Assign Decision-Makers, Not Just Tasks
People often make the mistake of focusing on what should be done while neglecting the more important question of who should be given the responsibility for determining what should be done. That's backward. When you know what you need in a person to do the job well and you know what the person you're putting into it is like, you can pretty well visualize how things will go. #principleoftheday
OpenAI Cuts Side Projects, Two Executives Depart
Kevin Weil and Bill Peebles exit OpenAI as company continues to shed ‘side quests’ https://t.co/AYKPjmUlvm via @techcrunch
Trust Leads: Values Drive Value, Says Nvidia CEO
Nvidia CEO reminds us that values create value. Trust must be #1 core value. https://t.co/cT4ZoaaFYv
CEO Playbook: Reinventing Business Amid AI, Climate, Collapse
Aftershock to 2030: a CEO’s guide to reinvention in the age of AI, climate, and societal collapse https://t.co/b6yxQvCyfq
Fractional Executives Run Business, Leaving CEOs Out
I am actively part of a fractional leadership team for one of my clients. Fractional COO (me), Fractional CTO, and a Fractional CMO. And when I tell you we are DOING things? Making strategies and taking action? Making the CEO...
Plan Change Strategically, Not Just With Training
Launching change without a solid strategy is a recipe for failure. Don't wait for resistance to hit—start early with a plan beyond just training and communication. Address the human side of change proactively. #ChangeManagement #Leadership https://t.co/53jphhfX9C
CEOs Must Drive AI Adoption, Says Former FBI Deputy
Paul Abbate, Former Deputy Director at Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on why CEOs must lead AI adoption across their company https://t.co/b6yxQvCyfq
Avoid Major Business Decisions While Stressed
Don't take action on major business decisions when you are frustrated or stressed. DON'T take action on major business decisions when you are frustrated. You will rush to hire, rush to build, rush to fire someone, all without a plan. Without...
AI Divide: Exec Praise vs Employee Anxiety
"Different realities are happening inside the same company. Executives are celebrating time saved and progress made. employees are quietly paying an AI tax through rework, uncertainty, and rising anxiety. When those realities drift apart, AI does not scale." https://briansolis.substack.com/p/the-ai-divide-is-a-leadership-crisis
Track Stress Early to Prevent Burnout
Don’t Wait for Burnout: Track Stress in Your Business Early - CX Journey™ https://t.co/fNEchIlLBp #burnout #employeeexperience #leadership #friction https://t.co/PWMP2STwp3
Master Managing Difficult Coworkers to Stop Mental Hangover
Difficult coworkers follow you home in your mind unless you learn how to manage them as a skill. #workplaceproblems #communication #emotionalintelligence #psychology #mentalhealth https://t.co/Rg0JiJGfSD
Unreasonable Hospitality: Turn Mistakes Into Competitive Edge
Being 'unreasonable' with how you treat people is the ultimate competitive advantage. My conversation with Will Guidara (@wguidara), who took Eleven Madison Park to the #1 restaurant in the world and helped bring the hit show 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘳 to life. 𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱: • 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴...
Eight Common Lies Leaders Tell About Underperformers
RT @JoeContrera We’ve all been there. You have a poor performer on your team you refer to as your "problem child." The one who takes up inordinate time, energy, and resources. Here's a list of 8 Lies Leaders tell themselves about...
Question “Low‑hanging Fruit”—Assumptions Hide Real Priorities
Someone told me to "grab the low-hanging fruit" yesterday, and I spent the next ten minutes wondering who decided what "low" meant. Because the fruit that's at eye level for THAT guy might be hovering somewhere around my shins. "Low" assumes...
Approachability Beats Aloofness Across All Stakeholder Levels
“Rather than being aloof, try being approachable with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels—including the cleaning lady, the receptionist, and the security guard.” — #SweetStakeholderLove #productmanagement #projectmanagement https://t.co/eIgMN9biCX
Lee Kuan Yew's Ultimatum Crushed Pilot Strike
Back in 1980, Singapore Airlines pilots did a work-to-rule protest that messed with flights and the airline's rep fast. Lee Kuan Yew didn't mess around... called the union leaders in, looked them in the eye, and gave it straight: 'You've...
Human-Centered Leadership: 3 Steps to Stop Failure
Leadership Without Humanity Is Failing — Here’s How to Fix It in 3 Steps - https://t.co/7AhCcW3WT4 - https://t.co/VUA6vOtz0B by Brad Rencher
ICE Director Todd Lyons to Resign End of May
JUST IN: Director of ICE, Todd Lyons says he will resign at the end of May
Leadership Means Deciding and Inspiring Others to Act
President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “Leadership is the ability to decide what has to be done and then get people to want to do it.” How do you influence others? #frippvt #dailyquote #inspirationalspeech
Start with Nosebleed Fans to Wow Everyone
Most companies optimize for the people who pay the most… @thesavbananas founder Jesse Cole (@yellowtuxjesse) does the opposite. He starts with the people in the worst seats—the nosebleeds. Because if you can make the experience unforgettable for them, you can make it...
Ownership Mindset Demands Equity, Not Extra Hours
A Gen Z employee working at a start-up logged off at 7:00 PM every day. The founder was not happy with this. He spoke to the employee and said, "You need to move beyond the 9–5 mindset. You should think like an owner and...
Management Executes; Leadership Chooses the Right Path
“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” ― Peter F. Drucker
Leadership Must Evolve Amid Ongoing Human‑AI Work Redistribution
Existing firms, especially those not yet digital-first in any deep sense, will not simply install autonomy as though it were an upgrade to a software package. They will have to live through a prolonged re-distribution of work between humans and...
AI Projects Fail When Business Bridge Is Missing
42% of AI initiatives fail. Not because the tech doesn't work. Because nobody built the bridge between a working model and a working business outcome. The viability gap is organizational, not technical. Five layers worth auditing before your board asks first. https://t.co/y89hUiqrly
Trusting Teams Foster Safety to Own Mistakes
When we work on a Trusting Team, we feel safe to admit our mistakes, be honest about our shortcomings, and ask for help when we need it.
CEO's Third‑person RNS Sparks Mystery Author Speculation
#VP. in line ….but apparently we have a mystery RNS author …or the CEO habitually refers to herself in the the third person https://t.co/keETuuCLqP
The Right Coach Transforms Leaders and Their Organizations
I understand why people hesitate about investing in coaching. There are a lot of snake oil salesmen and unqualified folks out here. But when you find the right coach, it can completely change your career and your life. That’s why I...
Top CEOs Prioritize Strategic Investors Over Speedy Funding
Best CEOs use investment process to find the best investors for the business not the fastest checks in.
Leaders, Not Gemba Walks, Cause Failure
Gemba Walks Don’t Fail. Leaders Do. https://t.co/wR0P5l0YCN #Gemba walks don’t fail because the practice is flawed; they fail because leaders misunderstand what they are, misuse how they’re done, and underestimate the culture required to make them effective. #leadership https://t.co/vWyuBD8lp3
AER CEO Dismisses Accountability Questions, Sparks Criticism
Alberta Energy Regulator Under Fire Over Wells, Accountability Failures Alberta NDP MLA Marlin Schmidt describes AER CEO Rob Morgan's indifference to questions and requests for information during an AB Leg public accounts meeting. #ableg #abpoli https://youtu.be/dbSzOgTCpJ0
Companies Must Onboard AI Like Human Coworkers
AI is supposed to represent our new “co-workers,” right? Well, it would be nice if organizations took the time to help us get to know our new co-workers, which doesn’t seem to be the case. (My latest in Forbes) @forbes...
Netflix Leaders Praise Reed Hastings' Selfless, Graceful Exit
Netflix Bosses Bestow Heartfelt Praise on Reed Hastings as He Sets Exit: ‘Selfless, Disciplined and Graceful’ https://t.co/FBXqfiMoYC via @variety
Selective Attention and Tribalism Skew Evidence Interpretation
Why do two people look at the same evidence and reach completely opposite conclusions? I discussed selective attention, sycophantic AI, political tribalism, and how it impacts leadership on the Culture Changers Podcast with @allison__hare : https://t.co/aB0xn4DZbu
Reed Hastings to Exit Netflix Board in June
#Netflix co-founder and chairman Reed Hastings is exiting the board in June when his term expires. Hastings stepped down from the CEO role in 2023. $NFLX
Arrogance, Zero‑sum Thinking, and Entitlement Hinder Growth
Nvidia CEO: “you cannot show me a task that is beneath me.” The enemy of continuous growth is arrogance, a zero sum mindset and sense of entitlement. https://t.co/DpugJBDmtO
Listening Beats Charm: The Power of Being Heard
One skill — making people feel truly heard — is worth more than all the charm and wit in the world. #CharlesDuhigg #Supercommunicator #CommunicationSkills https://t.co/BIdN2eakKI
Culture, Not Features, Is the New Competitive Edge
This #book is strategic, practical, outcome-driven. It's for #leaders who know that the next competitive battleground isn’t product features or channels; it’s the #culture that enables consistent, differentiated #customerexperience. BUILT TO WIN https://t.co/B6gAp2EDZ3 https://t.co/hGBtGpwDUO
Pressure-Free Pitch: Set Expectations, Embrace ‘No’, Guide Next Steps
Founders: The agenda script that removes pressure: 'I'll ask questions about how you handle [X]. If there's fit, I'll show you a quick overview. Then we can discuss next steps - or part as friends. Sound good?' Sets expectations. Makes 'no' acceptable. Frames toward...
Culture Committees Mask Real Workplace Perks Inequality
Your company's Culture Committee has a charter, a meeting cadence, and a subcommittee for t-shirts. The actual PROBLEM has a corner office with a view and a covered parking spot. My latest musings over at @VelvetCubicle: ...
External Turbulence and Internal Shifts Drain Change Efforts
Why is organizational change so tough? Constant external pressures (pandemic, geopolitics, economy) and internal shifts (mergers, growth, downsizing) leave people drained.#OrganizationalChange #Leadership #FutureOfWork https://t.co/8L80G0XvoU
Believe in Untapped Potential: Coaching Unlocks Hidden Ability
One of my favorite passages from one of my favorite books, Coaching for Performance by Sir John Whitmore: “Unless you believe that people possess more ability than they are currently expressing, you will not be able to help them express it.” This...
Coordinated Legal Defense Saves Costs During FBI Raids
"I called my employees and former employees and asked, 'Hey did the FBI come to raid your house today?' And five of them said yes, the FBI had come to their house at the same exact time and raided their...
Cohere’s Aidan Gomez Chooses Sovereign AI Over Easy Wins
"We're not looking for the easiest path, we're looking for the right path." NEW: Aidan Gomez is trying to build a different kind of AI company at $6.8B-valued Cohere. On The Upstarts Podcast, Gomez talks about his journey from small-town Ontario to...
Boosting Employee Engagement Drives Performance and Profitability
Despite a matrix of factors buffeting many orgs. right now, “there are lots of things employers can—and should—do to improve #employeeengagement.” If indeed they’ve “woken up to the positive impact on performance & profitability.” Via @FT #EX #leadership https://t.co/fpvfuM8yKj
Consistent Practice Separates Successful Founders From Others
I’ve raised millions and spent years building companies....This one practice consistently separates successful founders from the rest👇
Turn a ‘No’ Into a Timed Action Plan
Harsh truths from your boss’s perspective: Now, if your boss says no, treat it as “not now.” Stay calm and ask what you need to do to get there, and on what timeline. Agree on the path together. Recap it in...
Integrity Proves Its Worth When Everything Goes Wrong
Integrity isn’t tested when things are easy. It’s tested when everything goes wrong. Anton Gunn and I break it down. #Leadership #Sales https://t.co/dvQ5MIiTvd
From Instacart’s Rise to Investor Lessons
For this episode of Uncapped I got to sit down with my close friend @Max, cofounder of Instacart 🥕 We talked about the key moments of Instacart...how it got started, critical wins, tough losses, competitive dynamics, earned insights, going public, and...
Relentless Hiring Standards Preserve Culture and Excellence
🚨🚨NEW EPISODE DROP Sally Kornbluth, President of MIT🚨🚨 "If you take a lick of the lollipop of mediocrity, you will suck forever." I love this. She was talking about how MIT sustains excellence after 150+ years. And it applies to founders and CEOs...
Investors Rush to Fund Founder After Product Halt
He emailed investors: "We're stopping work on the product. Expect MRR to decline." They called back in 20 minutes. Not to pull funding. To ask how much more money he needed. https://t.co/TlhbiiLl2Q