Mastering Open Communication in your important dyads

  This week, I invite you to walk through an exercise in Leading by Two.  1. Recognize your partners: With whom are you Leading by Two? My partners and I have become quite clear that “Leading by Two” (LX2) describes not only a what – a relationship with a single essential partner – but it … Continued

Correcting a (Covid) Communication Killer

Our research at LeadingX2 unequivocally tells us that Open Communication is the number one driver of the quality of paired relationships.  Remoteness, thanks to Covid, amplifies a life lesson:  STOP TEXTING AND EMAILING ABOUT HARD STUFF!!!!!! I scream this in all caps to evoke how one-way communication like this can feel. Doesn’t it grate on you? … Continued

Who’s a Great Partner and What Do You Look For?

My co-writer, John Gillis, says “No one leads alone. No one.”  When you pull away the perceptual film of “the leader,” you see “leading by two” is everywhere.  We can learn how we best pair by looking at others who do it well. One unusual pair is Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor. They co-host Ear Hustle, … Continued

Be Careful How You Characterize

Authors create characters. Back in 1982, when I was entirely smitten with the work of novelist Walker Percy, I wrote him a letter to tell him that his writing was so good that I felt his characters were more real than people I met in my life.  (If you enjoy character novels, try Percy’s Love in … Continued

How to Take a Big Leap in Leadership Effectiveness

I sincerely believe I am going to leap forward in my teaching-leadership this week, because I got a great gift a week ago. The context for the gift was my sending students an email last weekend. In it, I told them that I was seeking a few individuals who would take turns offering me coaching … Continued

Mending Division in Your Leadership World

Read if there is division in your world.  If not, skip it. Two stories. 4 points of view. Please see if you can withhold judgment. Story 1. A dear mentee and friend.  He’d spent more than a handful of years in prison for a crime he committed as a teen.  He’s an inspiration to me.  … Continued

Two Powerful Listening Practices

It’s extraordinary how we learn shortcuts and habits in everything we do in order to be more efficient. It’s pretty cool. Of course, our practices and habits cause us not only to repeat good shortcuts but also to repeat mistakes. Mistakes we’re not even aware of. That’s why a great coach – in tennis, guitar, … Continued

Leading Through Division

Could Trump Kaepernick and the NFL teach us all something about leading in our own individual, collective and sometimes divisive lives? I think so. If you haven’t been following the National Football League, a controversy began over a year ago when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick chose to sit during the national anthem. (If you … Continued

Mulhern Mistake #502 – Failure to Proactively Recruit

I saw Spiderman: Homecoming this weekend.  I like the guy.  But at one point hubris got him.  Doesn’t it always?  Next thing you know, his recklessness results in a Staten Island Ferry splitting in two.  Thank God for the (pompous) Iron Man who comes along with much more than webs, and bridges the two parts … Continued

Dirty Management Truth: What’s Up?

Dirty truth:  Most of us were never taught how to manage an individual, and especially when that individual goofed up. We mimic our parents, bosses, Murphy Brown, Donald Trump. We dislike it. They dislike it. It’s just something that has to be done, like vomiting when you’ve had too much of the wrong thing. Here’s … Continued

>