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How to Choose a Peer Group That Will Tell You the Truth
Introduction A few years ago, an owner of a home services company brought an issue to his group. He had never laid anyone off in twenty years and was proud…
Capacity Building
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Leadership
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.
Featured Leadership Posts
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George Bernard Shaw’s Leadership Lessons for CEOs
One of the reasons Shaw's writing remains relevant is his understanding of human nature. People are complicated. We aren't always rational, consistent, or particularly good at recognizing our own contradictions.…
Helpful Website
Greater Good Science Center: Information On How to Build A Meaningful Life
The Science Behind Well-Being and Leadership There’s a growing realization among leaders that performance isn’t just about strategy,…
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Become More Comfortable Making Bold Decisions
Leaps of faith make great scenes in a movie, but in real life they fill us with stress…
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Into all problem-solving, a little dissent must fall
McKinsey’s research and experience in the field point to several steps leaders can take to engage in healthy…
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100 Self-Assessment Questions for Leaders
This tool isn’t about checking boxes—it’s about digging beneath the surface, challenging assumptions, and helping leaders reconnect with…
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Standards Matter and You Should Stick To Them
Standards Matter and You Should Stick To Them One thing I see plaguing most organizations today is a…
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Something’s coming: How US companies can build resilience, survive a downturn, and thrive in the next cycle
The US economy continues to throw off mixed signals. But one thing is becoming clear: executives should prepare…
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Martin Luther King As A Leader
Donald T. Phillips, in his book Martin Luther King on Leadership, does an impressive job of providing significant…
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97 Reasons Why Business Growth Stalls
Growth is hard work. For the past 27 years, I’ve worked as an executive coach, Vistage Chair, trainer…
Reading Excerpt
Myself and Other More Important Matters by Charles Handy
Managing a business, or any organization, I came to see, was more practical art than applied science. Yes,…
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Leadership Matters: When, How Much, and How?
How much impact do CEOs have on their firms? And what differentiates top-performing CEOs? We studied the tenures…
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BCG Henderson Institute
At its core, the Institute is Boston Consulting Group’s think tank—built to explore and develop new ideas across…
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How to Move Forward When You Feel Frozen
Fear is manifesting itself in a wide range of ways in corporate hallways and virtual channels. Alarm paralyzes…
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Preparing Your Company for the Next Recession
Leaders should build resilience, local agility, and portfolio agility to prepare for the next recession. The worst of…
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Moments of Greatness: Entering the Fundamental State of Leadership
As leaders, sometimes we’re truly “on,” and sometimes we’re not. Why is that? What separates the episodes of…
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Myself and Other More Important Matters – Charles Handy
Growth targets and dashboards can’t answer the bigger questions: What’s the point? What’s enough? What kind of leader…
Blog Post
When Everyone Else Is Playing Defense, Play Offense
You need to score to win at anything in life, and to score, you need to play offense!…
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The Myth of the Brilliant, Charismatic Leader
There’s a view out there — call it the “superhero” theory of leadership — in which the individual…
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Growth Institute
At its core, Growth Institute is an online executive education platform designed specifically for business owners, CEOs, and…
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What matters most? Six priorities for CEOs in turbulent times
If an executive had fallen asleep in 2019 and just woke up, she wouldn’t recognize the business world of…
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Ten Things Business Leaders Need to Do in 2023
At times, it’s hard to know what to do as you pivot and adjust to every new business…
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The Emotional Labor of Being a Leader
While leaders have always performed emotional labor, this demand has increased dramatically over the last few years. Organizations…
Reading Excerpt
Reflections On Life and Leading Book Excerpts – Part 2
Very few of us have a life curve that is only upward-sloping. The difference is that “lucky” people…
Blog Post
Leaning in and Leading Your Organization In A Recession
There is a famous Jack Welch quote where he says, “Never miss out on an opportunity like a…
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Moving Upward in a Downturn
Downturns are a recurring fact of life in every industry. Sooner or later, demand for an industry’s products…
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What Defines a Successful Organization?
The characteristics that help an organization succeed have changed over the past century. While a highly structured, top-down…
Blog Post
A Simple Formula for CEO Success
People often ask me if there is a simple formula for achieving CEO success that every leader should…
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Emotions Aren’t the Enemy of Good Decision-Making
Too often, when we need to make a difficult decision, we rush through it to avoid sitting with…
Favorite Article
Choosing to grow: The leader’s blueprint
Drawing on McKinsey’s extensive research into growth and leadership as well as our experience in partnering with leaders…
Helpful Website
Leadership-Tools
Leadership-Tools.com: From Knowing What to Do… to Actually Doing It as a Leader Most leaders don’t struggle with…
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Questions To Ask Your Potential Executive Coach
The right coach can help unlock clarity, strengthen leadership habits, and catalyze transformational growth. The wrong one can…
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