The Stories We Inherit vs. The Stories We Create

by | May 13, 2026

The Stories We Inherit vs. The Stories We Create I took my daughter to Washington, D.C. recently, and we spent the day learning about history. At one point, standing in front of a statue of Thomas Jefferson, she looked at me and said, “I thought Thomas Jefferson was...

AI as a Cost Cutter vs. a Growth Engine

by | May 6, 2026

AI as a Cost Cutter vs. a Growth Engine AI is exposing a leadership problem. Too many companies are only talking about AI as a way to cut costs. But what about growth? This week in This Week in Culture, I wrote about my conversation with Nicole Mangarella, Head of...

When ‘They’ Take Over

by | Apr 22, 2026

When ‘They’ Take Over “They.” “They didn’t give us clarity.” “They don’t understand the business.” “They made the wrong call.” It’s one word, but it tells you everything about a culture. The moment it shows up, ownership starts to slip. People start describing what’s...

The Problem of Safety Is Never Solved

by | Apr 15, 2026

The Problem of Safety Is Never Solved I keynoted a safety conference this week with a manufacturing company that leads its industry, with more than a decade without a fatality. To kick off the event the head of safety stood up and said, “We’ve done well, but people...

Looks Like I Was Right to Be a Theater Major 

by | Apr 8, 2026

Looks Like I Was Right to Be a Theater Major For the last two decades, we optimized for specialization. Go deep, build technical expertise, and become indispensable through what you can do. Now many of those same technical tasks are being automated, and the advantage...

Three Words That Cost 1 Billion Dollars

by | Mar 25, 2026

Three Words That Cost 1 Billion Dollars You’re on mute! The three most annoying and expensive words of our time? Perhaps. But I believe they are a sign of something more indicative of our mindset. We are in a perpetual state of low grade distraction. I’ve figured this...