Can you be a leader without followers? Absolutely – at least, if you’re in Norway. That’s an oversimplification to introduce a complex fact: cultural differences mean effective leadership looks different across the world. Followership is just one example. Most of the globe takes it for granted that followership and leadership work in ineluctable tandem. That’s […]
The systems begin with you. We all know virtually everything is in an interconnected system: supply chains, food chains, sales funnels, government, even your department’s approval process. It’s easy to forget that, as a leader, you are the heart of your team’s system. Your every word, every action, cascades through it. So how can you […]
Do you know a tyrant? We tend to think of tyranny on a national scale, but tyrants can arise in any leadership role: a parent, a supervisor at work, a CEO, or a town mayor. We also tend to think of tyrants wielding the power to rise on their own, but they require followers to […]
Memorize this line: “I am not alone anymore.” That is your mantra for this bright new year of 2025. As we learned in this week’s podcast, the leadership paradigm has changed. Effective leaders no longer lead solo; rather, the most effective leadership is now collective, focusing on shared practices within teams instead of fixating on […]
Here’s a paradox: Your biggest risk is not taking one. Yet it rings vitally true for leaders, as we learned interviewing two senior execs from seemingly polar opposite divisions of Amazon. Ryan Redington is general manager of Amazon Music, and Kara Hurst heads Amazon’s sustainability unit. Both see risk-taking as the key to success. The […]
“I can’t talk to people at work.” “I can’t even talk with my family!” We’ve heard those comments from clients and friends alike heading into elections and the holidays this year. Our divisions now draw harsh borders, with yesterday’s friendly debates replaced by belligerence. The most common advice we’ve seen boils down to “Just don’t […]
You are busy. Probably too busy. Can you change that in the new year? Probably not. But you can change how effective that busyness is. That’s what’s happening at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). According to our podcast guest Alicia Pittman, BCG’s Global People Chair, the firm is constantly looking at how workplaces are changing, and […]
Do you dread formal negotiations? Many of us do, but a great negotiation is a phenomenal boon. It can be hard work, yet the reward makes the effort worthwhile. And here’s a little secret: The best negotiation rewards ALL the parties at the table. That’s what this week’s podcast guest, Greg Moran, learned from his […]
2025 is mere weeks away. Are you ready? After dozens of podcast interviews and hundreds of offline conversations, we have a clear picture of the big concerns trending amongst CEOs and other top leaders. These five top the list. Geopolitics. With over 70 nations holding major elections in 2024, expect a large number of policy […]
You don’t need a DeLorean or TARDIS to travel to the future; the future is coming for you. Ken Moore wants you to be ready for it. Moore is the Chief Innovation Officer at Mastercard. He sees five essentials you’ll need to succeed as the future unfolds. First, lean into tomorrow. This is all about […]