Principle #31 – Same people. Same roles. Same problems. In chess, every piece has unique strengths. Bishops glide diagonally, rooks dominate straight lines, knights jump in clever L-shapes. Put a knight on a diagonal path and it just… sits there. Teams are no different. When someone isn’t performing, it may not be about effort—it might […]
Are Your Pieces in the Right Squares? Read More »
Principle #29: Leadership is defined by the presence of followers. Picture this: a long-distance runner flying down the trail, flawless stride, focused eyes, pushing hard. Impressive, right? But then you notice—no one’s behind them. Are they a leader… or just out for a really long solo run? Leadership isn’t about how fast, strong, or visionary
If No One’s Running With You, You’re Just Out for a Jog Read More »
Principle #23 – Diagnose before you prescribe. If doctors worked like some leaders, they’d say:“You’re coughing? Here’s surgery. Also, take these horse pills.” Ridiculous, right? Yet in business, we do it all the time—jumping to solutions before we even understand the problem. Quick fixes feel good, like handing out aspirin for every ache. But if
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Principle #21 – Don’t get stuck addressing symptoms. Quick fixes feel good, don’t they? A problem pops up, you swoop in, and—boom—issue resolved. Cue the hero music. But then it pops up again. And again. That’s not hero work; that’s hamster wheel work. When we only treat symptoms, we accidentally feed the problem. We create
Your Quick Fixes Are Making It Worse Read More »
Principle #20 – Coauthor. More minds, more better. We love the romantic image of the lone genius: one brilliant person, one whiteboard, one lightning-bolt idea. But let’s be honest—most “solo brilliance” dies on the whiteboard. Breakthrough solutions don’t come from one perspective; they come from multiple minds colliding and refining ideas together. It’s messier, sure,
Your Lone Genius Act Is Overrated—Try Coauthoring Instead Read More »
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 #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 »
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
Stop Treating People Like Interchangeable Office Furniture Read More »