Most leaders I know think they are lucid, and believe their decisions are guided by facts and hard evidence. The vast majority of us don’t imagine ourselves to be emotionally out of control. Nor do we believe we project our emotional needs on others. Well, here’s a litmus test: If you’re a parent, a business leader or a spouse, and you want to better understand how emotional factors influence human decisions, pay attention to pet trends. I began thinking about this in ear

A company president asked, “What are some of the leadership goals you try to promote?” I sent him the following list, and offer it to a wider audience of leaders for consideration: Agnostic curiosity Asking a question with the attitude of wanting to discover something new: “I’m more interested in exploring than in leading you to my solution.” Humble swagger Confidence tempered by the sober recognition of dumb luck in one’s success: “Yes, I’ve worked hard, and acknowledge m

The end of one year, the beginning of the next. I am wishing you continued learning and insight in 2016. In that spirit, I will offer a few thoughts on the nature of humility in leadership. Throughout the course of my life and career, the leaders who have stood out the most display genuine humility. It’s one of those qualities that stands above the rest, something you recognize in a thousand small gestures, but is difficult to manufacture. I’m not talking about the f