The Distance Between How You Lead and How You’re Experienced
A Conversation with Phyllis Sarkaria In this Expert Monday conversation, Mentessa founder & CEO Tina Ruseva sits down with executive coach Phyllis Sarkaria to talk about the gap every leader eventually runs into: the difference between how you intend to show up and how your team actually experiences you. Phyllis draws on more than 30 […]
The Boss as Friend Myth (and what it’s costing you both)
A recent Fast Company article[1] argues that leaders should stop choosing between being a friend and being a boss, and just be both. It’s a feel-good idea. It’s also a problematic one. Here’s what the article gets right: leaders who show genuine care, build trust, and invest in human connection are more effective than those […]
The Blind Spot Between “Why” and “How”
We live and lead in a world that resists prediction. Markets shift. Teams fracture. Strategies are disrupted by unexpected events that, in hindsight, seem obvious. So why do smart, experienced leaders still get caught off guard? The Problem Isn’t the Information New research from Stanford GSB[1] offers insight into this question — and the answer […]
Correlated Learning, Part 2: What was left out?
On Monday, I shared Stanford professor Steve Callander’s research on correlated learning: the idea that decisions – from your tiny experiments to your big initiatives – can tell you something not just about that choices you’ve made, but about the options you haven’t explored yet. Let’s dig into that topic more deeply. Most leadership decisions […]
Correlated Learning, Part 1: Cycling versus Learning
Where are we not looking? ‘Fail forward’ is a cliché. But we use it frequent. It’s a reminder that mistakes, failures, errors happen. And that individuals and teams grow when we learn from those failures. Stanford GSB professor Steve Callander asks a question related to this that is worth pausing to consider more fully. When […]
Reading the Room Is a Skill. Here’s What It’s Actually Called.
Every experienced professional knows this moment: You’re sitting in a leadership team meeting. The strategy makes sense. The data supports it. And yet, something in the room tells you this isn’t going to land. Maybe it’s the silence from the one person whose buy-in actually matters. Maybe it’s the energy shift when a certain topic […]
8 Steps to Energize Team Discussions
Most of us spend more time than we might like in meetings that don’t get to the heart of issues. There are many ways, however, to energize those dull gatherings. One of my favorites, is a think-write-share approach to brainstorming. Typical team discussions tend to benefit the most talkative and most confident, regardless of whether […]
Finding Clarity and Success Through Your Leadership GPS
What does it take for women to not just survive but thrive as they break through barriers in their leadership journey? As women continue to break through barriers, rise in power, and influence positive change globally, the importance of supporting their leadership journey becomes more critical. In this conversation with the brilliant and talented Sabine […]
Five Biases that Limit Leadership Effectiveness
A recent Strategy+Business article on divestiture strategy identified five biases that can result in executives not making timely decisions to divest assets or sell business units that aren’t a fit, in spite of “a strong correlation between long-term value, as gauged by total shareholder return, and a proactive divestiture strategy.” As I read through explanations […]
Be a Candle, Not a Match
Have you ever needed to ‘light a fire’ under someone? A client mentioned this desire recently with regard to short work weeks. That is, work weeks that include a holiday. Often people take additional time off, or perhaps they are working but aren’t fully engaged. The client was exasperated with a perceived lack of urgency […]
