Why Succession Planning Doesn’t Work

Succession planning—identifying individuals to step into key roles when leadership changes—has become a staple in corporate strategy. But most executives treat it as a necessary evil, putting it off until it becomes absolutely essential, then scrambling to fill gaps at the last minute. The conventional wisdom says the only thing worse than doing succession planning […]

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The Opposable Mind

When was the last time you truly changed your mind? Not about what to order for lunch, but about a deeply held belief or important decision? At our recent telos retreat, we invited a colleague from outside our company to observe. Midway through, he pulled me aside and said, “I can’t believe how often people […]

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The Conflict Equation

Do You Enjoy Conflict?   Most leaders don’t. When conflict looms, it creates problems: it’s emotionally draining and inefficient. In short, conflict makes work feel like work. A few years ago I had a realization about the nature of conflict and it’s been a game changer.  It’s simple, yet powerful.   Conflict = Disagreement + Threat Without […]

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What’s Your Leadership Aperture?

Why do some leaders struggle to see the big picture while getting mired in the details?  Why do other leaders excel at long-term thinking, but can’t get anything done?  The reason is leadership aperture.   Leadership aperture refers to the breadth and depth of information that a leader incorporates into their decision-making framework. A broader aperture […]

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Do Hard Things

When was the last time you chose to do something hard?  How often do you deliberately take a difficult path?  Most people, most of the time, do the opposite.  We choose the path of least resistance. In doing so, we miss a massive opportunity because hard things are a disruption and disruption creates a unique […]

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