This summer I’ve been learning something completely new: Mahjong. Once a week I join a neighborhood group around a kitchen table. I’m the only man, surrounded by a wonderful group of women who have welcomed me with patience, laughter, and more than a little good-natured teasing. Mahjong has reminded me that every beginner looks awkward, […]
This weekend Devi had two classrooms. The first was the woods on the shore of the mighty Potmac, close to where I live.. There, she began learning one of the fundamentals she will need for her first extended overnight in the back country coming up later in August: how to lead on the trail. Stay
Many Worlds. One Lesson. Read More »
The word competition comes from the Latin competere, “to strive together.” Originally, it wasn’t about defeating someone else. It was about bringing out the best in one another. Watching our two dogs race through our backyard reminded me of that older meaning. They chase, feint, sprint, and change direction in an instant. One pulls ahead,
8-month old Devi has begun her training for the backpacking journeys ahead with an empty pack, just getting used to it. Her next lessons will be: leading on the trail, and learning that campsite is home. There’s something deeply satisfying about the beginning, when every experience is new and every small success feels like discovery.
Where does transformational change really begin? Most leaders would answer. “Strategy.” After spending more than three decades working alongside CEOs leading major transformations, I’ve come to a different conclusion. Strategy matters, but transformation begins where the leader creates the environment that an entire organization needs to move together. So, I would answer, “Alignment.” When strategy
Creating the Environment for Extraordinary Change Read More »
Thirty-two years ago, Laura and I stood facing each other at Strong Mansion on Sugarloaf Mountain, and promised to build a life together. We’ve raised two remarkable children, traveled the world, weathered losses, celebrated victories, and continued discovering new dimensions in each other. Laura has never stopped inspiring me with her courage, musical creativity, inner
Most CEOs don’t have a strategy problem, they have an operating system problem. When a transformation stalls, the first instinct is often to question the strategy. Maybe it wasn’t communicated well enough. Maybe people resisted the change. Maybe the organization wasn’t ready. After working with CEOs and executive teams across industries for more than there
Your Organization is Producing Exactly the Results it is Designed to Produce Read More »
Sarah White is one of only two people I’ve stayed close to since college. She’s also an extraordinary editor, writing coach, and expert at helping people discover and craft the stories that define their lives. She helped me shape my first book, which became a business bestseller, and has guided me through several others. Today
Help Others Tell their Story Read More »
Want large-scale change to succeed? Stop broadcasting. Start identifying your MVPs. Every change initiative has a small group of hidden change agents. I call them the Most Valuable Players, MVPs, and they’re not always who you expect. They don’t have to be the most senior, or even hold a title. They just have to be
Your Hidden Change Agents Read More »
A few weeks ago, we said goodbye to Kaya. Her loss left a deep emptiness in our home, and coming to peace with her passing is its own journey, one that will take time and unfold in its own way. A little while later, we welcomed Devi into our lives. She is not a replacement
