Almost everyone misses the point of this quote.And it’s why you struggle with focus in practice even though you know everything about it in theory.Here’s how the quote continues:“You have to pick carefully.”That’s what is so often missed.People quote Jobs and think focus is about saying no.But saying no is meaningless when you don’t know what you say “yes” to.→ What do you pick?Can you articulate it with unmistakable clarity?Chances are you can’t.How do I know?Because almost everyone glosses...
about 18 hours ago • 2 min read
What the Best Leaders Say Issue 3 Welcome to the third issue of What the Best Leaders Say. It’s been a pretty crazy year and I would be surprised if life hasn’t thrown some curveballs your way. Projects that failed, things that went wrong, not to mention the sheer chaos of the world around us. But if we’re honest, this is exactly why your leadership matters. When the storms rise, when the future is unclear, and decisions still have to be made … that’s when leadership is tested. Today, we’re...
18 days ago • 15 min read
Three things happened last week that looked unrelated. A meeting ended right on time. A decision was made and parked. A conversation you meant to continue never did. None of them felt very important in the moment. But. Together, they sent a message your team heard very clearly.(Even if they can’t pinpoint it.) It’s a trap many organizations fall into. Leaders believe impact comes from the big moments.The bold decision.The powerful speech.The clear strategy. But that’s how things start.Impact...
20 days ago • 1 min read
Two ways to read this statement.Only one makes you a champion. The other leads to burnout. Many people read this and think it means this: Just keep going long enough and success will follow. That’s persistency.Some would call it consistency. What it mostly does is produce effort.Sometimes results.And very often burnout. Because if you just stubbornly keep playing, doing what you’ve always done, you’ll get the results you’ve always got. It’s the second line that makes the difference.You keep...
22 days ago • 1 min read
Perhaps the most underrated habit in communication is to look for the plain and simple words. People think that fancy words will persuade better. Others think that jargon will make them appear more professional. Some are simply careless and never really bother translating the boardroom jargon. And some, believe it or not, still consider it a badge of honor when half the room can’t follow because they juggle heavy words and complex sentences. But. When you think about it, what makes your...
23 days ago • 1 min read
A terrible hangover is awaiting many leaders.Communication coaches, too. Because AI will finally expose who had anything to say in the first place. Anyone will be able to ask an AI to polish their words and find a neat metaphor or wordplay. That part is solved. Which means one thing.→ Weak messages can no longer hide behind eloquence. Soon, no one will really care who says things better.They will care who says better things. AI can help you express what you mean.It cannot choose what you...
26 days ago • 1 min read
Only one of those columns builds a culture that consistently finds innovation: When you look at the columns, resist the philosophical rabbit hole.Think about your last three big conversations. The board update.The leadership offsite.The all hands. Did you talk more about “beating X, defending Y, crushing Z” or about “what we are learning, what surprised us, where customers show us we’re still missing the mark”? What’s the kind of conversation that follows each? The first keeps everyone...
27 days ago • 1 min read
Did you ever try to push open a door that needs to be pulled? I’ve certainly bumped into one more than once. Just yesterday, actually. I pushed.Pushed harder.And only after the third attempt did I notice the small word near the handle. → Pull. This is what trying to be right feels like. You trust your first idea.You commit to it.You invest effort. And when it doesn’t move, you push harder because you are sure the idea should work. Trying to get it right feels very different. You stop pushing...
28 days ago • 1 min read
What the Best Leaders Say Issue 2 Welcome to the second issue of What the Best Leaders Say. While the last essay was about a very specific idea (pausing to ask “what’s actually true right now?”), today we’re looking at two fascinating leaders who couldn’t be more different in approaching that idea. Both were financially very successful and led their company to unseen heights. But the way they communicate is like polar opposites – just as their impact was on the company’s culture. But before...
about 1 month ago • 13 min read
