Dispatches from the work

I made every mistake after my first ceremony. Classic inflation. I was insufferable for about a year.

There’s always a moment when the room knows something before it’s said. Usually before you know it too.

The somatic signal comes first. The thought that explains it arrives later. Most leaders never notice the gap.

I’ve watched dozens of executives fly somewhere expensive to find themselves. Then they get on the 405, go back to work, and nothing changes.

The internal voice that evaluates everything you’re doing while you’re doing it. It doesn’t help.

What it actually sounds like when a leader tries to hold someone accountable without letting go of them.

Cue the panic and knee-jerk reactions. Executives pacing conference rooms. They’re all missing the point.

If you had sixty seconds to give someone feedback that could change the trajectory of their career, could you do it? Without crushing them?