The Case for “Status Intelligence”

In a recent edition of The Wall Street Journal, Professors Gavin Kilduff and Tessa West of NYU suggest there is a different skill in team interaction than previous researchers have found, which they call “status intelligence” [1] –– the ability to read status hierarchies within a team. They separate it from other skills, such as … Read more

Take More Ownership of Time

Having trouble finding time? In 2016, a weekends-off initiative was unveiled at J.P. Morgan called “Pencils Down.” The media was quick to highlight the move by the financial giant as a radical step: “The initiative…is unusual in a high-powered corner of Wall Street where 100-hour weeks are considered by some as a badge of honor … Read more

Disciplined Leadership: Becoming Better at “Distance Leadership”

This is part of a series of blogs on the theme of ‘Disciplined Leadership.’ “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” – Max De Pree So many conversations I hear these days are about the challenges of virtual … Read more

The Power of the First Impression

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of talking with Bill Higgs as part of his ‘Culture Code Champions‘ podcast. We talked about several things — my history at West Point, what Level Five leadership and culture mean, and how to better manage teams. One subject that stood out was a story from Bill … Read more

Podcast Episode 14: Trust And Empower, with Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jack Matthews

In this podcast episode, my guest is Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jack Matthews. Jack spent time in the Army, in corporate life at Intel, and in a civilian capacity at the Air Force. The launching point for our conversation is one of The Big Six Leadership Principles®: “Trust and Empower.” We discuss how to begin building … Read more

Leadership Succession: Who’s Next Up?

“A leader’s lasting value is measured by succession.” – John C. Maxwell In my younger days, I was an aspiring baseball player, relegated initially to the bench for a couple of seemingly endless seasons.  One coach I remember distinctly used to tell us ‘bench-riders’ that we could never just sit there if we really wanted … Read more