Principle #24 – Prompt grassroots decision-making often. Imagine trying to grow a thriving garden but insisting every plant ask permission before sprouting a new leaf. Sounds absurd, right? Yet that’s how many leaders handle decisions—everything has to travel up the “stem” to the top before action can happen. The people closest to the soil—the ones […]
Cultivate Decisions Where They’re Planted Read More »
Principle #22 – Smallest changes for biggest impacts. We often think big problems need big solutions. Cue the off-site retreats, multi-phase project plans, and “transformational initiatives” that cost a fortune and take forever. Meanwhile, a small, well-aimed change could’ve solved 80% of the problem by lunch. Small changes are powerful because they’re focused, low-risk, and
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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 #18 – Communication is more than saying words. Ever leave a meeting thinking, “I heard every word, but I have no idea what they just said”? That’s because communication isn’t just words—it’s connection. We’ve all seen it: the sales rep powering through their pitch, oblivious to confused faces. Or the manager who sends a
Stop Talking. Start Communicating. Read More »
Principle #17 – Decisions go where they belong. Ever sat in a meeting thinking, “Why am I even deciding this?” If you’re honest, you probably have. Leaders often hoard decisions like Halloween candy, believing it’s “safer” if they approve everything. Spoiler: it’s not. It slows things down, burns you out, and disempowers the very people
Stop Babysitting Decisions That Aren’t Yours 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 »
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
Want Accountability? Add a Price Tag Read More »
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 »