Books That Shaped This Practice
-
The Essential Drucker
A distillation of Drucker's most enduring ideas on management, individual effectiveness, and the role of the executive. More than a textbook — a quiet challenge to examine how one manages oneself, one's organization, and one's contribution to society.
-
On Becoming a Leader
Bennis argues that leaders are not shaped through training programs or imitation, but through self-knowledge and lived experience. A thoughtful exploration of authenticity, character, and the inner work required to lead with integrity.
-
Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence
Drawing on neuroscience and years of field research, this book makes the case that a leader's emotional intelligence — not IQ or technical skill — is the primary driver of organizational climate and performance. Introduced the concept of resonant leadership.
-
Questions of Character: Illuminating the Heart of Leadership Through Literature
Drawing on writers such as Sophocles, Conrad, Achebe, and Fitzgerald, Badaracco illuminates the moral tensions at the heart of leadership. A quiet, reflective read that rewards those willing to sit with complexity rather than reach for easy answers.
-
The Path to Individual and Organizational Transformation: Confronting the Elephant in the Room
Kets de Vries brings the lens of psychoanalysis to organizational life, confronting the unconscious patterns, defenses, and relational dynamics that block genuine transformation. Unsettling in the best possible way.
-
Strategic Intelligence: Conceptual Tools for Leading Change
Maccoby argues that the most effective leaders possess a distinct form of intelligence — combining foresight, systems thinking, visioning, motivating, and partnering. More than a competency framework; a lens for understanding why some leaders navigate complexity and drive lasting change while others fall short.
-
Strategic Execution: Driving Breakthrough Performance in Business
Bridges the gap between strategy and results by focusing on the people, processes, and leadership capabilities that determine whether a strategy actually gets executed. A practical framework grounded in real organizational experience.
Leadership & Change
-
Change Management vs. Change Leadership — What's the Difference?
John Kotter explains why change leadership, not just change management, is essential for true transformation. The difference lies in vision, emotion, and energy — key forces that drive large-scale change forward.
Watch → -
Hiring an Entrepreneurial Leader
Entrepreneurs have become the new heroes of the business world — but entrepreneurialism is often misunderstood in organizational contexts. This piece examines what it actually means to lead with an entrepreneurial orientation inside established firms.
Read → -
The Existential Necessity of Midlife Change
Coined in 1965, the term 'midlife crisis' reflects a period of existential reflection — but it can also fuel profound transformation. This article revisits Elliott Jaques' insights and offers a hopeful lens on midlife as a fertile space for reinvention and leadership evolution.
Read → -
It's Time to Make Management a True Profession
The erosion of trust in business leadership demands a new professional standard — complete with ethics and education. This article argues for formalizing management as a civic duty, not just a shareholder obligation.
Read →
Organizational Culture & Innovation
-
The Hard Truth about Innovative Cultures
Everyone wants to work in innovative cultures — but they often come with discomfort, tension, and disciplined execution. The article explores how companies can embrace failure, psychological safety, and experimentation without losing performance focus.
Read → -
The Limits of Empathy
Ford's 'Empathy Belly' experiment raises a deeper question: can true empathy be manufactured or simulated? This piece argues that empathy has limits and must be paired with deeper structural understanding and ongoing inquiry.
Read →
Design Thinking
-
Why Design Thinking in Business Needs a Rethink
Design thinking has promise, but businesses must adapt it to their internal dynamics and operational realities. The article calls for aligning design thinking with real-world structures, advocating for a more nuanced, embedded approach to innovation.
Read → -
How Design Thinking Improves the Creative Process
Stanford GSB's Stefanos Zenios explains how design thinking helps entrepreneurs turn ideas into real-world products, outlining practical steps like prototyping, feedback loops, and structured brainstorming.
Watch →
Interim Leadership & Execution
-
The Outsider Edge
The success of managers hired for temporary roles shows that loose ties and cultural distance can help a leader be effective. Drawing from decades of research, this piece shows how organizational outsiders navigate power structures and influence through networks rather than formal authority.
Read → -
COO Excellence: The Next Generation of Leadership
The role of the Chief Operating Officer is evolving — and those who excel are defining a new standard of executive leadership. McKinsey examines how the most effective COOs combine operational rigor with strategic influence, shaping organizations from the inside while enabling the CEO to focus outward.
Read → -
How Frank Gehry Delivers On Time and On Budget
A study of over 16,000 major projects reveals that only 0.5% were completed on time, on budget, and with expected benefits. Master architect Frank Gehry consistently defies those odds — this article reveals four lessons from interviews with Gehry and his colleagues.
Read →
Personal Renewal
-
When a Vacation Isn't Enough — A Sabbatical Can Recharge Your Life and Career
Burning out and ready to quit? Consider an extended break instead. DJ DiDonna offers practical advice to help people chart a new path through a sabbatical, drawing from research inspired by his own 900-mile journey. Sabbaticals provide a structured opportunity to reflect, reset, and return with renewed purpose.
Read →