Trust is the antidote to the need for control. In leadership, the illusion of control bias can lead us astray, convincing us we have more power over events and people than we truly do. Studies show micromanagement severely impacts creativity and satisfaction—70% of workers consider quitting because of it, and 30% actually do. Ironically, the more we try to control, the more we lose the very essence of leadership: trust. Without trust, there is no foundation for high performan

In the complex realm of business and leadership, where high-stakes decisions are routine, bias is an often-overlooked but highly influential factor. While critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and judgment are valued, executives who possess Bias Intelligence—an awareness of their most prominent cognitive and emotional biases, are in a better position to make sound decisions. Why? Because without understanding these biases, leaders’ risk having their thinking, emotions, a

Many think leadership intelligence is simply a matter of cognitive strength. But it’s more than intellectual “smarts”—it’s how an executive uses their cognitive smarts alongside other “intelligences” to achieve objectives. Here’s what I mean. Having the ability to process information and situations with clear thinking is at the core of great leadership. Yet, having the ability to mobilize good decisions by knowing how to translate good thinking into effective execution, and t

With two months left in this final quarter of 2024, it’s the perfect time for leaders to revisit annual objectives, gauge progress, and recalibrate for the last sprint to year-end. Yet, when most people reflect on their year-end goals, they often focus on the gap between where they are and where they want to be. With two months left in this final quarter of 2024, it’s the perfect time for leaders to revisit annual objectives, gauge progress, and recalibrate for the last sprin

Leadership intelligence is often misunderstood as simply intellectual power. But there’s more to the story. While critical thinking is certainly at its core, leadership intelligence is more complex and multidimensional. The truth is, leadership intelligence combines intellectual capability with multiple other intelligences enabling good sense and judgment, supporting leadership effectiveness in areas including personal leadership. Leadership intelligence is often misunderstoo

The following is adapted from Mind Knots. Have you ever witnessed behavior that seemed to make no sense? This happened to an individual whom I was coaching. He was among a large group of invited guests attending a talk given by the CEO of a global company. Toward the end of the CEO’s talk, the individual spoke up inappropriately in reaction to a particular comment the CEO made. The room went silent. The CEO paused and responded to the challenge with grace and character, provi

Every leader creates a compounding effect in their organization – positive or negative. Choose wisely. The Compound Effect is the phenomenon whereby everyday choices compound over time leading to either exponential success or exponential disaster. It’s powerful because of its cumulative nature. Leadership choices are no different. Each leader you hire creates a leadership compound […] Every leader creates a compounding effect in their organization – positive or negative. Choo

Past performance is not a predictor of future performance or potential success down the road. Rather, it’s more of a myth than a reliable measure you can count on when choosing your leaders. When you select a leader with a rearview mirror focus, you limit your perspective of a leader’s future effectiveness and potential, shortchanging both the leader and the organization. A ‘rearview’ of performance can also lead to problems on the road ahead for the leader and for the organ

To lead progressive change effectively, leaders need a growth mindset and cognitive flexibility. Driving change requires the mental ability to not simply toggle thinking between different concepts, but to think about multiple concepts simultaneously. Cognitive flexibility is a cornerstone of proactive problem-solving. It allows leaders to approach challenges from various perspectives to arrive at the most innovative and optimal solutions. In leadership and in life, having the

Past performance has long been touted as a reliable predictor of future performance, but is it truly a trustworthy measure?    In this article, we challenge this notion and explore why relying on past performance when choosing leaders could be a risky move.   Join us as we delve into the limitations of the "rearview mirror" approach to leadership selection and discover why a forward-looking perspective is essential for driving leadership effectiveness in today's dynamic busin