I go into organizations knowing something isn’t working. That’s why I’m there. What I don’t know is what. So, I assume the best of the executive team. I work to pull out the best in each of them, because if… Read More »Flying on Instruments: What happens when you strip an executive team down to nothing
The old operating model still owns the deadlines, the budget and the promises. The new model has approval, but it does not yet have the trust, authority, or ownership required to operate. I met with two executives recently who were… Read More »Transformation Fails in the Crossing
The crossing an organization has to make, from a model built for stability to one built for continuous change, is real, and it has been done at scale. But organizations rarely stall there for lack of a better strategy. They… Read More »Building Transformation from the Inside Out: Part 2—Why the Leader Has to Go First
There’s a particular kind of frustration a leader lives with when something isn’t working and they can’t yet name what. The plan is sound. The right people are at the table. Status reports show movement. And yet the leader knows… Read More »Building Transformation from the Inside Out: Part 1 — Why Your Organization Keeps Transforming and Nothing Changes
Many of the leaders I’ve worked with who have navigated significant transformations successfully have told me some version of the same thing: the moment they almost gave up was the moment just before the whole thing turned. Not metaphorically. Operationally.… Read More »Stalled Initiative? The Problem Is Rarely What Leaders Think
A CEO called me in after nine months of open conflict between his COO and CFO. Both executives were operationally competent — he was clear on that. The problem wasn’t their individual performance. However, the conflict had fractured the leadership… Read More »The Question Underneath the Question: What Actually Resolves Executive Conflict
Why Initiatives Stall — and What It Takes to Sustain Them Leading right now means operating under sustained pressure — delivering outcomes, collaborating across sectors, showing progress quickly, all with limited political capital and resources. So you build the partnerships.… Read More »Building Transformation from the Inside Out
The vision is clear. The strategy is sound. The commitment is real. And yet… Execution feels like pushing a boulder uphill. Meetings produce agreement, not movement. Status reports show activity, not progress. You’ve invested real energy and resources getting this… Read More »When Transformation Stalls: The Hidden Infrastructure Problem
As we step into a new year, many leaders find themselves at a crossroads. You might be feeling the pull to make changes—in your organization, your leadership approach, or even yourself. But here’s the critical question that will determine your… Read More »Are You in Transition or Transformation? Know the Difference
As we close out another year, there’s a familiar rhythm to this season—the reflection, the gratitude lists, the resolutions brewing in the back of our minds. But before we rush headlong into planning for what’s next, I want to invite… Read More »The Gift of Dissatisfaction