Spark Memos
Your weekly boost of practical leadership wisdom - rooted in neuroscience, backed by data, and crafted for real-world results. Each memo offers a spark of insight to help you lead with clarity, empathy, and purpose - especially when things get messy.
The #1 Engagement Strategy You’re Ignoring
The #1 Engagement Strategy You’re Ignoring Hey Spark Family, Global engagement is slipping, and wellbeing is declining right along with it. Gallup’s 2025 report shows managers are right at the center of this story. Managers account for up to 70 percent of the variance in team engagement, yet their own engagement and wellbeing are falling faster than those they lead. When managers are stretched thin, their teams disengage. When managers thrive, their teams follow. The Research Is Clear ➡...
How to Shield Your Team from a Toxic Culture
How to Shield Your Team from a Toxic Culture Hey Spark Family, When the culture around you turns toxic, it can feel like quicksand. Morale slips, trust erodes, and good people leave. Leaders in these environments often tell me, “I feel powerless.” The good news is, while you may not be able to shift the entire system overnight, you can create what I call micro-cultures of excellence - pockets of safety, clarity, and connection where your team can thrive, regardless of the chaos outside. The...
The Leadership Flex That Actually Builds Trust
The Leadership Flex That Actually Builds Trust Hey Spark Family, Let’s talk about a leadership flex that actually builds trust.Not having all the answers.Not charging forward with forced confidence.But something far more impactful - being human. In the leadership rooms I’m in lately, people are exhausted from pretending.Pretending they’re certain. Pretending they’re fine. But the best leaders I know?They show up with clarity and vulnerability.And that’s what earns loyalty. The Research Is...
You’re Not Failing - You’re Evolving
You’re Not Failing - You’re Evolving Hey Spark Family, Let’s talk about something I see every day in my coaching work:Leaders doing the hard work to grow, only to second-guess themselves when it doesn’t feel good right away. Maybe that’s you right now. You’re showing up differently. You’re trying to unlearn old habits. You’re leading with more intention, more trust, more humanity. But instead of feeling empowered, you feel… unsure. Wobbly. Disconnected from your old confidence. That doesn’t...
Why Gen Z Doesn’t Want Your Job
Why Gen Z Doesn’t Want Your Job Hey Spark Family, There’s a leadership pipeline problem. But not the kind you think. It’s not that young professionals aren’t capable of leading, it’s that many of them don’t want to. They’re watching the generations before them burn out, opt out, or grind through systems that no longer work. And they’re asking the right question: Why would I want that job? Here’s what I’m hearing from rising leaders: “I want to lead people, but I don’t want to lose myself...
You Can’t Lead With an Empty Tank
You Can’t LeadWith an Empty Tank Hey Spark Family, Let’s talk about something most leaders won’t admit: Leadership is emotionally draining. It’s not just the meetings or the metrics.It’s the emotional labor.The context switching.The invisible weight of holding everyone else together. You’re not just managing tasks. You’re managing energy.And if yours is running on fumes, that matters more than you think. The Research Is Clear • 61% of leaders say emotional exhaustion is the biggest blocker to...
Stop Solving. Start Empowering.
Stop Solving. Start Empowering. Hey Spark Family, Let’s talk about a quiet trap I see far too many leaders fall into - especially those who care deeply about their teams: ➡ The Problem-Solver Trap. It looks like this: Your team hits a snag.They come to you.You jump in - because it’s faster, or they’re stressed, or you want to be supportive.But the next time? They come to you again.And again.And again. Suddenly, you’re not leading. You’re rescuing.And it’s wearing you out. The Research Is...
Are You Scaling or Spinning Out?
Are You Scaling or Spinning Out? Hey Spark Family, Let’s talk about a leadership challenge I’m seeing everywhere right now. You’re growing. Fast.New clients. New hires. Bigger goals.Everyone is doing more, but no one has time to think. Sound familiar? This is what I call growth guilt - the uneasy feeling that you’re falling behind even while everything is moving forward. It’s not just frustrating. It’s dangerous. When growth becomes frantic, your people start to flail.And when your strategy...
AI Can’t Replace You - But It Can Work With You
AI Can’t Replace You - But It Can Work With You Hey Spark Family, Let’s face it - AI isn’t just coming. It’s here. It’s helping us write emails, run reports, analyze data, and even coach our teams. But the real leadership challenge in 2025? Figuring out how to lead when the “team” includes both humans and machines. This isn’t about being replaced.It’s about learning how to collaborate - with tools that don’t sleep, but also don’t feel. The Research Is Clear • DDI’s 2025 Global Leadership...
It’s Not Disrespect - It’s a Different Generation
It’s Not Disrespect - It’s a Different Generation Hey Spark Family, Have you ever sent an email... and waited.And waited.And then started to spiral? Why aren’t they responding?Did I say something wrong?Are they even working today?! You’re not alone.But here’s the truth: they probably are working. Just differently. We're leading in a new era - where generational working styles are clashing in real time. One leader's “urgent” is another’s “I'll get to it Monday.” And what feels like disrespect...
Your weekly boost of practical leadership wisdom - rooted in neuroscience, backed by data, and crafted for real-world results. Each memo offers a spark of insight to help you lead with clarity, empathy, and purpose - especially when things get messy.