I share “boots on the ground” observations. This week’s column is about some phrases that may seem harmless on the surface, but that may send a message we’re not aware we are sending. A person who read my new book Sundays with Quint, which is a collection of some of my leadership columns, recently reached out. She shared how helpful the book is to her and asked where the content comes from. My first response was “thank…

“I was wrong.” “I am wrong.” “I may be wrong.” How easily these words come to a person and how willing they are to say them can be the difference between success and failure. They can be the difference between creating or reducing trust and building or destroying a relationship. They can be the difference between growing a business or losing a business. They can be the difference between saving lives or losing lives. I…

How do you manage less-than-positive feedback? This is an area I need ongoing work in. A person sent a long story to me in which he shared his frustration regarding how he was treated by someone in an organization he was dealing with. He did not send this story so I would contact the organization, but to vent and get my opinion. I know the top person in the organization he is frustrated with. When I…

If you’re a leader, you know how important it is to thank and recognize employees. It strengthens relationships, keeps people engaged, and fosters a powerful sense of belonging. Because what gets recognized gets repeated, it helps build consistency and move results. And the act of recognizing someone replenishes both parties—you and the other person. This week I want to provide readers with some activities to connect to the workforce via appreciation and recognition. If you…

In a recent column I wrote about my initial reaction when, after working hard and putting in lots of time, my boss’s feedback was that he was not evaluating me on effort, but on results. I shared how taken aback I was by what he said. Did he not appreciate my effort? Could he have said it in a kinder, softer way? At least he could have said, “Quint, thank you so much for your effort.” In Peter Drucker’s viewpoint on…