What it is Like to Transformationally Become Better
Readers of my new book, Becoming Better, keep telling me about how powerful and impactful a specific example is in this book. The example I am referring to is of my wife. She is someone who hasn’t just become incrementally better, she has become transformationally better. Here is a quote from the book that conveys […]
Why Traditional Leadership No Longer Works—And What Needs to Replace It
We’re living in a time of compounding complexity. As leaders, we’re being asked to navigate environments that are more volatile, uncertain, and fast-moving than ever before. And yet, many organizations are still operating with a traditional model of leadership—one that was built for predictability, not complexity. I was recently at ATD25, where I had the […]
What Emotional Maturity Really Looks Like (And How to Build It)
Vertical development is about elevating our cognitive and emotional sophistication. It’s the internal transformation that allows us to see ourselves, others, and the world in more complex, integrated, and empowering ways. While we often focus on cognitive development—how we think and make sense of the world—emotional development is just as crucial. In this article, I […]
Why We Sometimes Fail Even When We have the Abilities to Win
Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like you had everything you needed to succeed—knowledge, skills, experience—but things still didn’t work out? If so, you’re not alone. I’ve been there, more than once. And each time, it left me frustrated, confused, and questioning whether all my effort was ever going to be […]
How to Know You are Elevating Yourself (i.e., Along Your Being Side)
When we invest in our personal or professional growth, we typically develop along one of two dimensions of ourselves: our Doing Side or our Being Side. Our Doing Side encompasses our knowledge, skills, capabilities, and behaviors — essentially, what we do and how effectively we do it. It’s the part of us that can be […]
How Elevated Leaders Think Differently Than Most Leaders
Most leadership development efforts focus on what leaders need to do—setting goals, communicating clearly, managing performance. But in my work with executive teams and organizations around the world, I’ve found that how leaders think has far more impact than the tactics they use. The best leaders—the ones who build thriving teams, navigate complexity with grace, […]
The Power of Mindset Work to Elevate Leaders, Cultures, & Organizations
This past year, I had the opportunity to work with a retail organization that was already performing at a solid level. Their leaders were capable. Their operations were strong. But they weren’t content with “good.” They were aiming for great—and they knew that getting there would require a deeper kind of development. They also recognized […]
Three Frameworks that Can Reveal Your Biggest Vertical Development Need
What is Vertical Development? If you are not familiar with vertical development, it is important to understand that we have two sides of ourselves: Our Doing Side – The level of our talent, knowledge, skills, & abilities Our Being Side – The sophistication of our internal operating system (to what degree is it wired for […]
The 27 Best Self-Help & Personal Improvement Books
Over the last 15 years, I have read over 700 books. A significant percentage of these have been self-help and personal improvement books. I am so incredibly grateful for the authors of these books because they have helped me become better. Also, each, in their own individual way, has influenced my thinking and writing as […]
The Different Types of Complexity Leaders Need: Cognitive Complexity
In today’s fast-paced, uncertain, and ever-evolving work environment, leaders are constantly being tested—not just by the complexity of problems they face, but by the complexity of the environments they must navigate. While skills like strategic thinking, decision-making, and communication remain important, they’re no longer enough on their own. What increasingly separates effective leaders from those […]
