@Stew Darling posted this last week, and I had to expand on it from my opinion. One of the more uncomfortable truths in leadership is this: what many leaders call loyalty is often something else entirely. The phrase, “Loyalty is often fear, wearing a nicer jacket,” challenges a deeply rooted assumption in business. It forces CEOs, executives, and managers to ask an uncomfortable question: Are people truly loyal to your company, your leadership, and your vision… or are they s

For the last few years, I've joked that I'm "always a CEO-maid, never a CEO." Like the bridesmaid who does all the planning but never gets to wear the white dress, I've spent years helping companies build strategies, solve problems, restructure organizations, and drive profitability, often performing many of the responsibilities typically associated with a CEO without ever officially carrying the title or responsibility. Throughout more than 27 years in the automotive afterma