Mike Figliuolo

Founder and managing director

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.

Tue, 11/26/2024 - 12:03
The Benefits of Creating a Business PlanYou do have one, don’t you?
Tue, 06/18/2019 - 12:03
Creating a business plan is the most fundamental step in building a business, and the importance of it cannot be underscored enough. You may ask, “Why do I need a business plan? Why can’t I just launch my business and get to market?” First, you…
Five-Step Problem SolvingThe power of clarity
Wed, 04/17/2019 - 12:01
Have you ever found yourself in the midst of a business problem that you’re not sure how to solve? This five-step problem solving process is a great place to begin working through any business issue. At one point I worked with a financial services…
Proactively Dealing with Regulatory Changes to Keep Your Business SafeWhat you don’t know can wreck you
Mon, 08/06/2018 - 12:02
Legislative and regulatory changes can cause massive upheaval for your strategic plan. Elections happen all the time. New rules and regulations are proposed, implemented, or repealed on a daily basis. Court cases can change an entire industry…
Building the Bonds of a High-Performing TeamFour deliberate steps you can take

Mon, 05/21/2018 - 12:03
You think you’re well on the way toward building and leading a high-performing team. You’ve got a clear vision and mission, and a nice set of prioritized initiatives. You have all the right people. But what starts differentiating a regular team from…
Stop Being a Team Leader and Start Being a Team MemberLearning to be a teammate from Capt. Nate
Thu, 04/12/2018 - 12:02
A few years ago, I was very lucky to be reminded of what it’s like to be a team member instead of being a team leader. It was fun, refreshing, and insightful. Too many times as leaders, we forget what it’s like to be led instead of doing the leading…
Define the Question Before You Solve the ProblemRamifications of miscommunication
Mon, 03/05/2018 - 12:02
To effectively solve problems, you must first understand the question being asked and why it’s important to your stakeholder. Without clarity on why your stakeholder cares, the recommendation you generate might be useless. The first step for…
The Importance of Setting Quantitative and Qualitative GoalsIntegration can provide a more complete picture of overall performance
Tue, 01/30/2018 - 12:03
When you set goals, there’s commonly two types: quantitative and qualitative. By setting both types of goals for your organization, you can achieve a balance of results driven by people focusing on the behaviors that matter. Quantitative goals and…
Five Questions You Must Answer to Measure Your Business WellArbitrary data need not apply
Tue, 01/02/2018 - 12:03
Focusing on metrics is key to achieving your desired business results—but it can be difficult to determine which metrics actually matter. There are five major questions you need to answer to ensure the metrics you’re measuring matter and you can…
Treat Your People Like Individuals to Get Better EngagementLeadership without personal understanding is superficial, impersonal, and ineffective
Tue, 10/31/2017 - 12:02
The better you understand your people, the better you will relate to them. First, you must treat them like individuals. No one wants to be a nameless cog in a big machine. All too often we inadvertently make people feel that way. You disagree, you…
Brutal PrioritizationMake sure the ‘must’ work gets done at the highest level of quality
Mon, 05/22/2017 - 12:03
During times of excessive work and crisis, something has to give. Sometimes brutal prioritization is the only way to make it through challenging times with your sanity intact. It happens to all of us. The universe, in its infinite wisdom,…