“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” ~George Bernard Shaw

Creating a culture of open communication takes continuous intention. One great way to get started is to stop doing all the talking and listen.

I have encountered many leaders who operate in a constant state of frenzy. This "leadership frenzy" is the opposite of being a strategic leader. This leadership style focuses on creating and managing tasks and activities. The bigger the list of activities, the better. Throw in a massive excel spreadsheet with pivot tables and they are in heaven!

How your employees feel about their job influences some of the most important measures of the health of your organization - retention, customer service, revenue and operational efficiency. Did you know that as a leader, you influence at least 70% of your employees' engagement?

I have worked with many leaders over the years and accountability always comes up as an important topic. A leader will almost always say, "yes, I hold my employees accountable". Oddly, when you ask employees they will say, "no one is held accountable". Interesting difference in perspective.

Holding yourself and others accountable is about keeping commitments that are made.