One difficult hour should not have the power to ruin an entire day. Yet somehow, we give it that power all the time. Something goes wrong in the morning, and we spend the rest of the day trying to recover. A commitment gets missed, and instead of simply returning to it at the next opportunity, … [Read more...]
Punjabi First: The Sanjha Punjab We Still Carry Within Us
There is something curious about discovering a language you have known all your life. I have spoken Punjabi for as long as I can remember hearing it. I understood it. I knew its expressions, its humour, its warmth, the particular way a Punjabi sentence can carry affection without having to say … [Read more...]
The Space We Give Away: The Quiet Way Leaders Lose Authority
There is a quiet way leaders lose influence that rarely shows up in performance reviews, strategy sessions, or leadership books. It happens one conversation at a time. I have been thinking about this lately because I keep seeing the same pattern in meetings, coaching conversations, board … [Read more...]
The Arithmetic of Attention: Why the Life We Want Often Costs the Life We Already Have
This past Tuesday, I found myself sitting down with two remarkable young men. Both are immensely talented. Both are in the formative years of their lives. Both are standing at an important crossroads, thinking deeply about what comes next. I have always enjoyed conversations like these. There is … [Read more...]
What (Trust Based) Philanthropy Taught Me About Coaching
Some of the most meaningful lessons I have gained about leadership did not come from leadership books. They came from philanthropy. To some, that may sound unexpected. After all, philanthropy is often primarily associated with fundraising, grantmaking, and charitable giving. Yet the longer I … [Read more...]