Alloy Solutions Leadership Blog

Who’s your favorite superhero? Batman? Superman? Maybe Wolverine, or Wonder Woman? These days, there are more than enough options to go around.

Personally, I grew up on the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies. I was just the right age when those movies came out to be captivated by his high-flying, web-slinging heroics (and perpetually confused by that dancing scene). Those films still hold a special place in my heart, all these years and Spider-Men later.

You know which hero never caught my attention? Not as a kid watching cartoons, not as a teenager going to movie theaters, and not as a parent streaming movies from home with kids asleep upstairs.

That would be Supermanager, of course!

The name may not ring a bell, but you surely know this superhero quite well. Supermanager doesn’t swing through the skies of New York City, but they swing by desks to answer questions, solve problems, and save crucial projects right at the deadline. Supermanager has all of the right answers, knows all of...

Do you remember the old Nielsen TV ratings? The surveys that tracked what Americans were watching? 

I know they've become automated now, but if someone were analyzing my household's viewing habits today, they'd probably have one question: 

Why is there so much golf on in this house?  Are they OK? 

Ten years ago, I would've wondered the same thing. 

Ironically, the first fans of PGA Tour broadcasts in our home weren't the humans - they were the Labradors. Peaceful scenery, calming voices, beautiful landscapes, and just enough background sound to rest by and keep the outdoor noises at bay. 

Somewhere along the way, though, the humans started paying attention. 

Not just to the golf, but to the people. 

Every tournament is filled with remarkable stories and, if you're willing to look for them, powerful leadership lessons. Professional golf provides an unusually clear window into decision-making under pressure, emotional regulation, resilience, preparation, focus, and the ability to ...

Here’s a scenario: In a monthly department meeting, one of your direct reports is presenting a new project that will be rolled out to the company in the coming weeks. As the presentation rolls along, you start to notice a surprising number of “ums,” “uhs” and “you knows” peppering the address. One of your peers gives you a look. They’re hearing it too.

So, leader, what are you going to do about it? Consider a few options:

1. Make a mental note to bring it up in your next 1:1
2. File it away for the upcoming performance review
3. Hope it doesn’t happen again so you never have to bring it up

If option C has caught your attention, you might be among the 21% of leaders who admit to avoiding difficult feedback conversations - or the 44% who say feedback is stressful.

Delivering timely feedback is one of the most important skills a manager can develop - and one of the hardest. I've taught leadership skills for nearly a decade, and regardless of industry, geography, or level of experience, t...

Our newest family member is unknowingly teaching us valuable lessons about leadership. Meet four-month-old Dottie – precocious younger sister to the wiser, calmer eight-year-old Denver.  We’re in the full-on teething phase where those razor-sharp teeth find themselves embedded in any and every available surface, including human arms, hands and feet.  Blood has been drawn and redirection and training is happening at every one of these painful learning opportunities.  Thankfully, we know this is just a phase and with proper attention and training she’ll be using that “soft mouth” and gentle spirit that Denver and other labradors are known for. I’m encouraged in these painful moments by watching Denver gently receive toys, treats, and any and all attention from his humans, including our toddler grandchildren.  In his presence, our fingers and toes are safe and none the worse for wear.   The remarkable thing that helps us in training Dottie isn’t that Denver has teeth. It's that Denver kno...

It’s that time again. Another week means another meeting. A chime sounds and a calendar reminder appears on your desktop to herald the arrival of this corporate ritual, the familiar thought creeps into your mind: “Here we go, it’s time for my one-on-one.”

“Wait,” you think, “what are we going to talk about?” As the meeting draws closer, you think back on the week that was. “What did we even talk about last time? Was I supposed to prepare something?” With a few minutes to spare, you pull a pen and a notepad from a stack on your desk and scribble a couple of quick thoughts. “I’ll think of something,” you reassure yourself as you gather yourself to head for the familiar conference room (or, just as likely, start to click around to find the virtual meeting link). “Maybe we’ll even end early.”

An Epidemic of Bad 1:1s

When was the last time you had an incredible one-on-one meeting? Not just an average meeting; a truly excellent experience - for both parties - that added to the relationshi...

I own a 1976 Volkswagen Super Beetle Convertible, one of the limited-edition Triple White models. Whenever I drive it, people smile, wave, point, and occasionally stop me with questions when it’s parked.  Driving that car requires a different mindset – that of noticing and being open to the curiosity and joy expressed by others around me upon seeing it.   

Over time, I’ve learned something important: driving the Beetle isn’t just about enjoying the car. It’s about being present for the people who enjoy seeing it.  

That realization led me to several leadership lessons. 

1. Notice the People Who Notice You 

Leadership begins with awareness. It’s easy to become focused on where we’re going and miss the people around us. Great leaders pay attention to those who are paying attention to them.  As John C. Maxwell says, “Great leaders walk slowly through the crowd.”  Indeed.  But how often am I not only not walking slowly, but I’m not aware of the faces in the crowd.  Or that there’s even...

Congrats!

Hey, congratulations! You did it!

After years of strong performance, stretch assignments, professional development courses, and countless podcast hours, you finally got that promotion you’ve been chasing for so long.

You can officially say, “I’m a manager.”

So… now what?

Why This Transition Is So Difficult

I’ve spent the last decade helping new managers adjust to the demands of their new responsibilities. Candidly, I’ve seen some leaders who never fully made the transition — and their teams suffered for it, sometimes for years on end.

Some were incredibly strong individual contributors who struggled with the realities of leadership. Not because they lacked capability, but because the skills that make someone a great contributor are not the same skills that make someone highly effective at leading people and delivering results.

Whether you’re brand-new to people leadership (in which case, seriously, congratulations!), or a senior leader with decades of experience, here...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

Next year will be a special anniversary for me – 30 years since receiving my counseling degree. And having had a foot in the organizational space throughout that time in such roles as employee assistance professional and leadership consultant, the relationship between work and mental health is one of significance for me. One undeniably impacts the other.

Consequently, our understanding and belief about mental health can be a powerful thing, and I believe the actual term, “mental health,” comes up a bit short. What if we thought about our mental health differently – as something in which we can invest and grow, rather than just something we protect and hope for the best? Let’s talk about Mental Wealth.

Mental wealth is more than just the absence of mental illness. It is an individualized picture of emotional resilience, healthy relationships, and a sense of purpose, peace, and psychological strength. Mental health awareness and care is part of, b...

Preparation is Everything! by Cindy Braun

A few years ago I found myself walking onto a stage to deliver a presentation to a large audience. This was my first presentation to such a large group - there were more than 250 participants in this room - and I felt myself break out in a cold sweat as my heart began to race. Even though I knew the content like the back of my hand, the thought of so many people staring at me and eagerly waiting for my nuggets of wisdom left me feeling nervous and inadequate.

Years later, I look back on that experience and I am grateful that my confidence has grown and I can speak to groups of any size with a calm and enthusiastic heart. Years of practice have served me well, along with lessons learned from John Maxwell's Law of Preparation. Allow me to share a few of these lessons with you today.

First, take a moment to reflect on a recent speaking or teaching opportunity. Perhaps you spoke to a large group in a brightly lit ballroom, or maybe you led a tra...

Got Denial about Denial? by Jamie Hansen

Most of us have likely entertained the wish that a problem or issue at home or work would go away if we just quietly avoided it long enough. It is true that avoidance can be a helpful
approach to dealing with conflict in the interest of gathering more information, allowing other parties to learn from an experience, or just giving the concern enough time to work itself out. This effective approach does come with a few important caveats. One, we may need to let other involved parties know why we’re not addressing the situation immediately, perhaps for one of the reasons above. And two, maintaining a mindset of avoiding for now, as opposed to avoiding forever is crucial in case the situation isn’t moving toward resolution. If we find ourselves in the avoiding forever lane with a particular issue, or if avoiding isn’t a proper response for the situation in the first place, that’s not effective conflict management, but rather its seductive and more d...