Great talent is the engine that propels our business forward. Talent who can see the opportunities the rest of us are blind to are essential for any company's future growth. They help our brands establish a meaningful place in the minds and hearts of our consumers. They differentiate us. Through challenging the status quo they drive us forward. But, the high performers who create the most engaging content or conceive the most innovative ideas aren't always the easiest to work with. In fact they can be the cause of many knuckle tightening moments and an unimaginable number of sleepless nights. Some managers would just prefer not to have them around. However, that is often the quickest way to build a mediocre team.

Managing quality performers with difficult personalities is one of the hardest managerial challenges any leader faces. For some reason I love it. I get energized when an opportunity presents itself for me to work with a 'so-called difficult talent.' I always feel that you are walking along the edge of greatness just waiting for their next disruptive idea to be born. It's scary and exhilarating. Personally, I have always found it perplexing that so many managers have backed away from these difficult but high quality performers. I think it comes from the misguided belief that managers need to be able to control. Control everything. Difficult talent can't be controlled. At best they can be tamed and focused in the most productive direction.

As we begin a New Year, I wanted to share some truths for on air performers in 2019. These are my beliefs. You may not agree with me and that's fine. I think the most important thing is that we get the chance to stop, think and debate what needs to happen this ...

The business world is fierce. Every day is a battle. Marketplaces are competitive. It's a never ending cycle of trial and error. You gain an inch, you lose an inch. You gain some ground and you lose some ground. Each industry has a top dog and underdogs... And it's ...

I have not yet met anyone who didn't want to be successful, but I have met many who don't know how to get there. I remind myself of that sentiment often. Finding success is not easy. It's a journey, and an awfully long one at that. We all want to reach the ...

The secret to success in business is durable competitive advantage. Only products that demonstrate a desirable difference to their competitors are likely to win audience attention. Our brains act like filters that protect us from too much information. We're hard wired to ...

"I want my people to be better. All of my people. I want to start with those who have the responsibility for coaching and developing other employees." Despite those words being delivered by a manager with a somewhat strident voice, the sentiment was refreshing to ...

I was caught off guard this week when someone asked; "Which one quality do you see missing from inexperienced coaches?" My mind instantly started acting like one of those old fashioned rolodexes, quickly flicking through all the possibilities. Mentally I was ...

Great talent makes the difference. It's undeniable. Great talent gives your brand a point of difference. They get you noticed and talked about. They create desire and excitement. Through their content they motivate audiences to find them -- and then keep coming back. ...

There are many people who do good work, sometimes even great work, and yet managers overlook them. Their talents go unrecognized. Their results go barely acknowledged. Their contributions go unrewarded. The promotion they dream of isn't on the horizon. These people ...

How you chose to approach the day has a significant impact not only on your own performance but also on the performance of others. Each morning you have a choice to make - to be positive or negative - to see the glass half full or half empty. Why? Because your emotions ...