When Delta Air Lines came to town, I was not enthusiastic. Seattle is provincial and extremely protective of our hometown brands. But when I actually met Mike Medeiros, Vice President for this region, he turned out to be a really cool guy, which made it a lot harder to maintain my cool indifference. Delta flew in swiftly to Seattle and invested itself into the…
The Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Celebration is one of the few networking events I actually look forward to. This group of business execs and leaders was particularly special - especially because two of the CEOs I coach made the list. Equally impressive were some of the other honorees I met, all of whom are doing great things for Seattle and beyond.…
It didn't take long to see that Kim Kircher is a superboss. She is the director of the Crystal Mountain Ski Patrol and one of only three women in the US to head a ski patrol. Here’s the most recent Puget Sound Business Journal article I wrote about Kim: Kim Kircher’s parents signed her up for ski lessons in the Powder Pigs program at Snoqualmie Pass…
I’m a student of the question and I have a new favorite. I’m asking all the CEOs I interview or who are guests on my CEO Leadership Forum ‘Are you a leader who loves to win or hates to lose?’ It’s interesting because often the question gets equated with failure. I’m not sure if they hear something I’m not asking or if it’s the…
I’m pretty excited about Diane Neal. She’s a really cool chic, and like me, her dad played a pivotal role in her life and leadership. It was an honor to talk with her and learn more. Diane Neal serves as CEO of Sur La Table, a retailer of kitchen and dining supplies. She has learned over the years, as the retail industry has changed, some valuable lessons about leadership. Read…
When I speak about leadership, I am often asked who my favorite leaders are. The smart people would skirt the question, but I don’t. The reality is, I have several favorite leaders for different reasons. Currently, I’m leadership-crushing on Raj Singh, because he truly is one of the most authentic people I know. So it was no surprise that when I posed the question…
When I talked to Daryl, a lot stood out. Something that stuck with me was the creative logic that came about when he and his friends were naming their boy band. One day, they were down at the marina and they saw a boat. “There were four guys, and the name of a boat was Forvus.” And that became their name. #MoreCleverThanOneDirection Daryl Campbell joined…
When combined, my cat’s collective name is Satan. I didn’t plan it that way. I named them Matan and Sinclair, and a college kid I mentored coined the name. I tell you this because, today’s post is about a guy who started a company to help cats like Satan (and dogs). Darryl Rawlings has a passion for pets, (get the tissue before you read…
