Dr. Oliver Degnan

Protect Your Availability for Success Read time: 4 minutes TL;DR: Your availability isn't infinite, but everyone treats it like it is. I learned this the hard way after burning through three executive roles before realizing that saying yes to everything meant saying no to my best work. Here's the systematic approach I developed to protect my time while still being seen as collaborative and effective. Your Calendar Is Not a Suggestion Box Last Tuesday, I watched a VP friend of mine have a...

Why We Attract Micromanagers in Our Lives Read time: 4 minutes TL;DR: We don't just end up with micromanagers by accident. We seek them out because they give us the perfect excuse for our failures. When you're terrified of success and expecting to fail anyway, finding someone to blame becomes your safety net. Here's how to stop this self-sabotage pattern. Why We Attract Micromanagers in Our Lives I was sitting across from this VP at a Fortune 500. Third company. Third micromanaging boss. Same...

I thought I had more time (to make it). Read time: 5 minutes TL;DR: You're not running out of time—you already did. That job-hopping pattern you call "learning experiences"? It's your brain lying to you about having infinite tomorrows. Research shows we're wired to think we have more time than we do, but here's the framework that fixes it before you hit 50 and corporate America ghosts you. I Thought I Had More Time I meet many people who seem to think they have all the time in the world to...

How to find your purpose. Read time: 4 minutes TL;DR: Most people drift through their careers reacting to opportunities instead of creating them, which is like playing the lottery until corporate America spits you out. Research shows that finding your purpose isn't about what you "like" doing—it's about what you find deeply important. Here's how to stop waiting for life to happen to you and start designing it instead. Stop Playing Career Lottery: The Science of Finding Your Purpose Most...

Getting Fired Hurts! Read time: 6 minutes TL;DR: Getting fired activates the same brain circuits as physical pain—it's not just "in your head." While companies keep terminations secret for legitimate strategic reasons, you need 6-24 months to fully recover. Here are three science-backed techniques I've used with executives to fast-track healing. Your Brain Can't Tell the Difference Between Getting Fired and Getting Punched Last week, a senior VP texted me at 2 AM. "I can't sleep. My chest...

Your Team's "Excuses" Are Actually Your Leadership Failing Read time: 4 minutes TL;DR: Your team's "but right now we can't..." isn't them being difficult. They're drowning because you suck at giving clear direction. Fix your leadership, fix their overwhelm. Look, I've screwed this up more times than I care to admit. You know that moment when you ask someone to do something and they hit you with "but right now we can't because..." and you want to scream? Yeah. Been there. Done that. Got the...

Check Your Attitude. Read time: 3 minutes TL;DR: People mirror the attitudes around them more than they realize. Instead of fighting someone's negative attitude head-on, change their environment by surrounding them with positive influences. Research shows this approach works better than direct confrontation and creates lasting behavioral change. I had this guy on my team. Smart as hell, but his attitude was toxic. Every meeting, same story. "This doesn't make any sense." "Why are we even...

When a Promotion Is the Wrong Move (and When You Should Take It Anyway) Read time: 4 minutes TL;DR: Promoting someone just to keep them from leaving can backfire—badly. If they’re not ready, it creates performance gaps, erodes trust, and damages team culture. On the flip side, taking a promotion can be smart if you’ve been groomed for it and the timing aligns with your career goals. But if the role is a setup for failure (like being the “executioner” during layoffs), you may want to pass....

Why You Should Never Run Your Boss Under the Bus Read time: 4 minutes TL;DR: Running your boss under the bus might feel satisfying in the moment, but research shows it destroys your reputation, kills future opportunities, and actually makes you the target for exploitation. Smart professionals protect their career by building trust instead of burning bridges. Let's dive into it. 👇 Your boss just made another terrible decision. Everyone's rolling their eyes. Someone suggests throwing them under...