“I, too, am America.”

I, Too {Langston Hughes} I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table When company comes. Nobody’ll dare Say to me, “Eat in the kitchen,” Then. Besides, They’ll see

#48 – Letting Go

Of expectations Of how it’s “supposed to be” Of old hurts Of waiting for other people to “get” you Of old patterns Of smallness Of hoarding Of dualism Of negativity Of waiting to be “picked” Of isolation Of separation Of the facade Of control Of fear Of silence Of what no longer serves you, your

#41 – Change Ready

I believe that both leadership failures and leadership successes can be traced to a common question: has the leader done his or her internal work? That work – the decision to diminish the influence of one’s past experience on one’s present behaviors – always precedes external awareness. It always precedes one’s ability to remain rooted

#40 – Explain About the Thread

“The Way It Is” There’s a thread you follow. It goes among things that change. But it doesn’t change. People wonder about what you are pursuing. You have to explain about the thread. But it is hard for others to see. While you hold it you can’t get lost. Tragedies happen; people get hurt or die;

#33 – Originality

Doing a bad imitation of yourself is always better than doing a great imitation of someone else. A “bad” imitation? Yes, as in you are still coming into your own. You are still discovering your point of view, clarifying your values, finding confidence in your strengths, getting comfortable with feedback, learning how to stand by

#30 – You Can Adjust Your Default Setting

Two beliefs are highly problematic for the modern human being. The first is the belief that we are supposed to be rational actors and the second is the belief that we are. Just two minutes of silence reveals that in each of our heads exists a chorus of competing, irrational voices that makes our decision-making,

#18 – Build Capability Before You Need It

This is #18 in the series, “50 Ideas Worth Fighting For.” Here’s another one that I like a lot. Since we know that nothing lasts forever, a healthy, necessary and realistic point of view for leaders to take is that whatever is working right now will not necessarily work next year. Rationally, we understand that.

#11 – There is no “There”

This is #11 in the series, “50 Ideas Worth Fighting For” There is no “there.” There is only next. In the domain of human development and learning, arrival is a myth. Awareness and action are the currency of the realm. It’s a currency that cannot buy completion or entitlement to a finish line. It can

#10 – “Development” is a Verb

This is #10 in the series, “50 Ideas Worth Fighting For.” Development is an action. Like any effective action it requires insight and planning (reflection) to precede it but, at its core, development is about forward movement and progress. This is not to convey an image of “leaps and bounds” but of an active progression

#4 – Know Your Strengths

Between now and March 22, I am happy to share “50 Ideas Worth Fighting For.” What are you doing when you are at your best? What are you doing when you feel the most accomplished, competent and confident? What are you doing when you feel energized, when time flies by, when your work is not