SANDY NELSON

We’ve all heard it said at least a thousand times, “this isn’t personal. It’s business.” Forget about it. Business is personal. For most of us, the greatest share of our time by far is devoted to business. Contrary to popular belief, we don’t hang our lives up on the coat hook when we walk through […]

Human beings are fascinating. More complex than can be fully comprehended. We are predictable and unpredictable. For example, once settled into comfort zones, we tend to become predictable. Resistant to most forms of change — at least when initially presented with opportunities that fall outside self-imposed norms. We do our best to hold on to […]

We may agree or disagree. We may like you, or we may not. But, if you are authentic and willing to risk the intimacy of being yourself, we will respect you and be open to following your leadership. We will engage our creativity, and we will take risks for you. If you let us know […]

Being the best is a common theme among all the reasons we are called in to work with leadership teams. Accomplished, talented and competitive people crave excellence. They like to win. This desire is articulated in a variety of ways such as: “we want to define the standards for our industry,” “we are committed to being the […]

It’s funny how life sorts out. In a way, it seems that there is some logic to the journey the universe has in store for us. At least, I can make the argument that, in my case, dots have been connected in ways that, in retrospect, make perfect sense. To understand the point I want […]

Even though I’ve been known to write my fair share, reading articles and blogs on innovation is not among my highest priorities. Often leaning toward the academic or theoretical, so many innovation “experts” fail to speak and offer insights in ways that my now seasoned pragmatic orientation toward the subject finds compelling. Having built a […]

My daughter is one beautiful, spirited fireball of a young lady. Since her first days of mobility, she was willing and eager to try anything new. Not only was she in constant search of new hurdles to traverse, but she actually seemed to love the process of practice and failure in the search for learning. […]

Years ago, after surviving a once-in-a-lifetime storm that millions of us in searing heat, without power, cable, internet, and limited access to email and cell service, I declared myself to be emancipated from victimhood. After five days of little sleep, discomfort and unsettling anxiety, enough was enough. It was time to move on. So many […]

Now is a good time to bring your passion and creativity to bear. Why wait not to be afraid or for someone else to grant permission? Those of us with the courage, naiveté, or both to put it all on the table and leave nothing behind are most likely to become game-changers. Frankly, fear will […]

My background in architecture shaped me into an inveterate planner. Think about it. Architects typically take no definitive action toward creating tangible value until plans are drawn, reviewed, assessed, debated, and fully coordinated. When I wake up in the morning, I make a plan for the day. When I retire at night, I muse over options for […]