Insights
Stop Treating AI Adoption Like a Light Switch
I've had multiple friends and colleagues tell me AI is making their work HARDER. Seriously? The technology that's supposed to revolutionize everything is creating more friction, not less. Why? Because "AI as a strategy" doesn't work. AI is a tool. A powerful one, sure, but still just a tool. And like any tool, it's only useful when you understand what problem you're trying to solve.
Herding Squirrels Ep 07
In this engaging episode, we explore leadership through the lens of technical teams with Dave Walters, former CTO of Hired, Lacalle Group, and Spa Finder Wellness. With 13+ years at The Knot Worldwide (XO Group) and 20+ years as a volunteer firefighter, Dave brings unique perspectives on leading high-stakes teams. Using LEGO® Serious Play® methodology, Dave shares powerful insights on team alignment, staying calm under pressure, and nurturing collective success.
The Million-Dollar Miscommunication
The best teams don't assume less—they confirm more. They've built a culture where asking "What do you mean by that?" isn't seen as incompetence but as professionalism. Next time you catch yourself making assumptions, try this: "Let me confirm what I'm hearing..." It's the simplest way to turn workplace fiction into workplace facts.
Behold the Power of the Notetaker
Stop treating the note-taking role like you're asking someone to clean the bathroom. This person is literally determining which ideas survive and which ones die in committee. Celebrate this role. Appoint someone who's actually good at it if possible. And if you're stuck doing it yourself, remember: you're not just documenting a meeting—you're preserving the thinking that could transform your team.
The Complete Guide to Building Strong Team Foundations
Every high-performing team shares the same secret: they've stopped pretending everything's fine and started building foundations that actually work. Look at your team right now—some engaged, others checked out, most somewhere in between. That's not a people problem. That's what happens when teams run on assumptions instead of agreements, personality clashes instead of psychological safety. This guide reveals the hidden architecture of exceptional teams and the specific steps to transform yours from a collection of individuals into a unified force. Because the difference between teams that struggle and teams that soar isn't talent—it's the foundation they build together.
The Spaghetti Tower Challenge
Have you heard of Peter Skillman's Spaghetti Tower Challenge? (If you haven't participated yet, spoiler alert: I'm about to ruin the surprise.)
I did this exercise a few years back, and what happened completely flipped my understanding of how teams really work.
The Hidden Gift
We use LEGO bricks to help create psychological safety, but the real breakthrough isn't about the toys. It's about externalization—shifting focus away from the person and onto something external they can use to tell their story.
The Starling Effect
Just like starlings responding to their nearest neighbors, your team members start making choices that naturally align with collective success. The impact builds exponentially when everyone is tuned into the same frequency.
The result? Teams that can shift direction quickly, respond to challenges collectively, and create something greater than the sum of their individual parts.
The Contagion Effect
Here's the thing about energy: it spreads faster than gossip in a small office. You know how yawns are contagious? Energy works the same way—except instead of making people tired, the right energy makes them unstoppable. The good stuff is contagious. That level of support, that fun, that genuine enthusiasm—it lifts people up and makes them want to maintain the momentum. They try harder, support each other more, and the whole cycle accelerates. But here's what most teams don't want to acknowledge: the negative stuff spreads just as fast.
Communication & Team Connection: Building Trust Through Better Relationships
Every team is a collection of unique perspectives, communication styles, and working preferences. What looks like a simple conversation to one person might feel overwhelming to another. The challenge isn't having different viewpoints—it's creating the shared language and understanding that allows these diverse minds to collaborate effectively
The Icebreaker Police
"It's an icebreaker!" the engineer announced. For the third time.
Instead of asking "What do you do?" I asked "What do you love about what you do?"
That's when our self-appointed icebreaker detective felt compelled to blow my cover. Multiple times.
Complete Guide to LEGO® Serious Play®: Transform Team Communication Through Hands-On Collaboration
At its core, LEGO® Serious Play harnesses the neurological connection between our hands and brain. When teams "think through their fingers," they activate neural pathways that remain dormant during conventional discussions, accessing knowledge and insights that might otherwise remain hidden. This scientifically-backed process helps externalize abstract concepts into tangible models that everyone can see, discuss, and understand.