When I was a Global Engineering Director, my teams and I were in the middle of what I can only describe as a high-stakes juggling act. We were tasked with reducing multimillion-dollar material costs across multiple continents — all while maintaining product integrity, regulatory compliance, and supply chain stability. At one point, we had more than 400 alternate parts under review, nine countries collaborating across time zones, and a corporate deadline that didn’t exactly ca

We often see coffee breaks as “downtime,” but for the most effective Leaders, they’re actually thinking time. Instead of scrolling through emails or jumping from one task to another, imagine using that quiet moment to ask yourself a single, strategic question: “What’s one decision I can make today that moves my team forward?” That small shift, from reactive to reflective, turns a caffeine habit into a leadership ritual. When you sip with purpose, you lead with power. Because

Many years ago, I was so excited when I became an Engineering Manager. It meant I could not only hire my own team, but also make sure I could guide our team performance in a way unlike the managers I’d worked under up to that point. I wanted to be fair, encouraging, and create a fun work environment. Hell, the work is hard enough; it costs me nothing to be decent, kind, and supportive, right? And that’s what I created, in the midst of a very chaotic and at times hostile envir