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…
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…
Managing a business, or any organization, I came to see, was more practical art than applied science. Yes, there were some useful disciplines, as in any art form, but what worked best could…
Very few of us have a life curve that is only upward-sloping. The difference is that “lucky” people just do not let their periods of adversity define them in unhelpful ways. They just…
You do not have to settle for a life of quiet desperation and hope that one day things will change. The future is now, and the sooner you start living the life you…
I believe that business and nonprofit leaders need to think differently about what constitutes success. Besides the quality of their people, what differentiates most high-performing companies is their vision, focus, and discipline. Culturally,…
The leadership journey requires you to cogitate constantly on the role you and others should be playing. As you achieve some level of success, your business may challenge your capabilities to lead it.…
Surrounding yourself with great people. Learning to delegate early on - not trying to do everything yourself. Making sure you've got the kind of people who are praising the team around them, not…
Please click on this link for the Leadership – Essential Writings By Our Greatest Thinkers Book Summary STUDYING THE SYSTEM “Our little systems have their day.” – Alfred Lord Tennyson In Organizational…
Please click on this link for the Leadership in War Book Summary Chapter 1: Napoleon Bonaparte “Napoleon recognized that the best way to inspire his people was through two means: imbuing people…
Chapter 1: The ONE Thing “What’s the ONE Thing you can do this week such that by doing it everything else would be easier or unnecessary?” “Where I’d had huge success, I had…
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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