Doug Brown's
Leadership Insights for The REAL World
The Official Blog for NYC Executive Coaching
Coaching and the Courage to See What is in Front of You
From my associate, Janice Giannini. Have you ever felt like you’re working harder than ever, yet standing still? Many of us reach moments when effort and outcome seem misaligned—when we sense we could do more, or be more, but aren’t … Read More
Why We Resist Coaching from the Outside—And What It Reveals About Growth
Understanding the invisible barriers that keep talented professionals from embracing developmental coaching. Most people like to see themselves as open to learning. However, when the chance for developmental coaching comes up—especially from someone outside their organization— resistance often appears. It’s … Read More
Rethinking Strategy: Making Strategic Planning a Living Process
From my associate Dan Elliott. If the past half decade has taught us anything, it is that the pace of change and disruption is accelerating. From the introduction of artificial intelligence to global tariffs, from demographic shifts to political shifts, … Read More
A.I. Just Blew Up My Strategic Plan
From my associate, Grant Tate. A.I. can write a strategic plan for a small organization in fifteen minutes; provided, of course, one has all the data required and knows how to construct the prompts for the A.I. interface. But will … Read More
Stop Setting Goals. Build the Engine That Achieves Them.
Most plans admire outcomes; too few deliver them. In a 3–5 year horizon, that gets expensive. Our stance at Paradigm is simple: you’re not in the goal-setting business—you’re in the goal-achievement business. That means we help you design and run … Read More
The Human Wiring of Strategy: How Minds and Businesses Achieve Bold Growth
From my associate Janice Giannini. Where Strategy Meets Human Wiring Every fall, executives gather in boardrooms to build their strategic plans. Using pretty charts and spreadsheets to support the lofty goals. Yet, year after year, many of these plans quietly … Read More
The Bias Trap: Why Smart People Keep Repeating the Same Mistakes
From my associate Dan Elliott We often pride ourselves on being logical, rational thinkers. We gather the facts, weigh the options, and make well-reasoned decisions. Yet despite this, we see a curious and persistent phenomenon: people—intelligent, experienced, thoughtful people—repeatedly making … Read More
Beyond Execution: Building Leaders Who Create Value
From my associate Janice Giannini. Most leadership development efforts today miss the mark. They teach how to manage goals, communicate clearly, delegate efficiently, and deliver results; all important, but insufficient! In a world where strategic threats emerge in real time … Read More
What We Don’t Know We Don’t Know: The Power of EQ Assessments
From my associate Grant Tate. My phone rang on a quiet Tuesday morning a few months ago. On the other end was Thomas, a longtime colleague and one of the wisest consultants I know. He had recently taken a suite … Read More
Bridging the Hidden Gaps: What Managers Don’t Know and What It’s Costing You
The most dangerous knowledge gap in an organization isn’t likely to be technical. It’s strategic. And it’s hiding in plain sight—within your managers. While technology and markets evolve, one truth remains: organizations stall not from lack of expertise, but from … Read More