It’s a strange thing to say, but I’m fascinated by poverty, and why it persists in a world where so many have so much. But what really took me by surprise was when I picked up a book on poverty – and learned something that changed how I lead and live. The Ivy League authors, […]

“How did I go bankrupt?… Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” – Ernest Hemmingway, The Sun Also Rises This always pops into my mind when I’m thinking about how change happens. And not just the grim series of changes that leads to financial desperation, of course, but also the kind of change that leads to game-changing insights, […]

It is not in my nature to be brief. Fortunately, I have a dear friend and colleague who does a much better job.  After hearing me describe in detail a big, hairy change challenge my partner and I are taking on together, she grew silent. “This isn’t a coaching conversation,” she said, “but two questions come […]

Here’s a familiar puzzle, but with a surprising answer – an answer that points toward an essential ingredient essential, often overlooked, for launching a change effort. You probably know the instructions. Not long ago, we flashed them on the screen at a conference of leaders charged with leading a game-changing shift in how their company […]

Q: Why did so many dance with Matt? I learned about gaining commitment the hard way. (The same way I learn just about everything.) Some years ago, I had an inspiring vision for the work some of my colleagues and I were doing. Well, I was inspired. To communicate this vision, I rented an empty […]

After what seems like a seriously long time – more than a decade – helping leaders lead change, I feel like I’m just breaking the surface of the water. And in my 3-month-old job as doctoral student (which already seems seriously long to those around me; last night, I overheard my partner say, “yeah, Julie’s […]

You’ve just been part of an intense offsite experience on communication styles. YOU get the value of uncovering diverse perspectives, being willing to be changed, and taking risks so you can learn together – but next week, you’re facilitating an important conversation about emotion-rich issues with people who weren’t here. How do you get them […]

Over the past few years, my Canadian friend and cherished collaborator, Karen Dawson of Create Now, has introduced me to the power of a really good question. Now I’m on the lookout for them. Here’s a game-changer someone asked me the other day:

OK, that might be overselling it. But just a bit. It’s early in the morning and I needed to get your attention. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “I have a dream,” not “I have a plan.” That’s what caught MY attention about Simon Sinek’s TEDx talk. Simon offers a simple but galvanizing idea:

By being unrealistic and crunched for time, I recently discovered a new way to start a follow-up meeting. The session had been rescheduled several times. Stragglers were making us late and, frankly, I was getting irritated. Because I’m a champion eavesdropper, it was easy to overhear that the team’s memory of our last meeting was dim […]