The Wilds of the Workplace

When it finds itself on the losing end of a social encounter, a baboon has a choice. Soothe itself by getting groomed by another baboon, or vent its anger on a lower-ranking baboon. The higher up the baboon, the more likely choice #2 will prevail. Sound familiar? As...

The Bill Will Always Come Due

Someone asked me the other day what the hardest situation I dealt with when I was a therapist. I had clients who suffered terrible hardships, childhood abuse, and chronic physical pain that made everyday functioning impossible. But what sprung to mind was a young man...

This Year in Power

What did you learn in 2022?I learned a lot this past year. In particular, I learned a lot about power. There were some very good uses of power, some notably bad uses of power (as always), and there were even new forms of power on display.So, here’s my rundown of the...
The Guardrails of Power

The Guardrails of Power

In the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a video of Putin meeting with his security council was widely circulated. In it, Putin is sitting behind a large desk at the far end of the room, and way at the other end, are his advisors, sitting in a circle of...
Want to empower others? Tap into your fear

Want to empower others? Tap into your fear

Someone asked me recently, on a podcast, a question I often get: How do I empower others? How do I get people with less rank to take ownership? How can I make space for others? Empowering others. Holding back. Making space. This seems like the right thing to do to...