MARCH MADNESS is upon us! Starting this week, 68 men's and 68 women's college basketball teams will compete for NCAA immortality. Each team has one goal - to win it all!🏆 Each player will be looking for that One Shining Moment. 🌟 But to get the big dub, talent simply is not enough. The winners on both the women's and men's side will be the teams that combine talent and two additional and equally important ingredients - culture and chemistry.💡 This week's "Like A Boss" episode examines how a leader best can facilitate success by creating an environment built on the talents of individual contributors. Whether it's on the hardwood, on the factory floor, or in the office, the strongest leaders evaluate the skills and personalities of their team and build a system that fits those attributes. Failure often is borne of adherence to a scheme that just does not match the team's collective abilities. 🙈🙉🙊 The University of Michigan men's basketball team is one of the favorites to win the Big Dance. Why? Because second-year head coach, Dusty May, has not tried to fit square pegs into round holes. Instead, he learned his players' strengths and established a winning culture and a reflective system built on those observations and skills. Thank you so much for watching, for commenting and for sharing and GO BLUE! ❤️🙏🫶 A quick reminder that my new podcast, Like A Boss, is now available on the following platforms. I'd be truly honored if you would follow!

Apple https://lnkd.in/ewRXU2tD Spotify https://lnkd.in/eMHGBWg8 Youtube https://lnkd.in/eMiQZPWd Instagram https://lnkd.in/exSAbzVB Thanks and have a great week! Duane Morris LLP Duane Morris Institute #MarchMadness #LikeABoss #leadership #umich

In 1970, there was a school district in Chesterfield County, Virginia that employed a mandatory maternity leave policy. A high school 🏫 history teacher (who would become very close to me) in that district became pregnant 🤰 and was told that, due to this policy, she had to stop teaching at the end of her first trimester. 📅 That teacher said no, took a stand, and fought against this policy all the way up to the Unites States Supreme Court. In 1974, the Supreme Court 👩‍⚖️ held the policy was unconstitutional. That teacher forever changed the workplace and the world in a what was widely hailed as "victory for working women."

In speaking with that teacher, it was clear that her willingness to advocate was crucial. Specifically, as a leader, the teacher understood that she had to use her voice on behalf of:

1️⃣ Those who did not have a voice (her students)

2️⃣ The greater good (pregnant women then and in the future)

3️⃣ Herself (something she was never comfortable doing)

Leaders everywhere - take heed! Your willingness to advocate for your people is critical. But, just as important is your encouraging those very people to find their own voice and to use it!

By the way - please make sure you watch the video to learn who this badass teacher is! 💪 (HINT: Her case was captioned Cohen v. School Board Chesterfield County, Virginia)

Thanks for commenting and thanks for sharing!

Duane Morris LLP Duane Morris Institute

Last summer☀️, I posted a video about my own mental health concerns and the fact that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who struggle and liars.💡(link to that video: https://lnkd.in/e_jujWSr). So many of you reached out to express kindness💕and to let me know that I was not alone. The reality is that so many of us, as leaders and as humans, endure periods of hurt. The reality is that many of us ignore our own needs. The reality is that there are steps we can take to help ourselves.This week's video addresses some of the reasons we actively ignore our own needs and discusses tangible actions we all (every one of us) can take to give ourselves the grace 🤲 and the aid we all need. Thank you so much for watching, for commenting and for sharing. ❤️🙏🫶

Duane Morris LLP Duane Morris Institute

During and following speaking engagements, I frequently am asked what are the most important abilities of effective leadership. Intelligence? Drive? Creativity? All certainly crucial. However, I think 1️⃣ ability stands above all else, and that is ACCESSIBILITY.

The best and most effective leaders are able to establish trust and to enhance relationships with colleagues and with those who report to them. This is accomplished by the leader's making absolutely clear that they are available and that, fundamentally, they are there to help. They are, in a word, accessible.

This week's Leadership episode 📽️ focuses on why accessibility is so critical and on actions which leaders and HR professionals can engage in to establish this necessary ability.

As always, thank you for watching, for commenting and for sharing! 🫶❤️🙏

Duane Morris LLPDuane Morris Institute

#leadership

#HR

What a weekend! Both the Women's and Men's U.S. Hockey 🏒 teams won GOLD!🥇And, while there were so many compelling stories, perhaps none was more transformative than Laila Edwards' becoming the first African-American women to play for and to score a goal 🥅 for the U.S. Women's team. As Edwards shared, "I take a lot of pride in [being the first black woman to play for Team USA], and I'm just going to embrace it, because representation matters." ❤️🤍💙 Edwards' presence and success have been pivotal in challenging stereotypes in an historically white sport.

As this Black History Month draws to a close, leaders (and all humans) must‼️take steps to help eradicate race-based stereotypes and to mitigate against implicit bias!

💡This week's episode provides a crucial and necessary discussion about how racial bias and this destructive way of thinking can and does infect our workplaces. It also examines actions we can take to mitigate against implicit bias.💡

As always, thank you so much for watching, for commenting and for sharing! ❤️🫶🙏

Duane Morris LLP Duane Morris Institute