Most leaders chase growth while culture erodes on autopilot. But real culture isn’t built by accident — it rests on three pillars: identity, behavior, and language. Here’s what it takes to slow down and build a culture that carries the weight with you.

Psychological safety is having a moment. Gen Z is going no-contact with parents because they don’t feel safe. Employees are disengaging — or quietly quitting — because speaking up feels too risky. The phrase is everywhere: in leadership podcasts, culture decks, HR…

Why most organizational conflict stays stuck — and the harder, more honest path to resolution. There is a conversation that needs to happen in your organization right now. You probably already know what it is. You’ve been circling it for weeks, maybe months. You’ve…

There’s a particular kind of weight that follows you around — and it’s not the weight of what you’ve done. It’s the weight of what you haven’t started yet. The project sitting in the corner of your mind. The plan you need to build. The certification you’ve been…

In all my years of coaching leaders — executives, pastors, ministry professionals, and marketplace leaders — I’ve noticed a pattern that never changes. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, what size your organization is, or how long you’ve been in leadership….

High-capacity, high-care leaders often risk tying their identity too closely to outcomes and other people’s reactions. When ownership increases, so does emotional exposure, causing feedback to land on your identity instead of just your role. This post shares a framework to build durable internal boundaries, allowing you to keep listening deeply without absorbing criticism as a personal verdict. The core practice is a crucial mental reframe: treating feedback as shared insight about the system we’re all in, not a critique of your worth. Learn how to set internal boundary rules, use cognitive defusion to create distance from sharp thoughts, and implement a repeatable process for transforming tough conversations into raw material for shared learning.

The Calm One Wins: What The Traitors Teaches Us About Regulated Leadership I don’t usually turn to reality TV for leadership insights. But when a therapist’s Instagram post about NBC’s The Traitors started going viral just after the Season 4 finale dropped on Peacock,…

In navigating the complexities of leadership, one must recognize that the true essence of influence lies not just in decision-making but in the energy we radiate; the most impactful leaders harness a thoughtful stillness that invites connection and collaboration, ensuring their teams feel supported rather than strained, inspiring a collective resilience that transcends mere survival and fosters an environment where creativity flourishes and potential is fully realized, highlighting that the ultimate goal of leadership is not to command but to cultivate an atmosphere where every voice can rise, contributing to a symphony of shared success.

This week, I celebrated my 57th birthday. I have to say—birthdays have grown on me. I enjoy them now more than ever. My 50s have easily been my favorite decade, and each year seems to get a little better than the one before. For this birthday, I told my wife all I…

Yesterday, I attended a customer meeting with one of our customer success managers, and it turned into a real eye-opener about what leadership should be. My colleague shared on LinkedIn that instead of needing more oversight, Individual Contributors just want ownership and support. When leaders show up, they’re not just a title; they create trust and momentum. It’s key for leaders to champion decisions and support their teams without judgment. Leaders should empower rather than evaluate. The goal is to fuse the roles of leaders and ICs, promoting shared ownership and respect, so everyone wins together. It’s all about partnership, not hierarchy.

The story of a pink rhododendron that took six years to bloom serves as a metaphor for personal growth. Despite consistent care, it initially showed no visible signs of progress. This spring, it burst into beautiful blossoms, prompting reflections on life’s invisible growth periods. Just as the rhododendron established its roots before blooming, we too can spend long periods working hard without immediate results. This emphasizes that patience and continued effort are essential, as many projects and goals develop quietly beneath the surface. The waiting time is not wasted, and eventually, each person’s ‘moment of blooming’ will arrive.

Feedback can feel personal and challenging, often seeming like a direct attack on one’s identity. However, understanding that feedback reflects behavior and perception, rather than core identity, is crucial. Acknowledging that others’ perceptions can differ from intentions allows an opportunity for growth. It’s essential to approach feedback with humility and clarity, asking questions to bridge misunderstandings. While not all feedback may be entirely valid, each piece can reveal insights about your influence and relationships. Ultimately, how you respond to feedback can transform it from a threat to a valuable tool for personal and professional development.

To build a strong Culture Carrier Team, leaders must select individuals who embody the desired culture, focusing on those with high influence and integrity, regardless of their titles. Diversity in backgrounds is essential, as is fostering a proactive environment. Engage potential carriers in meaningful conversations about culture to ensure genuine commitment, making culture a shared responsibility.

Effective presentations go beyond merely delivering information; they require dynamic engagement and interaction. Preparation is key, involving understanding the audience and clearly defining objectives. Presenters should be adaptable, reading audience reactions and encouraging active participation. Clarity, authenticity, and storytelling enhance communication, transforming lectures into conversations. Ultimately, an impactful presentation inspires action and leaves audiences with actionable takeaways. By focusing on connection rather than content alone, presentations can become dynamic dialogues.

In a world full of noise and uncertainty, effective leaders know the power of staying calm. Leading with a non-anxious presence helps create stability, boosts team confidence, and drives better decision-making. Learn how to cultivate inner calm and lead your team through chaos with clarity and resilience.

  Taking over a new team is never easy, especially when the culture is in shambles. Whether it’s due to previous leadership, internal conflicts, or external pressures, repairing a broken culture requires intention, patience, and perseverance. Over the years, I’ve…

In the digital era, churches must utilize both websites and apps to effectively reach and engage their congregations. Websites act as a welcoming front door, providing new visitors with an overview and access to services and information. Apps, conversely, deepen engagement for established church members, offering tailored content and resources for community involvement and spiritual growth. Together, these platforms create a vital, integrated system for newcomers and returning visitors alike, supporting a seamless transition from curiosity to committed involvement.

Taking insights from leaders like Scott Cochrane, it’s clear that real ownership in a business goes beyond accountability. Owners foster culture, spend wisely, and act unified as “us” not “them.” They’re proactive, driving results without waiting for direction. To cultivate ownership, leaders must grant authority, allowing teams to make decisions and truly invest in the company’s success.

Some people possess a remarkable ability to emanate contagious positivity, uplifting their environment even amidst adversity. These ‘positive energizers’ enhance team dynamics with virtues like kindness and gratitude. Conversely, ‘de-energizers’ drain energy and morale. Successful leaders cultivate positivity, recognizing its pervasive benefits across professional and personal spheres, improving well-being, relationships, and productivity. Harvard research underscores the transformative impact of these individuals on organizational culture and resilience, advocating for leaders to nurture such an environment for greater success and fulfillment.

Yesterday, I received an interesting question from one of my leaders in a large team meeting. She asked, “How much do you spend each year for your own professional development?” I quickly had an amount in my mind but also knew that that number would likely terrify…

“There’s something I haven’t told you,” said the horse. “What’s that?,” said the boy? “I can fly, but I stopped because it made other horses jealous.” (The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and the Horse, C. Mackey) Hiding. We’ve all done it. Our reasons are vast, but the…

Adam Grant said in a recent post, “In toxic relationships, you’re forced to choose between honesty and loyalty. You bite your tongue to protect their ego. In healthy relationships, honesty is an expression of loyalty. You speak your mind to help them grow. When you…

Recently, I was speaking to a group of interns at our church when I found myself glancing out the window briefly. It was hard not to notice that a dense fog had descended over the Pacific Northwest.  Being a meteorological nerd, I’m always aware of what is…

If you haven’t already figured it out, leaders wear lot of hats. Sometimes it’s difficult to determine which hat we should be wearing and which is the most important in the moment. Due to several team transitions, I’ve spent a lot of time recently wearing the “hiring…

I have a love / hate relationship with mistake making … errors … failures. I try to teach others that mistake making is the only way we truly learn. Yet, I still hate making mistakes. Worse yet, I hate to admit them. But I have tried to remind myself how important…

Thanksgiving was my dad’s favorite holiday. While the rest of the family favored Christmas, he always loved Thanksgiving. One of those reasons was likely rooted in his profession as a farmer, and Thanksgiving was the natural culmination of his year-long efforts. Many…

Over the years I’ve heard the phrase “stay in your lane” a few times. The first time was as I first sitting in the driver’s seat of my dad’s truck as he was teaching me to drive. More recently, I’ve heard it said when I’ve taught my daughters to drive … and in the…

As I end 2019, I am reminded of my word for 2019 — “be brave.” Little did I know that I would need that word throughout the year …. little did I know that I would pack my family and move a little further west. Little did I know that a few steps of bravery would…

Working in the customer service industry is one of the most challenging and most rewarding experiences. While I’ve had a lot of different roles throughout my career — from education to pastoral ministry to software and technology — they’ve all had this thread of…

Time for another LIFE UPDATE. If you’ve stayed up to date with the Plotner Happenings, you know that I quit my job at the end of 2018 not knowing quite what the future would look like. Yet, I was confident there was something promising ahead. I was totally surprised…

While heading back to the office after lunch this week, I dialed Mom as I often do while driving. Sunday is Father’s Day, and I could tell that she was having a hard day thinking about another year without him. It’s been 8 years since Dad was with us. In some ways it…

If you’ve been on social media for more than five minutes, you know that it can be hotbed for lively discussion. Particularly in the last few weeks it seems that conversations have become more heated. More volatile. More opinionated. More political. More…

My youngest daughter is the master of asking questions. I often find that she uses it to make conversation when she doesn’t know what else to talk about. At times, it can become annoying; however, at other times, it can be a great way for us to share our stories. She…

Last week, I made my latest visit to our local Apple Store here in Colorado Springs. I wasn’t there to look at the newest iPads or the oversized iPhone 6 Plus. I was there to visit a Genius. You know — those guys that are really smart and can use language that make…

I am confronted with this issue every single day of my life. I have been for quite a while but this one seems to get bigger rather than smaller. Here’s my observation — we’re all busy; too busy. American is filled with more to do. We have endless…