I want to lift up an interview that is both urgent and enduring: “Bryan Stevenson on why Black history is under attack,” a powerful interview sponsored by The Grio (whose mission is to inform, amplify, entertain, and empower Black America. Let me say as a white person, they are informing and empowering me as well.) […]
Bryan Stevenson and the Courage to Remember Read More »
Pictured: me at the World Bank, where I lived through two change initiatives in the mid-1990s, both called Knowledge Management. Same organization. Same label. Completely different outcomes. The first effort looked unstoppable. A small group of world-class thinkers. A dedicated budget. Closed meetings. Impressive technology demos. After a year, almost nothing had reached the organization.
7 Lessons on Leading Change Read More »
I was flying across the country when Mount Rainier came into view. Rising above everything around it, unmistakable. You don’t have to know its name to recognize its presence. It commands the landscape simply by being fully what it is. It reminded me of something I’ve learned about leaders who make an out-sized impact on
Called and Capable Read More »
Here on the East Coast of the USA, we are in the middle of a serious snow and ice storm, the kind that slows everything down and makes the world feel smaller and quieter. Yesterday afternoon, with the sleet coming down, I looked out through our deck and saw a bright red cardinal perched beside
The Cardinal Outside Read More »
When a challenge depends on actors you do not control, incentives you cannot align internally, and commitments that must be made across institutional boundaries, treating it as organizational work becomes counterproductive. An iceberg is a useful metaphor here. From the surface, an iceberg looks manageable. Its visible mass suggests scale, effort, and risk. But what
Hidden Costs of Treating Ecosystem Challenges as Organizational Read More »
Many organizations are still staffed for the world that made them successful, not the one they are navigating now. As technology, AI, and business models shift, leadership requires a different way of thinking about roles, risk, and growth. Here are six truths I see again and again in organizations that are getting this right. Hat
Six Leadership Truths for Intentional Organization Design Read More »
This week, I want to shine a light on my wife, Laura, an award-winning songwriter whose music quite literally lights up my life. Her work has earned top honors from the Washington Area Music Awards and the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest. This year, her music is up for consideration for multiple Wammie Awards, which is both
The Music That Lights Up My Life Read More »
Most leadership teams respond to stubborn problems the same way. They sharpen the strategy, clarify accountabilities, add metrics, and launch another initiative. When that fails, they work harder. But some problems do not fail because strategy is weak. They fail because strategy is no longer sufficient. These challenges live between organizations, professions, incentives, and identities.
When Strategy Is Not Enough: How Leaders Know It’s Time for an Ecosystem Solution Read More »
We welcomed the New Year in the best way I know: with music, friends, and a little bit of magic. New Year’s Day, my wife, Laura Baron, joined Dave Ylvisaker at Zinnia’s downstairs bar to sing in 2026. For an hour or so, the room hung suspended in that inimitable space where time slows, and
Presence, Connection, and Song Read More »
This is the last Monday Morning Mojo of the year, and I always feel a great invitation at this moment. The year does not end with fireworks for me. It ends with cleanup. This week I am creating a clear financial overview, business and personal, so I know exactly where I stand and what I
Closing the Year, Clearing the Way Read More »
