Swim across the lake

I have been there. Clinging to the edge of the pool, telling myself I was swimming. Learning a new language is humbling in ways I did not fully anticipate. The anxiety is real. The frustration is real. The quiet voice that whispers, “You are not good enough at...

The loneliest chair

The corner office comes with a view. It also comes with silence. Ask any CEO about the hardest part of their role, and many will tell you the same thing: it’s lonely up here. Not lonely in the sense of being alone, but lonely in the way that matters. No one to...

Get a dog

We say we want advice. What we really want is someone to nod along. To affirm the path we’ve already chosen. To tell us we’re brilliant for thinking exactly what we’re already thinking. That’s not advice. That’s a mirror with a voice....

The thinking deficit

Most leaders are drowning in action but starving for thought. Here’s what the research tells us: Harvard Business Review found that CEOs spend less than 3% of their time on strategic thinking. McKinsey reports that executives spend 72% of their time in meetings,...

Your label

You can never label me..? What stands out? While you may be some things—even guilty of others—a few traits rise above the rest. Not a long list. Just a few. That’s what makes you unique. Precious. Understand them. Wear that badge with honor. It resonates. Stop...