We tend to lean into our strengths: the qualities that help us solve problems, connect with people, get things done, make decisions, or bring something valuable to a team. And we should. But I've noticed something interesting about strengths: Sometimes the things we're best at are also the things we're least likely to question. If we’re naturally good at solving problems, we may jump in with a solution before someone else has had the chance to work through it. If we care deeply about helping...

Your team experiences you through your behavior, not just your intentions. Most of us want to be good leaders. We want to support our people, communicate well, make good decisions, build trust, and create an environment where people can do their best work. In other words, most of us have pretty good intentions. But our teams can't see our intentions; they experience our behavior. I may intend to give someone room to solve a problem on their own; they may experience my silence as a lack of...

“I know I do that.” How many times have we said that about ourselves? Maybe you know you tend to take over when things aren't moving quickly enough. Or you know you get quiet when you're frustrated. You know you keep working a problem long after everyone else is ready to move on. You know you're likely to say yes when you really don't have room for one more thing. Knowing these things about ourselves is important. But here's the question: What are we doing with what we know? We talk a lot...