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.
Growth Regardless of Obstacles: How Small Business Leaders Build Sustainable Growth in Any Economy Growing a business is rarely a smooth, predictable process. In fact, most business growth happens during seasons that feel…
The Two Most Important Things a Leader Needs to Be Able to Say Let me share something I’ve come to believe pretty strongly over the years. There are two statements every leader needs…
You Have to Stand Up to a Bully You have to stand up to a bully. It doesn’t matter whether it shows up in your personal life, your business, or public leadership—you have…
Sometimes the Things You Don’t Want to Do Matter the Most Sometimes it’s important to do the things you don’t want to do—but know you need to do. We all feel fatigue. We…
Are Your Business Goals Optional—or Mandatory? The start of a new year brings optimism, energy, and ambitious business goals. Leaders and teams are focused on growth, opportunity, and what’s possible. It’s a time…
This is the latest installment of my series of fictional interviews with historical leaders. This time, Catherine The Great. Introduction – Who was Catherine The Great? Catherine II, known as Catherine the Great,…
Our Past: A Culture of Courage I did not grow up in a culture of fear. In fact, I would argue that the America I grew up in was defined by courage. My…
My Journey with Capacity Building: A Look Back Before Looking Forward Recently, I was going back through my notes—old books, highlighted passages, workshop materials, training videos, and years of conversations with business leaders…
What Happens to Execution Momentum? Every January, I see the same pattern play out. Leaders come back from the holidays energized. Plans feel crisp. Whiteboards are full. Offsites are optimistic. And for a…
Are You The Hardest Working Person In Your Business? I believe in hard work. I always have. Most CEOs and business owners didn’t get where they are by being lazy or unfocused. They…
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…
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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