Leadership Development Has a Readiness Problem
From my associate Janice Giannini. Organizations invest heavily in leadership development, yet many still struggle to build a reliable bench of leaders whose judgment, adaptability, and credibility strengthen the business over time. The problem is rarely a complete lack of effort. Programs exist. Frameworks exist. Coaching exists. Assessments, workshops, executive education, and high-potential initiatives are […]
Restructuring of the Leadership Contract in the Agentic Era
From my associate Grant Tate. Leadership has always resisted a clean definition. That’s not a failure of management science. It’s a feature. What philosopher W.B. Gallie called an “essentially contested concept” — one that generates genuine, irresolvable disputes — turns out to be exactly what leadership needs to be. A fixed definition would freeze it. […]
Leading Ahead When Your Style Is Built for “Just in Time”
Some leaders naturally learn by solving the problem in front of them. They do not spend much time gathering information “just in case.” They prefer relevance, urgency, and application. When a need becomes clear, they move quickly, learn what matters, and act. That instinctive style can be a real strength. It keeps leaders practical. It […]
Leading Now: The Identity Shift Required in an A.I. Integrated Organization
From my associate Janice Giannini. A.I. is not just changing how work gets done. It is quietly changing what it means to lead. A widely circulated essay by A.I. entrepreneur Matt Shumer, “Something Big Is Happening,” argues that recent advances in generative A.I. represent a structural inflection point rather than incremental progress (Shumer, 2026). Whether […]
Beyond the Pyramid: Reimagining the C-Suite for the Age of A.I.
From my associate Grant Tate. Let’s be honest: the traditional organizational chart is starting to look a little… dusty. You know the one—the classic pyramid where the CEO sits at the apex, flanked by a rigid line of “C-level” silos. The CFO handles the money, the CIO handles the tech, the COO keeps the trains […]
Structure Determines Execution: Why Nonprofit Management Teams Must Be Designed—Not Inherited
Most nonprofit management team structures did not emerge from deliberate design. They evolved—often organically—around the individuals who happened to be willing and available. A passionate founder assumed responsibility for programs. A trusted volunteer took on finances. A reliable team member handled operations. Over time, these roles settled into a structure. At first, this works. But […]
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 and opportunities are increasingly transient, delivering outcomes isn’t enough. Leaders must create value: economic, experiential, and organizational […]
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 unrecognized leadership gaps. Whether you’re running a small to mid-sized organization or leading a division […]
Earning Trust in the Spotlight: How Great Leaders Shape Emotion and Momentum From Day One
The world often responds when a new leader enters the spotlight—whether in the Vatican, the C-suite, or a national government. Sometimes the reaction is grounded in hope, while in other cases it is marked by wariness, skepticism, or outright resistance. But why? In recent weeks, I’ve observed an outpouring of optimism in response to the […]
Seeing Clearly: The Hidden Power of Self Leadership
From my associate Janice Giannini. In a world defined by constant change and persistent ambiguity, effective leadership doesn’t begin with strategy; it begins with the individual. The ability to lead others starts with the capacity to lead oneself. Self-leadership is understanding, managing, and intentionally guiding our thoughts, actions, and emotions. At the heart of this […]