Where Faith Meets Business Excellence
“We’re not a company based on technology. That enables us. We’re a company based on people.” In 2025, this quote almost feels rebellious. But coming from Howard Schultz, the former Starbucks chief who grew the chain into the world’s largest,…
Read More More Than Coffee: Starbucks’ Bold Bet on People Over Profits
Leadership Memo 2025-7 In my last newsletter, I shared the moment a CEO called an executive meeting with one item on the agenda: me. I was just a director. Not on the executive team. But apparently, I had "too much…
Read More Why Being Told You Have “Too Much Influence” Is Actually a Compliment
If you want to lead well, there’s no secret. Most leaders just miss one simple habit: showing appreciation. It’s not fluff. It’s not optional. It makes others feel seen and valued. Genuinely appreciating people strengthens trust, boosts morale, and inspires…
Read More The Secret to Leading People Well? Start with Appreciation.
In a mini-series that we started last month, we’ve been unpacking how to navigate conflict, starting with owning your part even when the conflict may be 99.99 percent their fault. Then listening for the other person’s hurt and perspective. Today,…
Read More You Don’t Need to Agree on Everything: The Power of Reconciliation in Leadership
The fireworks have faded, the flags are folded away, and the 4th of July has come and gone. As we reflect on what it means to celebrate America’s independence, it’s worth asking a deeper question: What does independence mean for…
Read More The Paradox of Independence: Why We Need Each Other to Thrive
Leadership Memo 2025-6 Leadership isn't about job titles or fancy offices. I learned that the hard way when a CEO once called an executive meeting with one agenda item: me. At the time, I was just a director, not even…
Read More From Influence to Impact: 10 Non-Negotiables of Modern Leadership
Work-life balance sounds like a noble goal… until the fires just. keep. coming. I recently spoke with a CEO who’s newly married, newly short-staffed, and deeply stressed. He had just let someone go, and in the aftermath, found himself doing…
Read More Work-Life Balance Is Broken—Here’s What Leaders Actually Need
Leadership Memo 2025-5 Last month, we explored how Bayer’s Dynamic Shared Ownership (DSO) transformation has been going after one year. This time, let’s take a closer look at how DSO really works in everyday practice. CEO Bill Anderson points to…
Read More The Ownership Shift: What Bayer’s DSO Teaches Us About Leading Differently
Kindness isn’t just a nice personality trait. It’s a core leadership skill. In today’s world, leaders are often expected to be sharp, strategic, and results-driven. But without kindness, leadership becomes cold and transactional. Kindness is what transforms leadership from managing…
Read More Leading with Heart: Why Kindness Is a Leadership Essential, Not a Weakness
Would you say you’re flourishing? It’s not a word we hear often in today’s fast-paced world. A little whimsical, a little niche. It sounds more at home in poetry or therapy than in the boardroom. Yet recently, in an interview…
Read More From Surviving to Thriving: A Leader’s Guide to Human Flourishing
