a dominant voice, some talented[...]

Ever notice that criticism gets a bad rap, generally speaking? Not the "you're ugly and your mother dresses you funny"[...]

Once upon a time I failed as a leader...Okay, so it happens regularly, but let's just focus on one of[...]

CASE STUDY:Ego and Dysfunction at Community EventCopyright TEAM-Solutions.US All Rights ReservedThe city manager directs the police department to develop a special[...]

When I published my 2nd book, The Legacy of Leadership, I was frankly a little surprised to learn how little[...]

Picture this ...You've need to make some travel plans but your flux capacitor is broken and in need of repair.The[...]

If you have kids, you've likely gone through the ritual of helping them grow out of peeing the bed. If[...]

Tornado Response – Lessons from an Emergency Management AARBackgroundOn May 10, 2024, a category EF-4 tornado tore through Springfield County,[...]

Every founder eventually reaches the same quiet realization:"I'm working harder than ever, and the company is still resisting me."This is[...]

When I first started instructing for a living (versus as an occasional sideline), I was eager and intensely interested in[...]

A field guide for CEOs who actually sign the checksYou're being sold AI like it's oxygen. Every vendor, every consultant,[...]

We've all been taxed with choices and opportunities beyond our ability to tackle them all: Holiday party invites, an extra[...]

The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain[...]

Pandemic Exercise – Enhancing Public Health PreparednessBackgroundOn April 12, 2024, a public health agency conducted a pandemic preparedness exercise, simulating[...]

Keeping people engaged in-person certainly has its challenges.  And as more and more meetings are conducted online, the need to[...]

As students we know that not all of the training content we receive is of equal quality. As instructors, it's[...]

Orange, TX, September 13, 2008 -- Members of Texas Task Force One and Two come together for a quick field[...]

'Communicating via micromanagement isn’t a personality flaw; it’s a breakdown in the fundamentals of delegation.' In the Harvard Business Review[...]

"No man can command more than 5 distinct bodies in the same theater of war."   Napoleon I (1815) And[...]

The world we share continues to shift before our eyes.Some shifts are widely seen as positive ...Some shifts are widely[...]

Have you heard the story of Bill and his garage project? It goes something like this:Bill needs to clean his[...]

Personally I am always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught. ~ Winston ChurchillOur language is a[...]

New Orleans, LA (2005) - While searching for survivors and evacuees in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, my USAR (Urban[...]

Actually, whack-a-mole in reverse.  For, you know, better student engagement. (Had a sheltered childhood and don't know the game? Check[...]

A new acquaintance recently asked about my business. I told him that I help response leaders improve, among other things.[...]

The early AI era is over.Not because the technology stopped advancing - it hasn't. Not because the hype died down[...]

As trainers, we all enjoy the thought of our students gazing into their bright future while pondering the transformative lesson[...]

Luiz Felipe Scolari is a legendary soccer player and manager.  Born in the seat of worldwide soccer excellence, Brazil, Scolari[...]

Intro:Unplanned events expose leaders to response leadership challenges that textbooks don’t prepare you for. Whether you’re running a county EOC,[...]

So. Many. Experts. Online and in-person it's hard to miss bumping into someone labelled an expert at something. What is[...]

Little Timmy is missing after the tornado and is reportedly trapped in the collapsed building.  He is likely running out[...]

Imagine spilling your milk (or any other unplanned event). Unpleasant, right?Questions That Leaders AskTo move on, Crisis Leaders seek answers[...]

"Sifting Folly"What a glorious phrase, eh?I was reading one of my favorite blogs (FarnamStreetBlog.com) and this phrase really got my[...]

In 2005, during my USAR team's response to Hurricane Katrina, we were repeatedly tasked - along with thousands of other[...]

As a manager, a parent, a coach, etc., all of us at one time or another has faced a version[...]

Many years ago, an overly ambitious jet-skier that couldn't swim, wasn't wearing a life-jacket, and had been reportedly drinking beer like[...]

In the movies, the heroic leader is often seen charging at the enemy with their saber rattling and a fierce battle cry.Just like in[...]