Embrace Failure, Keep Trying, Success Follows
We celebrate success, but we learn from failure. The important part is that we’re not afraid to try. Save this for the days it doesn’t work out, and share it with someone who needs the reminder. 🤝 🎧 Find the full episode wherever you get your podcasts: “KIND Founder Daniel Lubetzky on What Happens When You’re Naive Enough to Try”
Will They Remember Your Name? | Simon Sinek
In this short talk, Simon Sinek argues that the ultimate measure of a life is not the size of one's bank account or the titles on a résumé, but whether one's name endures in the memories of others. He illustrates the...
How KIND Snacks Got Its Name | A Bit of Optimism #podcast
The episode delves into the origin of KIND Snacks, revealing that the brand’s name honors the founder Roman’s father—a Holocaust survivor whose post‑war life was defined by an unwavering commitment to kindness. Roman recounts how his father, liberated at six‑foot...
Kindness Legacy Fuels Business Unity and Human Connection
KIND—yes, the KIND bars—was named after Daniel Lubetzky’s (@daniellubetzky) father. A Holocaust survivor who, despite everything he endured…still chose kindness. It sounds naive: that kindness can win. But Daniel built his life around it. From PeaceWorks (bringing people together through...
Nice Guys Finish Last? The Founder of KIND Snacks Disagrees | A Bit of Optimism Podcast
The Bit of Optimism podcast features Daniel Lubetzki, the founder of KIND Snacks, who argues that what many label as naivety is actually a strategic asset for entrepreneurs. He recounts how KIND was never conceived as a "bar" but as...
Build Trusting Teams to Unlock Natural Best Performance
How do we create an environment in which our people can work at their natural best? Building a trusting team is the second of the five practices outlined in The Infinite Game. If you’re looking to bring this practice—and the...
This Is What UNREASONABLE HOSPITALITY Looks Like | A Bit of Optimism #Podcast
The podcast episode spotlights the concept of "unreasonable hospitality," illustrated by a vivid anecdote from a guest’s stay at the Waldorf Beverly Hills. Guest‑relations manager Abby discovers the guest’s craving for a coveted Basque cheesecake from a Santa Monica bakery...
Embracing Change With Innovation Instead of Reaction | Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek’s talk, “Embracing Change With Innovation Instead of Reaction,” argues that lasting success comes from defining a company’s purpose—not its product—and then using technology as a tool to fulfill that purpose. He cites Nintendo’s 150‑year evolution from playing cards to...
Measure What Matters Beyond Revenue and Followers
We measure what’s easy: revenue, growth, followers. And we call that success. But what about your time? Your relationships? Your life? The things that are hardest to measure are usually the things that matter most. And they’re worthy of investment too. 🎧 Find the...
What If We Measured Success Differently? | A Bit of Optimism #Podcast
The podcast episode challenges conventional success metrics, arguing that individuals should evaluate outcomes relative to the time and effort invested rather than raw numbers such as income, followers, or grades. Hosts illustrate the point with a college example—an “A over 50”...
THIS Is Your Biggest Competition | Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek’s talk frames business strategy as either a finite or an infinite game, borrowing James Carse’s philosophical distinction. Finite games have known players, fixed rules and a clear win‑or‑lose outcome, while infinite games feature shifting participants, mutable rules and...
AI Can Do Everything…Except This (Why Humans Still Win) with Will Guidara | A Bit of Optimism
The episode of “A Bit of Optimism” centers on the paradox that while AI can automate almost every task, the human capacity for genuine kindness and attentive hospitality remains uniquely valuable. Host and guest Will Guidara, former co‑owner of 11...
Dreaming Is Essential to Create an Unseen Future
We have to dream. How else will we make a future that does not yet exist?
Meaningful Work Demands Effort and Perseverance
Things that matter are difficult. If we want to do things that matter, it’s going to take effort.
Teach Your Team an Infinite Mindset in 90 Minutes
The leaders who stay calm when everything shifts have something in common. They think differently. We built a workshop taught by our Master Trainers to show your whole team how. 90 minutes. Up to 300 people. An Infinite Mindset that...
Simon Sinek on Passion and Purpose
Simon Sinek argues that money should be viewed as a by‑product of purpose, not the primary driver of business. He contends that profit emerges only after an organization aligns its culture, values, and vision, making passion an output rather than...
True Leadership Means Growing People, Not Chasing Numbers
We become a leader the day we decide to help people grow, not numbers. Video from Chick-fil-A Next 2025, in conversation with Chief Legal Officer Lynette Smith
Hire Motivation, Inspire Growth—Not Just Skill.
Great companies don’t hire skilled people and motivate them. Great companies hire motivated people and inspire them.
Leadership Growth Requires Dedicated Development, Not Just Tasks
Getting the title is the easy part. The real challenge of leadership is growing into it. Most leaders spend their days solving problems, running meetings, and supporting their teams—with very little space to pause and actually work on becoming better...
Culture Grows From Actions, Not Stated Values
Culture isn’t what you say you value, it’s how people behave. Values only work when they’re written as actions, not ideals. Reward the behavior, and the culture follows. Video from Urban Land Institute (ULI) 2024 with CRE investor and creator,...
Replace Judgment With Curiosity | Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek argues that conflict is unavoidable, but its value hinges on how it’s handled. He contends that the primary tool for peaceful resolution is listening, a skill eroded by a culture that favors shouting on social media and demanding...
Leadership Lessons Aim to Empower Those We Serve
We study leadership for the same reason a parent studies parenting—so that those in our care will be the beneficiaries of our learning. Video from Chick-fil-A Next 2025, in conversation with Chief Legal Officer Lynette Smith
Lead Confidently Under Pressure: Decision‑Making Mastery
We’ve all faced those moments—when the pressure is on, and your team is looking to you for direction. How do you stay calm? How do you make the right decisions when it matters most? At a live event with LinkedIn...
Embrace Rejection: Young Men Must Take Social Risks
Young men are taking way too many risks… and not the good kinds. Scott Galloway argues that good risk is essential to real growth. In today’s world, young people aren’t engaging in social risks like applying for jobs they might...
Meet Your Audience Where They Live, Then Speak
When you need a message to resonate, start with the right questions. Who is the audience in this moment? What are they thinking about on a normal day? What do they care about when they wake up, go to work,...
Try This If You Often Second-Guess Yourself in Meetings
The article addresses the common habit of second‑guessing oneself in meetings, linking it to imposter syndrome and its ripple effect on team collaboration. It highlights that participants are already vetted by invitation, a simple mental reset that can curb self‑doubt....
Leadership Lessons Hide in Non‑Business Books
Top leaders say the stories that shape how they lead—books about humanity, courage, and connection—aren't found in the business section. 👉 Here are 5 life-changing reads that aren’t actually leadership books: https://lnkd.in/eZ99xnHH
Small Moments Define Trust, Performance, and Culture
The moments that change everything at work are rarely the big ones. They’re the passing comments, the tone in a reply, even the way a leader shows up in the in-between. These “insignificant” moments quietly shape trust, performance, and culture...
One Leadership Habit That Will Transform Your 2026
Simon Sinek argues that teams of average performers consistently outshine star‑filled groups, because trust outweighs individual brilliance. He proposes a single habit for leaders: after every win, ask “Who helped you?” and publicly recognize those contributors. This practice shifts focus...
Great Leaders Ask, Not Answer: Lead with Humanity
What if the advice we were told to avoid might be the breakthrough our team actually needs? The conventional wisdom says: Have all the answers. Lead with metrics. Stay professional. Fix weaknesses. Crush the competition. But extraordinary leaders do the...
Belonging, Coaching, Development Bridge Gen Z Expectations
Older generations were raised in a culture where hard work was met with long-term company loyalty. 💼 Gen Z grew up seeing that promise broken over and over again. So fair pay, clarity around growth, and a deeper sense of...
From Managers to Coaches: Leaders Empower Success
Managers control. Coaches elevate. WD-40’s Garry Ridge got rid of the word ‘manager’ entirely and created a culture where leaders stand on the sidelines to help others win. Check out the full episode wherever you get your podcasts 🎧 https://lnkd.in/dT_2YMbv
Formal Agreements Protect Friendships in Business Partnerships
✍️ As a founder, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. When entering into a business partnership, friendship can’t be the only strategy. So when everything feels exciting and full of possibility, that’s exactly when you need a...
Begin with the Story, Not the Lesson.
Most people start with stuff that doesn’t matter. They tell you the lesson they want you to learn, then tell you the story as an example. But it works much more effectively when you start with the story itself—when you...
Engineer Informal Moments to Build Remote Trust
💡 Trust is what happens between the meetings. Not in the agenda. Not in the slides. It’s built in the tiny moments—the hallway chats, the “how’s your dad doing?” check-ins, the post-call laughs. That’s where culture quietly compounds. Remote teams...
Empathy-Driven Leadership Proves Layoffs Unnecessary and Profitable
Layoffs aren’t strategy. They’re a symptom of a system that’s lost its heart. Next week, A Bit of Optimism returns on Tuesday with a brand new episode featuring Bob Chapman , who has been the CEO of Barry-Wehmiller for more...
Why Being a “Nice” Manager Totally Backfires, According to Simon
In a recent session with The Optimism Library, leadership expert Simon emphasized the critical distinction between being "nice" and being "kind," highlighting how the former can undermine team performance. He shared his personal journey of prioritizing likability over accountability, which...