Nothing of consequence is ever accomplished without some form of leadership. Leaders are the change agents of society. They architect the future by challenging the status quo and striving to make things better. They lean into big problems and seize large opportunities. They create opportunities for others to find meaning through doing good work. I have been fortunate to work closely with hundreds of leaders through the years and this category is inspired by this experience.
Leadership Is a Daily Choice — And Most Leaders Drift Without Realizing It Most leadership breakdowns don’t happen because someone isn’t smart enough, committed enough, or hardworking enough. They happen quietly. They happen…
One-to-One Meetings: A Missed Leadership Opportunity Most leaders will tell you they believe in one-to-one meetings. Far fewer run them well. In too many organizations, one-to-ones slowly drift into status updates, get cancelled…
Introduction – Don’t Get Stuck in the Short-Term I’m increasingly concerned that more business leaders have slipped into short-term thinking. After years of volatility and nonstop disruption, many seem almost shell-shocked. Instead of…
Introduction: The Last Tudor Standing Few leaders in history have carried the weight of expectation—and the sting of doubt—quite like Queen Elizabeth I. Born into chaos, dismissed as illegitimate, imprisoned by her own…
Here is the next installment of my fictional interviews with important historical figures. This time it is Confucius. “When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see…
Build The Organizational Structure That Fits Your Strengths “There is no one perfect org chart—only the one that helps you win.” This blog was triggered by a Vistage group meeting today. We were…
Pat Murray’s legacy, and why he still matters Pat Murray left behind a profound legacy. He served as a President of TEC (Now Vistage) before I became a Chair and, for decades, was…
High performance is achievable You don’t need jargon to run a tighter, faster shop. You need a simple way to set priorities, make decisions quickly, and keep work moving without drama. I think…
Introduction – Interview with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Here is another in my series of fictional interviews with historical figures. This time, it is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) It feels fitting…
Are You a Steak Knife or a Butter Knife Leader? A few weeks ago, I watched a business leader wrestle with a decision he already knew he needed to make. Every week, he’d…
Introduction—Be the Best Part of Their Day Communication matters. Every leader leaves a footprint after every interaction. The only real question is: did you lift people up—or wear them down? In Be the Best…
Language and the Pursuit of Leadership Excellence How Extraordinary Leaders Build Relationships, Shape Culture and Drive Breakthrough Results(2nd Edition) Leadership Isn’t Just About Action—It’s About the Words That Shape It We’ve all seen…
Facing the Hard Truth About Leadership: A Closer Look at Bad Leadership Most leadership books aim to inspire. They showcase heroic figures, bold visionaries, and transformational change agents. But what if we flipped…
If you’re focused solely on today’s income, you’re likely sacrificing tomorrow’s wealth. The Secret Stock Market gives you the clarity, tools, and strategic mindset to shift from business operator to business architect—someone who…
Welcome to Beat the Odds – A Journey from the Stage to the Boardroom By Sandy Gennaro — Rock Star. Mentor. Speaker. Difference-Maker. What do Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett, and The Monkees have…
Armstrong walks you through the layered approach, showing how great leaders don't just build businesses; they build other leaders. The book breaks down how to intentionally create layers of leadership that align with…
Whether you're a young professional mapping out your future, a business owner seeking clarity, or a seasoned executive facing reinvention, the insights within this book can become a personal compass.
Urgency isn’t running hot; it’s running clear. It’s fewer, better fights—and faster finishes. Build it, protect it, and your business becomes the kind of place where people do their best work and customers…
In a world full of slide decks and “big ideas,” the winners are the teams that ship. Bossidy and Charan cut through the noise and show you how to build a culture where…
You don’t need a louder voice or a bigger title to lead well. You need clear motives, steady habits, and the courage to do what’s right when it costs. Start there. Keep going.…
In short, this book is a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t about knowing it all. It’s about being bold enough to ask, humble enough to listen, and wise enough to act on what…
How to Be a Leader: An Ancient Guide to Wise Leadership Lead with wisdom, not just willpower.What if the clearest playbook for today’s toughest leadership problems was written two millennia ago? How to…
Markets are noisy, talent is scarce, and attention is fleeting. The teams that win aren’t just fast—they’re deliberate. This book helps you slow the game down: define what you truly want, map the…
Trends come and go; trust and example-setting don’t. This book distills decades of evidence into practical truths you can act on right now—whether you run a shop floor, a service crew, or a…
Growth targets and dashboards can’t answer the bigger questions: What’s the point? What’s enough? What kind of leader do I want to be? Handy doesn’t preach; he shares honest accounts of choices and…
The book shows how to read what your boss actually needs, how to adapt to different styles, and how to collaborate across teams that don’t share your deadlines. You’ll set working agreements, pre-wire…
The Obstacle Is the Way is a manual for tough seasons. See clearly, act wisely, and strengthen your will. You don’t have to enjoy the challenge to benefit from it—you just have to…
Arbinger’s core idea is simple and unsettling: when we betray our own sense of what’s right toward others, we feel the need to justify ourselves. That self-justification is self-deception—what the book calls being…
Getting to Yes, And How improv builds better teams, faster decisions, and real momentum.Inspired by Bob Kulhan’s book Getting to “Yes And”: The Art of Business Improv (Stanford Business Books, 2017). Most teams…
Most companies don’t stall for lack of effort—they stall because the systems that got them here can’t carry them there. The Breakthrough Company lays out how solid, real-world firms push past the plateau:…
This isn’t just about General Electric. It’s about any company—big or small—that grows faster than its systems, confuses activity with progress, or lets pride outrun the facts. If you lead people and manage…
How to Be a Great Boss Simple, repeatable systems to set clear expectations, coach well, and get results—without drama. Most managers don’t struggle for lack of effort—they struggle because the job isn’t clear.…
If you want your company to outlast your own leadership, start with BE 2.0 by Jim Collins. Use it to realign your team around enduring values, strengthen your culture, and prepare your organization…
Even if you run a for-profit, Drucker’s nonprofit playbook sharpens fundamentals: clarify mission, translate it into measurable performance, align resources, and develop people. The nonprofit lens strips away buzzwords and forces focus on…
Leaders win or lose on the quality of their thinking. This How to Think More Effectively summary is especially valuable for founders and managers who must set strategy under pressure, navigate ambiguity, and…
Please click on this link for the Straight From The Gut by Jack Welch Book Summary. The former CEO of General Electric looks back on his distinguished career with the corporation and shares…
Please click on the link for the Great Teams – 16 Things High-Performing Organizations Do Differently Book Summary What makes a team great? Not just good and not just functional—but great? Over six…
Please click on this link for the Leadership – Essential Writings By Our Greatest Thinkers Book Summary A Norton Anthology that illuminates how literature can help build ethically responsible leaders. What is…
Please click on this link for the Time Really is Money Book Summary. “Time Really is Money” highlights the importance of time management and value creation in the modern economic landscape. Rob…
Please click on the link for the Leadership in War Book Summary. A comparison of nine leaders who led their nations through the greatest wars the world has ever seen and whose unique…
Please click on this link for the How to Lead by David Rubenstein Book Summary. “How to Lead” is a collection of interviews and personal reflections by David Rubenstein, co-founder of The Carlyle…
In today’s rapidly changing business environment, the need for effective succession planning has never been more critical. William J. Rothwell’s “Effective Succession Planning” is a comprehensive guide that helps organizations of all sizes…
Please click on this link for the Reflections on Life and Leading Part 1 Book Summary Please click on this link for the Reflections on Life and Leading Part 2 Book Summary …
When America aspired to break free from Britain, the real-life David-and-Goliath situation required that a full-blown cadre of dynamic leaders arise immediately from the revolutionary populace. As history shows, it did. Now, Donald…
Martin Luther King, Jr. on Leadership by Donald T. Phillips A powerful blueprint for courageous leadership in turbulent times. In Martin Luther King, Jr. on Leadership, bestselling author Donald T. Phillips delivers an…
You don’t need to carry the business alone. With the right second-in-command and a clear operating agreement, the noise goes down, execution goes up, and you get back to leading the business you…
Please click on this link for the Fatal Illusions Book Summary. Why do our best efforts at change always seem to stall? What stops us from moving forward? As individuals and as…
Please click on this link for The One Thing Book Summary. What’s your ONE thing? People are using this simple, powerful concept to focus on what matters most in their personal and work…
The creators of the revolutionary performance management tool called the Balanced Scorecard introduce a new approach that makes strategy a continuous process owned not just by top management but by everyone. In The…
Drawing on an in-depth study of carefully selected enterprises, Jon Katzenbach found distinct patterns in how companies engage their employees to capitalize on emotional energy and consistently achieve higher levels of performance than…
Please click on this link for The Five Temptations of a CEO Book Summary When it was published ten years ago, The Five Temptations of a CEO was like no other business book that came…
Please click on this link for The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive Book Summary. As CEO, most everything that Rich O’Connor did had something to do with at least one of the…
Layered Leadership by Lawrence R. Armstrong Book Excerpts INTRODUCTION Leadership, whether of a startup; Small, mid-sized, or large firm; team; church; or any organization, must work as a whole across the continuum…
There is nothing more important than understanding how reality works and how to deal with it. The state of mind you bring to the process makes all the difference. I have found it…
Myth and legend treat leadership as if it were the private reserve of a very few charismatic men and women. Nothing is further from the truth. Leadership is much more broadly distributed in…
Introduction: Why communication matters on the shop floor (and in the boardroom) Most teams don’t stall out because of skill gaps; they stall because people feel unseen, uncertain, or uninspired. When communication frays,…
Central Thesis Leadership is layered, not linear. Enduring organizations align several layers—self‑leadership, team development, clear strategy, disciplined execution, market focus, innovation, culture, and succession—so each layer reinforces the others. The leader’s ongoing task…
Introduction In the pursuit of organizational excellence, aligning the hearts and minds of employees is crucial. Jon R. Katzenbach’s “Peak Performance: Aligning the Hearts and Minds of Your Employees” provides a comprehensive guide…
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