Welcome to Leadership Insights! Each week, we curate transformative leadership insights and add our own expertise to help you lead with purpose and impact. Whether you’re a seasoned executive or an emerging leader, you’ll find actionable wisdom in every edition.
Here’s a leadership practice that can transform how you approach challenges: Name the real problem before rushing to solve it. Often, we jump straight to fixing what’s in front of us without digging deeper into the root issue. This leads to wasted time, misaligned solutions, and unresolved frustrations.
This week, before tackling your next challenge, pause and ask: “What’s the real problem we’re trying to solve here?” Then follow up with, “If we solve this, what will it change?” This simple but powerful process can help you clarify priorities, focus your energy, and ensure your actions drive meaningful results. It’s not just about solving faster—it’s about solving smarter.
This Week’s Posts We Love
LinkedIn Spotlight by Melissa Tront
Micromanagement shows up more often than we’d like to admit—and I’ve coached countless clients through breaking that cycle. Melissa Tront captures it so well: real leadership is about trust, coaching, and building people, not control. The leaders who inspire are the ones who know when to step back and let others step up. Where do you see opportunities to step back and trust more?
Click Here to Check Out The Full LI Post
Podcast Spotlight: The New Yorker Cartoon by Jeremy Nguyen
I had to stop mid-scroll at this one from The New Yorker—such a witty and relatable moment! It’s a perfect reminder that sometimes our workplace rituals need a little comic clarity. It cracked me up, but it also nudges us to pause and rethink how we connect with our teams. Laughter and insight—always a win.
Listen to the Full Episode Here
Book of the Week
Leadership BS: Fixing Workplaces and Careers One Truth at a Time by Jeffrey Pfeffer
This week’s choice for leaders is Leadership BS by Jeffrey Pfeffer, a bold critique of the leadership industry and its often misguided prescriptions. Pfeffer challenges popular leadership myths, offering a refreshingly evidence-based perspective that helps leaders focus on what truly drives effectiveness and success.
Must-Read Article of the Week
“Why Is Effective Communication Important to Career Success?” by USC Anneberg
This article is a great read for leaders looking to enhance communication in their teams. It emphasizes the importance of clear, concise messaging and understanding your audience, especially when communicating with C-suite executives. Leaders will find value in this because it offers practical strategies for mitigating conflict, improving team collaboration, and fostering a culture of communication that can drive overall business success.
From the CARE to Lead® Archives
Five Barriers to Creative Thinking
We all want to think of ourselves as creative leaders—but the truth is, there are real barriers that can quietly block innovation on our teams. From silos to time pressure to a lack of psychological safety, these obstacles can keep even the best ideas from surfacing. In this week’s archive spotlight, we revisit Five Barriers to Creative Thinking and how to overcome them. A quick read with practical steps to help you (and your team) unlock fresh ideas.
Closing Thoughts
Great leadership starts with clarity. What’s one challenge where you can pause, reflect, and name the real problem this week? Let’s keep the conversation going—connect with me on LinkedIn, Bluesky, YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram, and share how this approach impacts your decisions.
Thank you for being part of our leadership community. We’re dedicated to helping you lead with Clarity, Authenticity, Responsibility, and Engagement. Until next week, keep raising the bar on your leadership journey!
