SRA Insights

The more things change, the more they stay the same.” –   Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr In 2018, our SRA Update discussed The Culpability of Free Speech. Years later, the topic is worthy of revisiting; though much has changed since original publication, the core message stands firm. What’s changed? In 2018, Facebook had over 2.23 billion monthly average users (MAU) compared to […]

Quiet quitting. What began as a viral video has become one of the most talked about (and written about) topics this year. Is it a valid phenomenon, or is it nothing more than catchy clickbait? To a certain degree, the answer to that question does not matter. Rather than debating the significance of the symptoms, this is an opportunity for […]

Humans speak their first fully-formed words sometime between 9 – 12 months of age. It’s a big deal, delighting our parents and launching us into the world of interactive communication. For the rest of our lives, words are the foundation of (almost) everything we do. Psychologist and author Dr. Jordan Peterson says, “If you can think, speak and write, you […]

Alton Maiden played Defensive Tackle for The University of Notre Dame under legendary Coach Lou Holtz. In late October 1996, the Fighting Irish arrived in Dublin, Ireland to prepare for the first-ever Shamrock Classic – a November 2 football game between Notre Dame and the United States Naval Academy. During their time in Ireland, the team was able to do […]

Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish American businessman and philanthropist. He led the expansion of the steel industry in the United States and became one of the richest men in the world. During the last 18 years of his life (which ended in 1919), he gave away the 2022 equivalent of roughly $10 billion to charities, foundations, and universities. Carnegie-Mellon University? […]

Few things will improve the quality of your life more than learning how to make high-quality decisions. Yet amazingly, no one really teaches us how to do it. Not in grade school; not in high school. Most college majors don’t require courses in critical thinking or decision making. Has anyone ever told you that their parents sat them down one […]

Marcus Aurelius was a Roman Emperor and a Stoic philosopher. On the throne from 161 to 180, he was the last of the rulers knows as the Five Good Emperors and the last emperor of the Pax Romana, an age of relative peace and stability for the Roman Empire. Marcus acquired the reputation of a philosopher king within his lifetime, […]

You’ve likely started to see a shift in headlines. No longer focused on what we have been through, the new emphasis is on what’s to come. Though it’s impossible to predict the future, it certainly seems reasonable that the forecast could be correct: a mass employee exodus is coming. How can you stop it? And do you want to? If […]

Resilience. It’s one of the secrets to survival, both professionally and personally.  It’s what’s gotten you to where you are, and it’s what will help define who you will become. Looking back at some of the toughest situations you’ve endured, you may have felt there was no other choice. It was a natural instinct. And while it’s true that resilience can […]

We have a question to ask you. But you have to slow down to answer it. Stop scrolling. Take a moment. Take a breath. Question: Knowing what you know now, having all of life’s experiences thus far behind you, what would you do differently? The Present Why is this important? Because if you are still reading this SRA Update, you’ve […]

Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” – John Maxwell There are times in life, both personally and professionally, where circumstances can change at such a rapid speed that our opinions, perspectives, and course of action can change by the day, if not by the hour. When faced with such circumstances, there are generally three groups of people: Those who take […]

“What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.” Reflect on that statement for a moment. You may even have an immediate connection to it, with your own delinquent “to-do’s” catapulting to the center of your attention. It was entrepreneur, author, and investor Timothy Ferriss who most recently voiced this assertion in his book The 4 […]

Countless articles, including several SRA Updates, have addressed one of the most important tasks given to senior leadership within any organization: the ability to identify the next generation of future leaders within the firm. We look for passionate individuals who wake up each day craving success, but who can channel that passion into actions and results. We seek out creative […]

Motivate and inspire. The two words are often used interchangeably, echoed perpetually in the minds of any leader trying to spearhead the charge. However, view the two as the same and you are missing a critical component in your evolution as a senior executive. Why? Motivation is of the ego, while inspiration is of the soul. Knowing how to motivate […]

Business coach Peter Drucker was known for dispensing some sage advice that still rings true decades later: Do what you do best and outsource the rest. What comes to mind when you hear that mantra? An immediate list likely appears of all the tasks you know are not the greatest use of your efforts and energy. In the 15 seconds, […]

When it rains, it pours; most are familiar with this phrase. It’s what we use to describe the inertia of negative circumstances building and snowballing. Can you think of the equivalent phrase used to describe the opposite? The experience of positive inertia? “Just look at the bright side”… “turn lemons into lemonade”… “there’s a light at the end of the […]

It’s probably a fair statement; if you are the kind of person who needs to read an article on how to be authentic, is the very act of reading such an article in and of itself inauthentic? Setting aside that seemingly debatable fact, the topic of authenticity is likely often discussed in counseling sessions but rarely discussed related to the […]

As recruiters, there is a powerful question we ask candidates which typically elicits immediate pause, reflection, and authenticity in the answer. It is a question that catches most off guard, creates a feeling of nostalgia, and sometimes even prompts a smile. “At what point in your career did you feel most fulfilled? When did you feel you were truly in […]

Imagine this scenario: a colleague offers to flip a coin and give you $20 if it lands on heads. If it lands on tails, you give him $20. Stop and ponder; would you accept that bet? For most of us, the answer is no. Behavioral science experts Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman performed an experiment which resulted in a clear […]

If you had to pinpoint a turning point, it was perhaps the launch of CNN in June of 1980. Prior to CNN, news programming delivered relatively factual information for an hour or two a day. After CNN, although it was an amazing accomplishment to cover events live as they happened and to have an endless stream of information, it created […]

No matter your role or how long you have been in it, we all have situations we would rather avoid. Scenarios can range from taking on a project in which you are not sure you will excel, having a difficult conversation with a client or colleague, or even simply interacting with coworkers in a social setting outside of the workplace. […]

Take a moment to reflect on what has now been a long-circulating article via the internet and social media. Although it has a somber tone, it sets the stage for the purpose behind this month’s SRA Update. First, I was dying to finish high school and start college. And then, I was dying to finish college and start working. And […]

A recent article penned for Inc by Suzanne Lucas made the bold statement: “Dear Hiring Manager, Perhaps You Should Write the Thank You Note.” She continues: “The traditional thank you note is from candidate to hiring manager. That’s wrong… Just what are you exactly thanking the manager for? Taking the time to talk with you and consider your application for […]

Countless books and articles exist discussing the qualities of managers and leaders and whether the two differ, but little has been said about what happens in the thousands of daily interactions and decisions that allow leaders to get the best out of their people. Start with this premise: We do not see things as they are; we see things as […]

The holiday season is a time of celebration – spending time with family and friends, reflecting on the past year, and setting goals for the future. Most have a list of to-do’s before the end of the year; you have checked it twice, and the only objective is to knock out all impending tasks so that the official holiday celebrating […]

How excited do you think Pat Sajak is to ask contestants to buy a vowel after all these years? Do you think Beyoncé is tired of singing “Single Ladies” yet? Which do you think Michael Jordan loved more – the championship rings or shooting practice free throws for well over two decades of his life? There are monotonous phases of […]

Inside each of us, a tumultuous war rages. One side offers immediate gratification, the exhilaration of living life in the present, and the excitement of spontaneous enjoyment. On the opposing side of the battlefield: patience to endure the uncertainty of the future, the cognitive ability to remain focused on a singular task or goal, and the capacity to choose anticipation […]

Turns out, there are benefits that come from being a cocky teenager. Although your parents might have been counting down the days until you flew the nest, that swagger means you’ll likely end up earning a higher salary than those of your more modest friends. According to the Journal of Economic Psychology, their “Self-Esteem and Earnings” study showed that your […]

Hiring the best of the best? In many situations and for many roles, a commitment to employing the best candidates possible can sometimes involve relocation. Whether this a commonplace occurrence or one that is only approved under the most unique circumstances, there are copious and essential components of a successful relocation that can be refined to create a seamless process […]

The success of any organization is largely reliant on the strength of the leadership; conveying a vision, formulating strategy, and ultimately driving the direction of a company is no small task. Thus, having a sustained and committed leadership development program can be a key differentiator in the trajectory of a firm. Although bringing in talent from the outside has advantages […]