How Flat Organizations Become Toxic

by Patrick Kitchen | Sep 11, 2019 | Articles, Leadership

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

by Patrick Kitchen | Jun 23, 2019 | Articles, Leadership

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

by Patrick Kitchen | Mar 27, 2019 | Articles, Leadership

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...

Helping Leaders Manage in the #MeToo Era

by Patrick Kitchen | Mar 5, 2019 | Abuse of Power, Articles, Leadership, Learning and Development, organizations

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

by Julie | Jan 2, 2019 | Abuse of Power, Articles, Leadership, Learning and Development, organizations

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”...

Power Dynamics: Why the Open Door Isn’t

by Patrick Kitchen | Dec 4, 2018 | Articles, Leadership

Several years ago I coached a leader and her team regarding insider-outsider power dynamics. They had hired two new team members and thought everything was going well. The new hires had great skills and good attitudes; they were easy to get along with and seemed to...