Lazy Leaders Choose Sides. Loving Leaders Do the Hard Work

A harsh but necessary truth: leaders who think they must choose between accountability and engagement are simply being lazy.

Personal Leadershippb+jOctober 28, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

From Tin Man to Octopus: Rewriting Your Organization's DNA

In my 10-element culture framework, which many of you are familiar with, “octopus behavior” has been the foundation of “peer-to-peer power” along with the other nine elements.

Personal Leadershippb+jOctober 21, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

When the Last Door Closes

This season, I wonder if you might consider what you’ve given in addition to what you've received.

Personal Leadershippb+jOctober 14, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

Age 70 to 79: The New Age of Entrepreneurship

We believe deeply in our purpose and the products we've built. For me, this journey is a "fun road to 80," and I'm incredibly thankful for my team nudging me along the way.

Personal Leadershippb+jOctober 7, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

The $100 Million Frappuccino: Is Starbucks Creating Negative Friction?

Starbucks used to be a daily purchase for me. It was a highlight in my day. Not anymore. The value and experience is no longer there.

Find out your connect score.

Personal Leadershippb+jSeptember 30, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

The Reality Check – How Well Do You Really Know Your Team?

When I bring a group of leaders together, I start with a simple question: "Do you feel you know your teammates and direct reports?"

Find out your connect score.

Personal Leadershippb+jSeptember 23, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

Unlock Your Team's Secret Sauce: The One Thing That Changes Everything

If I could do just one thing for every team on the planet, it would be this: I would take them through Belongify Connect.

And today, we’re giving you the key.

Personal Leadershippb+jSeptember 15, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

Your Integrity Will Be Tested. Be Ready.

Integrity isn't about being preachy; it's about being practical. It’s the operating system for a functional career, team, and society.

Personal Leadershippb+jSeptember 2, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

Don't Flatten Your Managers—Fix Your Leadership

The path forward requires intentional leadership. Here’s how executives can proactively engage and empower their middle management layer to drive results.

Personal Leadershippb+jAugust 26, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

The Joy of a Blue Jay Jacket (And Why Team Rituals Matter)

Great teams don’t just win—they celebrate in ways that bond them. Here’s how rituals fuel success in sports and business:

Personal Leadershippb+jAugust 19, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

Winning the Right Way: Leadership That Lasts

Here’s how to build lasting success without sacrificing decency or long-term value—and why it’ll succeed.

Personal Leadershippb+jAugust 12, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

Pivot Instead of Pout: Turning Feedback into Action

Getting critical feedback on a passion project is tough—especially when you’re eager to launch. Here are some key learnings we’re experiencing, and how to channel that energy productively:

Personal Leadershippb+jAugust 5, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

Needy Versus Needed

If leaders want employees to be less needy, then demonstrate how much they are needed

Personal Leadershippb+jJuly 29, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

No ‘Joyspan’ Equals No Job

grow, adapt, give and Connect will serve us well in advancing our Joyspan at work and in all aspects of daily living.

Personal Leadershippb+jJuly 22, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

The Magic of the Connect Circle (And Why Your Team Needs One)

We’ve created a simple DIY guide to help leaders facilitate their own Connect Circle. And because we believe in this so deeply, we’re offering a special Friends & Family package on August 15 for $249.

Personal Leadershippb+jJuly 15, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

Are you an AI ‘Prepper?

Applying past structure to a changed context essentially puts the burden of a regressive policy on the shoulders of workers. Why not think about how to lead and work differently to better navigate this now?

Personal Leadershippb+jJuly 8, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

The Return-to-Office Fiasco Continues

Applying past structure to a changed context essentially puts the burden of a regressive policy on the shoulders of workers. Why not think about how to lead and work differently to better navigate this now?

Personal Leadershippb+jJuly 1, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

‘Culture Kills…’ Literally

While stories like Titan receive massive attention, what about the lower profile situations where the loss of psychological safety is less dramatic but locally devastating?

Personal Leadershippb+jJune 17, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

Surprising Research About High Performing Teams

one area we intentionally focus on is the importance of Connect Before Content. Informal, getting to know each other chit-chat can be supplemented and amplified by well-planned, leader/peer led initiatives to accelerate the route to high performance.

Personal Leadershippb+jJune 10, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance

A Little More Sugar, Please!

if we create a sugar waterfall for donuts, don’t you think we could create an equivalent for us too? Couldn’t part of a thriving culture’s secret sauce include sugar waterfalls of appreciation?

Personal Leadershippb+jJune 3, 2025Culture, Focus, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Lessons, Success, The Character Triangle, 1000 Blogs, belonging, belongify, growth, performance