Mike Figliuolo

Founder and managing director

thoughtLEADERS

Mike Figliuolo is the author of The Elegant Pitch (Weiser, 2016) and One Piece of Paper (Jossey-Bass, 2011), and co-author of Lead Inside the Box (Weiser, 2015). He’s also the managing director of thoughtLEADERS LLC, a leadership development training firm. He regularly writes about leadership in the thoughtLEADERS Brief on LinkedIn.

Mon, 12/08/2025 - 12:02
Six Leadership Resolutions for a New Year Assess now—be overwhelmed later
Mon, 01/23/2017 - 12:02
I enjoy the holidays because they offer time to reflect. The work world slows down for a few weeks, and you can think about what went well during the past year, what didn’t go well, how you want to grow, and what you can do to improve yourself for…
How to Persevere When Facing a Work Grind Six tips for getting out of the rut
Wed, 11/23/2016 - 11:04
It’s called “work” for a reason. Most days we’re able to “work” through it and find enjoyment in what we do, but occasionally we’re faced with a grind that saps our strength and threatens to derail us. Fortunately, there are simple techniques for…
Twelve Characteristics of Great Leaders What’s their secret? There isn’t one.
Tue, 08/09/2016 - 10:27
Sponsored Content M ost of us are good leaders. Most of us aspire to be great leaders. Few are. What does it take to transcend “good” and become “great?” What’s the secret? There isn’t one. The differences between a good leader and a great one…
Work Isn’t Worth a Heart Attack So don’t use it as an excuse to neglect your health
Wed, 06/08/2016 - 15:53
Work is a convenient excuse for not taking care of yourself. Not exercising, poor diet, and stress are a bad combination. You’ve got to make time for you. Work will always be there when you get back. Just over a year ago, I had a heart attack. My…
Leading Your Team Through Failure and Success It’s all about finding balance
Thu, 03/24/2016 - 13:01
Finding the right balance between how you handle success and failure makes a tremendous difference in the motivation level of your team members. There are some simple techniques for celebrating success and dealing with failure. Apply them and you’…
Spend Less Time and Be a More Effective Leader Begin with an assessment of your ‘leadership capital’
Tue, 10/13/2015 - 14:54
Time is your most precious resource. If you’re not mindful about how you invest it in your team members, you won’t be happy with the “returns” you get. Being more effective requires you to look at your time in a new light. Do leaders work, or do…
Twelve Services Leaders Must Provide for Their Teams Directing, doing, delivering, and developing
Mon, 08/17/2015 - 16:32
Great leaders get the best out of their teams by providing 12 core leadership “services.” The best leaders provide these services in an efficient and effective way. Every leader wants to give their team all the help they need—help that can come in…
SWOT Your Strategic Problems Away How to prioritize the initiatives of a strategic plan
Tue, 05/12/2015 - 16:37
Strategic planning requires you to understand the competitive landscape in which you’re operating. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to get your arms around the complex market dynamics you face. A great tool you can use to assess the environment is…
How to Lead a Rising Star Let them shine
Tue, 04/28/2015 - 12:18
Erin joined your team about a year ago. She came in with many other candidates for a job opening, and she impressed you during the interview. She was far and away the best candidate. She has lived up to the high expectations she set in her…
Do You Enable Your Team’s Poor Performance? Delegate, set expectations, and hold people accountable
Thu, 03/12/2015 - 16:19
If you’re frustrated with your team members not delivering high-quality work, you might be the root cause of the problem. It’s time to stop being an enabler of their bad behaviors. Alan leads a team of highly intelligent scientists. Although most…