Some leaders appear to get things done effortlessly where others struggle to make progress. Often the secret is the strong relationships the leader has built. Many leaders make this look easy, but great relationships and effective stakeholder engagement is the product of focused and sustained effort.

Many leaders will tell you a large part of their job is helping employees overcome resistance to change. We often think of leaders as the instigators of change and employees as the obstacles. Yet few leaders realize how they subtly resist and block needed changes.

Critical thinking is the ability to use intelligence, knowledge and skills to question and carefully explore situations and arrive at thoughtful conclusions based on evidence and reason. The critical thinking approach is a powerful analytical method which helps managers and entrepreneurs to consider intended and unintended consequences of behaviors on their teams, organizations and communities.

As business environments change with new technologies, new competitors and new consumer preferences, many previously successful businesses falter. Determining how to compete in a changing environment is the job of business leaders, who must transition processes and outcomes from what is currently done to what is desired.