Successful teams—whether on the court or in the boardroom—are great at collaboration. Even the stars pass the ball. Just look at the assist numbers for Caitlin Clark or LeBron James. In basketball, racking up assists is almost as valued as scoring. Almost. It’s easy to spot the ball hogs too—those players who want the glory […]
Lessons from Xcalak Years ago, an orthopedic surgeon (with whom I had the misfortune of spending far too much time) told me not to do something. Naturally, I did it anyway: hunt bonefish in saltwater with a fly rod. As he warned, it only takes one good hit to get hooked for life. I just […]
I caught an interview on NPR the other day, and the host asked her guest to name something in his life that was predetermined. He squirmed around the question, like it was a live grenade. But it stuck with me. Some folks argue that a lot of life is predetermined. I don’t know any of them who are […]
One of the many (many) jobs of a CEO is to bring order to chaos and provide clarity where turmoil reigns. The catch? True certainty rarely exists, and pretending otherwise is a fool’s errand. I don’t know about you, but my clients and I are getting downright exhausted by the chaos gleefully dumped upon us […]
I don’t buy into gentle parenting, and I don’t buy into soft leadership either. Kind? Yes. Empathetic? Absolutely. Supportive? Of course. But tough? Hell yes. Mistakes shouldn’t be ignored. Feedback—both positive and negative—should come with real consequences. Leadership isn’t about hand-holding; it’s about setting expectations and enforcing them. That said, there’s a not so fine line between […]
At a cocktail party recently, a guy I met launched into a monologue about his deep knowledge of the auto industry. I tuned out after a few minutes, but before I did, he confidently declared that the whole industry was run by idiots. Now, I’ve known, worked with, and worked for (and been one myself […]
The passing of Jimmy Carter got me curious about his life. I’ll admit, my initial take on him was shaped by secondhand opinions and headlines. “Bungler as a president,” they said. Sure, I admired his post-presidency contributions—Habitat for Humanity volunteer, Nobel Prize winner, peacemaker, Sunday school teacher—but as a leader? My verdict was: good guy, […]
“I trust my gut.” I’ve heard that from countless leaders over the years. Well, of course you do! If you didn’t trust your intuition at least a little, you’d probably need to book a standing appointment with a therapist. Intuition is fast. And speed can be a gift. But here’s the catch: intuition bypasses conscious […]
I often talk with clients about avatars. No, not the blue aliens or virtual reality characters. I’m stretching the term a bit here. In Hinduism, an avatar refers to the earthly appearance of a deity, but I’m using it to describe the mental presence of someone who isn’t physically there. Whether visible or invisible, an […]
The recent political season and coming transition has me reflecting deeply on leadership—and not in a “Let’s follow their example!” kind of way. Most of you reading this are business leaders, and while I don’t give a damn about your political affiliation (honestly, please spare me), I care deeply about your behavior as a leader. […]