Principle #16 – Trust comes after cooperation. In that order. We love to talk about “building trust” in teams, as if it’s a mystical aura you conjure with enough vulnerability exercises and inspirational posters. But here’s the kicker: trust doesn’t show up first. Cooperation does. Think about it—most of us say, “I’ll trust them when […]
Want Trust? Stop Waiting. Start Cooperating. Read More »
Principle #15 – Work hard to make hard things (more) simple. Ever seen a process map that looks like a plate of spaghetti? Or listened to an explanation so complex you left with more questions than answers? Complexity might make us feel smart, but it slows decisions, burns people out, and kills momentum. Leaders who
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Principle #14: Apply the Trust Algorithm. Accountability = Authority = Capability Ever notice how trust tanks when someone is “responsible” but has no power to decide… or someone has authority but no clue what they’re doing? Cue the eye rolls and Slack rants. Trust isn’t built on good vibes. It’s built on alignment: Accountability =
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Principle #13 – Personality Conflicts Aren’t About Personality. The Provocation You know the scene: two talented people avoiding eye contact in meetings, Slack messages that feel like subtweets, and a tension you could cut with a butter knife. You’ve tried pep talks, mediation, maybe even a team lunch. Nothing sticks. Here’s the plot twist: it’s
We Don’t Need Couples Therapy, We Need an Org Map Read More »
Principle #12 – Real skin-in-the-game creates true accountability. Ever notice how people take way better care of rental cars when the deposit is $500? That’s skin in the game—when the outcomes of a decision hit you directly. Why It Works Accountability isn’t about job titles or performance reviews. It’s about feeling the impact of your
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Principle #11 – Every solution is first a hypothesis. Reality test. Here’s a secret scientists know that many leaders forget: the first solution is almost always wrong. Or at least, incomplete. We fall in love with our ideas because they feel elegant and clever—“This will fix everything!” But in reality? Every solution is just a
Your Brilliant Idea Is Just a Hypothesis (Test It) Read More »
Principle #10 – Be curious. Share the growth mindset. Somewhere along the line, someone decided curiosity killed the cat.Bad PR for curiosity—because curiosity is how we learn, innovate, and stop making the same mistakes on repeat. Why Curiosity Wins When leaders stay curious, they stop pretending they already have all the answers (spoiler: they don’t).
Curiosity Didn’t Kill the Cat (It Built Better Teams) Read More »
People Energy Principle #9 – People do things for reasons, not always the reasons they give you. You’ve been there:A key project is running late. You finally corner the responsible person and ask why. They look you in the eye and give you a perfectly reasonable explanation—unexpected delays, busy schedule, competing priorities. Sounds legit. You
The Story They Tell You Isn’t Always the Whole Story. Read More »
People Energy Principle #8 – Each human is uniquely wired for something. Notice this. Every person on your team comes wired with a unique mix of talents, quirks, and passions. Some have laser focus; others are idea factories. Some thrive in chaos; others need structure like oxygen. Yet too many leaders treat people like one-size-fits-all
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People Energy Principle #7 – Change Change People by Assuming They Can’t Change You’ve probably heard it before: “People can change if they really want to!” Cute. Inspiring. Totally unreliable as a leadership strategy. The Hard Truth Most people don’t dramatically change who they are just because you gave them a pep talk or a
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