Friends, I can’t quite figure out what to think of the fact that Kate, our oldest daughter, was the one of our three kids who seemed to need the most coaching; and now at 22, she’s expert and forthright. I look up to her for thoughtful advice. Yesterday, she was really on her game. She … Continued
Friends, I was with a friend of mine this week who is a lifelong educator. He was working with his fourth grader on her homework, and his daughter was getting frustrated and nervous that she couldn’t figure out a couple of problems. His advice to his daughter took me off guard. “It’s okay to leave … Continued
Friends, My friend Cheryl Polk said something to me I’ll never forget, “We share the same physical space,” she said, “but we don’t share the same psychological space.” Cheryl’s a psychologist, an African American woman, and she was shedding brilliant light for me on how the very diverse group of Kellogg National Fellows to which … Continued
Sibling Rivalry – Sibling Leadership Friends, I was talking to my sister Sheila a trained social worker, about the cover of this week’s TIME: “Why Mom Liked You Best: The Science of Favoritism.” I asked her what she thought it meant for leadership. “Everything,” she said. “I think it’s present in every workplace, as people … Continued
Friends, Tomorrow, Jennifer and I officially release A Governor’s Story: The Fight for Jobs and America’s Economic Future. It took us about 18 months to write, and it’s about 300 pages long, so, (how) can I distill a decent Reading for Leading message? (Warning: I run a paragraph longer than usual, but beg you to … Continued
Friends, Maybe because all four of my grandparents came to this country as young adults, I have always had a bias in favor of the gifts that newcomers bring to a culture. I am stoked at the experience I have begun in this regard. Might it have relevance for you? I have 30-some students in … Continued
Friends, Like Socrates, I know one thing for sure: I don’t know anything for sure. The cool thing about “not knowing” is that you’re always learning. I learned a TON last week, and I want to share three quickies with you. I hope they help you see that whatever ignorance, lack, uncertainty, or emptiness you … Continued
Friends, So, we’re out here in far away California. Our house feels like a summer cottage – lots of wood and windows-to-nature and walls that don’t require northern insulation – and we feel like we’re on vacation. Classes don’t start until late August. Jack’s cool with summer. Jennifer and I are a bit too Type-A. … Continued
Friends, As Fathers Day approaches I’m wondering where father leadership is these days. In my home, we have watched my wife play most of what used to be considered male roles; many of you have witnessed the obvious – Jennifer as primary breadwinner, public face of the family. In our house too, roles were flipped … Continued
Friends, Have you ever thought about all the lines that have been erased in the last 50 years? It hit me when I was listening to a story about the number and impact of “soldier bloggers” in Iraq and Afghanistan. Technology has eliminated the line between journalists and troops, and the line between commanders and … Continued