Newsletter
Schedule a Time to Talk
Power Intelligence:
Insights on Power and Leadership
Using Your Power for Good
Last year, I was invited to facilitate a day of learning for a learning organization that had been together for close to 40 years. I was set to walk into a room of people I had never met, who have known each other for decades, had already been together for a whole day...
It’s Gossip, Even if You Don’t Know it.
What workplace behavior rates as the most annoying and distressing? Gossip. Gossip comes up, again and again, as a central contributing factor to workplace toxicity. Gossip is corrosive to workplace culture. It eats away at trust, undermines teamwork, and...
Leadership Isn’t a Role, It’s a Series of Behaviors
We know there is a deep connection between culture and organizational outcomes. When culture is done right, it unleashes tremendous energy, harnessing a diverse set of talents towards shared organizational goals. But a culture that is hostile and dysfunctional...
Building Trust Means Breaking It First
I am often asked by leaders how to build greater trust on their teams. Like any coach or facilitator, I know a lot of tools and methods for building trust. But the truth is, nothing builds trust better than what happens after you break it. Trust develops over time,...
How Flat Organizations Become Toxic
Six months into her new job, my client was frustrated, depressed, and debating whether to leave. It was a stark contrast to how she felt just six months earlier. At first, Alicia had jumped at the opportunity to be part of the marketing team at a dynamic and promising...
Don’t Fall for these 4 Traps of Expertise
Falling into the Trap of Expertise A couple of years ago, I made a huge mistake. And in this case, huge is likely an understatement. Preparing to travel to Mumbai, I followed the wrong set of instructions on my visa form and found myself being turned away at the...
5 Ways to Help Others Speak Up
The reality of hierarchical social systems is that people hold deeply ingrained, taken-for-granted beliefs that it’s dangerous to speak up or disagree with those in power… It’s up to leaders to foster the climate of psychological safety required to overcome that...
The Surprising Truth About Feeling Powerless
“I sit here all day trying to persuade people to do the things they ought to have sense enough to do without my persuading them. ... That's all the powers of the President amount to.” Although this quotation is attributed to Harry Truman, any President...
Helping Leaders Manage in the #MeToo Era
Last week I was coaching Mike, a Senior Vice President, and someone known throughout his company as a diversity champion. He’s managed and mentored many women and minorities, and played a central role in advancing their careers. In the middle of our conversation, he...
3 Lessons We Learned About Power in 2018
The ugly side of power was on full display in 2018. In fact, it was a banner year for the misuse and abuse of power. We witnessed a parade of powerful men resign or being fired over sexual abuse and misconduct. We saw the popularity of the “strong man autocrat”...