Show up

You've heard it over and over again.

Walk the talk

80% of success is showing up – Woody Allen

If you can't make it in on Saturday, don't even bother coming in on Sunday – Jeffrey Katzenberg

Everything does communicate.  Who you are and what you do drowns out what you say. 

Show up when onboarding

No.  I'm not talking about showing up on time on day one.  (Though that is also a good idea.)  I'm talking about making conscious choices about where you want to be physically as you have critical conversations.  Showing up at key people's work locations, offices, etc. sends a very different message than does calling them up or asking them to come visit you.

Show up when leading

Leaders communicate their true priorities with their agendas and their feet.  Show up to reinforce the importance of things you want others to think are important to you.

Show up to vote

It is not a God-given right.  A lot of people have sacrificed a lot through the years to win that right for others.  We all like to complain sometimes.  But on this election day, either show up or shut up.

Read More Articles

Functional Leader Onboarding: Converge Before You Evolve

The fastest way for a new functional or operational leader to fail is to start changing the team before becoming part of it. The better sequence is simpler and harder: converge first,…

Read Article
Group of executives planning strategies in a office.
Integration Leadership Isn’t a Detail. It’s the Deal.

KKR's $5.7 billion agreement to acquire Integer Holdings closed a strategic review that started back in April. The medtech manufacturer's board ran the process. Advisors ran the numbers. Lawyers ran…

Read Article
In M&A Integration, Culture Isn’t the Soft Part. It’s the Job.

Private equity has been on a buying spree. Bolt-on acquisitions, platform builds, roll-ups across logistics, healthcare, professional services, and beyond. Deal teams have gotten faster and more disciplined about diligence,…

Read Article
The First 100 Days Don’t Start on Day One. They Start Now.

When Infosys named Ashiss Kumar Dash as CEO-designate in July 2026, the announcement came alongside news that the company had lost a major European client - one of several large…

Read Article
A large crowd of people seated closely together, viewed from behind, attending an event or presentation in a dimly lit venue.
The Stakeholders You’re Not Thinking About – And Why They Can Derail Your First 100 Days

Cracker Barrel made headlines when its relatively new CEO departed after less than two years in the role they were hired to transform. The reasons were complex, but one thread…

Read Article
A person holding a clipboard with a blank sheet of paper and a pen poised to write
Outcome-Based Governance: Aligning Policies, Guidelines, and Principles

Policies channel compliance. Guidelines invite contribution. Principles earn commitment. Start with how you want people to behave at work and then design your governance stack to reinforce, not inhibit that.  Three…

Read Article