First Look: Leadership Books for July 2025

HERE'S A LOOK at some of the best leadership books to be released in July 2025 curated just for you. Be sure to check out the other great titles being offered this month.

G.O.A.T. Wisdom: How to Build a Truly Great Business—From the Founders of Beekman 1802 by Dr. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell

Have you ever wanted to create a business that's not only good but great? Have you ever felt as though you're destined to do something bigger and more significant with your life? If so, you should know that you don't need millions in funding, a marketing department, or influencer status. If you have an idea, the determination to bring it to life, a deep and abiding belief in your product, and a devotion to your customers, you already have the humble starting point behind one of the world's fastest-growing and most beloved brands: Beekman 1802. In this book, for the first time, Ridge and Kilmer-Purcell present the twelve principles that made the biggest difference in their entrepreneurial journey, and show how these principles are relevant for anyone ready to defy the odds and grow a brand that matters.

Flow Leadership: Unleash the Power of People, Purpose, and Performance by Gaelle Devins

In Flow Leadership, Gaëlle Devins―experienced executive and founder of FlowFusion―delivers a groundbreaking approach to unlocking the full potential of your team. This book introduces the 3P Assessment & Model, a powerful framework built on years of hands-on leadership, workshops, and academic research, helping leaders balance the three essential elements of high-performing teams: People, Purpose, and Performance. When these three forces align, they create a sustained state of FLOW@WORK―where individuals, teams, and entire organizations thrive. Gaëlle Devins explains how to ensure the people you lead at work feel their best, are at their best, and produce their best work.

The Science of Leadership: Nine Ways to Expand Your Impact by Jeffrey Hull and Margaret Moore

This book presents a game-changing synthesis of 50 years of leadership research as a comprehensive guide for seasoned and aspiring leaders, and anyone who wants to help their boss become a better leader. Authors Jeffrey Hull and Margaret Moore, translate academic research and their extensive experience in leading and coaching into a practical, self-coaching roadmap for your own growth in these times of exponential change and disruption. This book organizes the science of leadership (15,000+ studies and articles showing what improves individual, team, and organizational performance) into nine capacities which build upon each other. Each capacity is brought to life by real-life stories, a science overview, practices, and ways to deal with overuse.

The Emotionally Intelligent Team: Building Collaborative Groups that Outperform the Rest by Vanessa Urch Druskat

Great teams can sometimes feel like magic. So much so that it can be hard to pin down why they work so well. But such dynamics are explainable—and replicable. And at their heart is emotional intelligence. While much has been written about the power of emotional intelligence at the individual level, little has been said about the benefits of this concept for groups. And it's not as simple as putting a number of emotionally intelligent people together and expecting them to work cohesively. Instead, leaders need to build a team culture around agreed-upon norms and habits. This book combines thirty years of research and team development to present a model for building and leading emotionally intelligent teams.

Blindspotting: How To See What's Holding You Back as a Leader by Martin Dubin

As leaders, we all hit a point when things stop going well. A problem emerges that we think we can handle but discover we can't. The tools that got us this far somehow stop working. We don't understand; what are we missing? What we don't see is what we can't see: we have blindspots. It's a known fact that we're often not great judges of ourselves, even when we think we are. Sometimes we're simply unaware of a behavior or trait that's causing problems. Other times, where we see normal, effective behavior, others see tremendous deficits. Bottom line: until we uncover these blindspots, we can’t move forward or deliver on our goals as leaders. The good news is that you can learn to do your own blindspotting. Blindspotting provides a framework for understanding six types of blindspots.

For bulk orders call 1-626-441-2024

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“You can't think well without writing well, and you can't write well without reading well. And I mean that last "well" in both senses. You have to be good at reading, and read good things.”

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Posted by Michael McKinney at 06:02 AM
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LeadershipNow 140: June 2025 Compilation

Here is a selection of Posts from June 2025 that you will want to check out:

• What Happens When Leaders Solve for the Wrong Problem? by @TerriKlass
• Making Sense of the Invisible Rules That Shape Our Lives by @MicheleJGelfand via @StanfordGSB
• Different Kinds of Smart by @morganhousel
• Why Curiosity—Not Avoidance—is Key for Managing Performance by @suzimcalpine
• FedEx Founder Fred Smith Delivered More Than Packages via @TheDaily_Coach
• How Much Do Your Audiences Remember? by @DrNickMorgan Think of your key ideas as precious stones – and show your audience how the light catches them differently from multiple angles
• It's Okay Not To Know The Answer by @JosephLalonde
• Sam Altman: “No matter how great your idea is, no one cares.” via @StartupArchive_
• 4 Requirements of a Winning Culture by @BrianKDodd
• Very Bad Advice by @morganhousel
• Humility and Hubris by @KevinPaulScott Great leaders have enough humility to listen, and just enough hubris to act.
• 6 Powerful Mindsets for Turning Struggles into Strength by @AlanSteinJr
• Willpower Alone Isn’t Enough: The Power of Situational Modification via @TheDaily_Coach
• An American Century | 3 of 4 by @jamesstrock This is the third of four posts relating to the vision of ‘The American Century’ that animated the creation of the postwar world order.
• An American Century | 4 of 4 by @jamesstrock This segment frames our current challenges as the political economy of empire.
• The Relentless Pursuit of a Personal Mission via @AdmiredLeaders
• What Loss Teaches—If We Let It via @TheDaily_Coach
• Edging Toward an Abyss? by @jamesstrock The runup to the First World War in 1914 may hold lessons. Great empires had become complacent amid on-rushing change. Having lost their historical moorings, they lacked the imagination and the will to meet the moment.
• Social Media and The Lack of Nuance by @PhilCooke Platforms like Instagram aren't the place to debate serious issues
• Why Great Leaders Learn — Not Micromanage via @TheDaily_Coach
• The Performance Cycle by Kevin Stone @XPastorOnline

See more on Twitter.

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Posted by Michael McKinney at 08:18 AM
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Leading Through the Age of Disruption: Seeing Around Corners

IN today’s volatile and fast-paced world, disruption is no longer an exception—it’s the rule. Leaders are navigating an era defined by geopolitical uncertainty, technological innovation, supply chain challenges, and shifting societal expectations.

The modern company, whether an agile startup or a Fortune 500 behemoth, exists amid and among an ever-shifting foundation of geopolitical uncertainty, volatile markets, supply chain challenges, and technological innovation that moves at whiplash-inducing speeds.

To thrive in this environment, leaders must develop the ability to anticipate change, adapt quickly, and inspire their teams to do the same. They must in essence start seeing around corners.

The Importance of Purpose and Authenticity

Seeing Around Corners is the importance of leading with purpose and authenticity. In an age where stakeholders demand more than just profits, leaders must align their organizations with a clear and meaningful mission.

This integration of purpose and action is not just a moral imperative; it’s a strategic one. Employees, customers, and investors are increasingly drawn to organizations that demonstrate a genuine commitment to their values. Leaders must go beyond mission statements and ensure that their actions reflect their stated purpose.

As Viq Pervaaz, Partner and Health Sciences Leader at EY, notes, “Foundational leadership capabilities that we all possess and excel at — we truly need to integrate as we move into this new era.” This requires a deep understanding of one’s leadership capabilities and a willingness to adapt them to meet the challenges of the moment.

Empowering Teams in Times of Uncertainty

Disruption often brings uncertainty, and uncertainty can paralyze teams if not managed effectively. One of the most powerful tools in a leader’s arsenal is the ability to empower their people. Kristi Frank, VP for Procurement and Business Services at Novo Nordisk, emphasizes the importance of personal connection during times of change: “Reaching out to employees on a personal level is at least as important now as it was at the start of the pandemic. There was that period where — while it wasn’t great — we all understood and agreed we were remote, and that that meant some level of certainty for folks. Now we’re in this period of, 'Are we coming back? I’m not sure, can I come back?'"

Frank’s insight highlights the need for leaders to provide clarity and support, even when the path forward is unclear. By fostering open communication and giving employees a sense of control over their work, leaders can help their teams navigate uncertainty with confidence.

Setting a High Bar for Performance

In times of disruption, maintaining high performance standards is critical. However, this requires more than just setting ambitious goals; it demands a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Marc Effron, author of 8 Steps to High Performance, underscores this point: “Establishing a high bar for employee performance starts at the top, and failure to hold staff accountable can lead to disastrous fallout.”

Effron’s advice serves as a reminder that leaders must model the behaviors they expect from their teams. This includes not only holding others accountable but also being willing to adapt and grow themselves. As Effron succinctly puts it, “B players can't evaluate A players.” Leaders must strive to be “A players” who inspire and challenge their teams to reach new heights.

Building Resilience Through Integrity

Resilience is another key attribute for leaders navigating disruption. This resilience is built on a foundation of integrity and trust. Sophie Bechu, a contributor to The Five Keys to Operational Success, offers a simple yet powerful mantra: “Quality and Integrity Always.” She elaborates, “So you do the right thing—always.”

This commitment to integrity is not just about avoiding ethical missteps; it’s about creating a culture where employees feel safe to innovate and take risks. When leaders demonstrate integrity, they build trust within their organizations, which in turn fosters resilience in the face of challenges.

The Role of Innovation in Disruption

Finally, no discussion of leading through disruption would be complete without addressing the role of innovation. Disruption often creates opportunities for those who are willing to think differently and challenge the status quo. Leaders must cultivate a culture of innovation that encourages experimentation and rewards creative problem-solving.

As Nancy Lurker, CEO of Eyepoint Pharmaceuticals, observes, “The ability to adapt and innovate is what separates the leaders from the laggards in times of disruption.” Lurker’s perspective is particularly relevant in industries like healthcare, where rapid advancements in technology are reshaping the landscape. Leaders must not only embrace innovation themselves but also empower their teams to do the same.

Conclusion: Leading with Vision and Courage

Leading through disruption requires vision, courage, and a willingness to embrace change. It demands that leaders align their organizations with a clear purpose, empower their teams, maintain high performance standards, act with integrity, and foster a culture of innovation. The lessons shared in Seeing Around Corners provide a valuable resource for leaders seeking to navigate these challenges.

As you reflect on your own leadership journey, consider how you can apply these insights to your organization. What steps can you take to anticipate change, adapt to new realities, and inspire those around you? By doing so, you can not only see around corners but also lead your team to success in the age of disruption.

Over 80 thought leaders have contributed to conversations with Ken Banta and the Vanguard Network. These are captured in Seeing Around Corners and include insights from executives, such as: Fred Hassan, Director at Warburg Pincus, who led Pharmacia, Schering Plough, Bausch & Lomb; Tal Zaks, Partner, OrbiMed who was the chief medical officer at Moderna; Dave King, former CEO of Labcorp; Thomas Sabatino, Former Chief Legal Officer at Rite Aid, Aetna, Hertz, United Airlines; and Art Caplan, NYU Bioethics Professor who helped launch Viagra.

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Ken Banta is CEO of The Vanguard Network, a by-invitation community for senior executives as they build high performance organizations and take their leadership and teams to a new level. He is also the author of Seeing Around Corners: C-Suite Wisdom From America’s Most Insightful Leaders

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Posted by Michael McKinney at 06:50 AM
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Leading Thoughts for June 26, 2025

IDEAS shared have the power to expand perspectives, change thinking, and move lives. Here are two ideas for the curious mind to engage with:

I.

Peter Senge on personal mastery:

“Personal mastery goes beyond competence and skills, though it is grounded in competence and skills. It goes beyond spiritual unfolding or opening, although it requires spiritual growth. It means approaching one’s life as a creative work, living life from a creative opposed to reactive viewpoint. When personal mastery becomes a discipline—an activity we integrate into our lives—it embodies two underlying movements. First is continually clarifying what is important to us. The second is continually learning how to see current reality more clearly.”

Source: The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization

II.

Liz Wiseman on growth:

“The most valuable players are never finished. They are continually adapting, adjusting to hit the mark. How might the smallest adjustment to your approach lead to greater performance?”

Source: Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact

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Look for these ideas every Thursday on the Leading Blog. Find more ideas on the LeadingThoughts index.

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Posted by Michael McKinney at 04:51 PM
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Don’t Build an Organizational Culture They Like. Build One They Won’t Leave

ORDINARY doesn't cut it in organizations. It never did. But today, the market punishes average. Leaders who cling to comfort, who delay bold decisions, who tolerate mediocrity—these leaders don’t manage growth. They direct decline.

The top 5% of your people create 95% of your value. These high performers expect more—and deliver more. They don’t wait for permission. They don’t require handholding. They demand direction, opportunity, and a culture that accelerates contribution. They move fast, think clearly, and act decisively. And they expect the same from leaders.

Exceptional organizations know this. They don’t hoard talent; they magnetize it. They don’t manage strategy; they drive it. They don’t react to change; they provoke it.

And here’s the paradox: the same forces that drive high performance also threaten to destabilize the organization if someone strong doesn’t take the helm. Top talent demands a high-octane culture. Strategy must flex, not fracture. Execution must speed up, not stall. When you shoot for excellence, you walk the razor’s edge.

If you want to win big, you must lead with nerve, not nostalgia. When I wrote Challenge the Ordinary in 2024, I predicted that the road that took most companies to success would not be the same one that defined future success. Now, the road has turned into an interstate with no exits and no speed limits.

Five Forces Killing Average

Here are five forces you need to keep in mind as you lead:

Top talent walks faster than you promote: Recruiters don’t knock—they text, direct message, call, and Zoom your stars out from under you. In the meantime, your HR playbook loads your talent down with lengthy interviews, generic job descriptions, meaningless assessments. Throw them out. Today’s stars want clarity, challenge, and growth. Not policies. Not forms. The best talent doesn’t chase perks—they hunt results. If you can’t offer it, your competitors will.

Strategy need speed, not slogans: Five-year plans offer illusions, not outcomes. What worked last year no longer applies. Strategy must evolve quarterly. You don’t need consensus. You need courage. Ask better questions: What must we solve now? What creates value fastest? If we weren’t already doing this, would we now decide to do it? What would we do instead? Strategy without speed equals stagnation.

The global tilt won't wait: Emerging economies outperform their past—and threaten your future. While you run scenarios, they launch startups, cut costs, and scale talent. Capital moves fast. Talent follows faster. You no longer compete across town. You compete across continents. Stop assuming your market position protects you. The next unicorn already launched—and they don’t know your name.

Fear chokes decision-making: Media-driven anxiety seeps into boardrooms. Leaders freeze, stall, or hedge. Meanwhile, courageous competitors steal market share. Fearful cultures build silos. Exceptional ones build solutions. Your job isn’t to risk elimination—it’s to risk selection. Fortune rewards movement, not caution.

Change no longer waits for buy-in: Change doesn’t ask for permission. It shows up with a wrecking ball. You can’t manage it—you lead through it. The best organizations disrupt themselves. They redesign teams, rebuild strategy, and relaunch product lines before they face pressure. They train people to thrive in motion. They coach decisiveness, not compliance.

What Exceptional Organizations Do Differently

To lead an exceptional organization takes a different approach. These examples show how pace, culture, excellence and talent come into play:

Netflix drives strategy with urgency. When streaming disrupted traditional media, Netflix didn’t hesitate. It pivoted from DVD rentals to digital streaming, then again to original content production. During COVID, it accelerated its global expansion and localized programming. In 2023, when subscriptions dropped, it responded within a quarter with ad-supported tiers and password-sharing crackdowns—moves that reversed its fortunes.

Netflix doesn't plan in decades. It reacts in quarters, guided by customer data and real-time feedback.

Microsoft engineers cultures that reward contribution. You don’t need a culture everyone likes. You need a culture your best people won’t leave.

Under Satya Nadella’s leadership, Microsoft reinvented its internal culture, prioritizing a growth mindset and cross-functional collaboration. Nadella replaced a toxic, competitive environment with a performance culture rooted in shared learning. Microsoft invested heavily in retaining and upskilling top talent through its AI push and hybrid work policies—resulting in a talent-driven resurgence in innovation and market value.

Toyota defines excellence—and enforces it. Excellence isn’t aspirational. It’s operational. It shows up in your hiring, performance management, promotions, and client interactions.

In 2023, Toyota became the world’s top automaker again—without compromising its manufacturing philosophy. Toyota continues to apply its legendary Toyota Production System with near-fanatical consistency. When global supply chains buckled in 2021–2022, Toyota outperformed by enforcing its just-in-time excellence model.

Leaders gave every worker authority to stop the line. Quality trumps speed, and continuous improvement (kaizen) remains non-negotiable—even 70+ years in.

Palantir attracts elite talent—and keeps it challenged. Palantir has grown from a niche intelligence tool to a high-impact AI-driven data platform powering global infrastructure—driven by talent that would rather fail at bold problems than succeed at routine ones.

Palantir recruits elite engineers and data scientists who want to solve global-scale problems—national security, epidemiology, financial crime. It offers tough missions and big autonomy.

Employees work on “forward deployed” teams embedded with clients like defense agencies or energy grids. They solve complex problems under pressure and adapt constantly.

Making the Shift

Although they want to be paid fairly, great people don’t just want more compensation—they want to grow and contribute. They want to build, innovate, and influence. Give them room to move. Skip the endless onboarding rituals and the we’ve-always-done-it-this-way promotion strategies. Provide targets, support, and room to stretch. Then get out of the way. Stars find momentum when leaders stop interfering and start trusting.

• Stop tolerating inertia. Culture follows the path of least resistance. Make excellence the easiest path.
• Stop managing as if it were 2015. Work doesn’t need to “return to normal.” It needs to upgrade. Flexibility, hybrid structures, and project-based teams outperform rigid hierarchies.
• Stop recruiting for fit. Hire for stretch. Fit perpetuates sameness. Stretch grows capability.
• Start leading from the front. Don’t ask for change you won’t model. Your energy sets the pace. Your decisions set the tone. Your tolerance sets the standard.

Markets don’t reward intent. They reward execution. You no longer win because of who you are—you win because of what you do, how fast you adapt, and how ruthlessly you eliminate drag.

Exceptional organizations think boldly, act quickly, and hire wisely. They know talent wins markets. Speed wins attention. Clarity wins decisions.

Are you brave enough to empower? Are you bold enough to step aside so others can step up? The measure of exceptional leaders isn't found in what they do, but in what others can do because of them.

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Dr. Linda Henman is an advisor, speaker, coach, and author or co-author of 11 books. She founded Henman Performance Group, a leadership consulting firm that works with C-suite leaders from organizations like Avon, Emerson Electric, Estee Lauder, Kraft, and Tyson Foods. Her work with executives is guided by her PhD research on how American POWS (including John McCain) maintained resilience by making pivotal decisions during their brutal imprisonment. Her strategies in decision-making to increase profitability, mergers & acquisitions, succession planning, and other issues have never failed. Her work with John Tyson helped land one of the most successful acquisitions in the twenty-first century. Her new book is Healthy Decisions: Critical Thinking Skills for Healthcare Executives. Learn more at Henmanperformancegroup.com

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Posted by Michael McKinney at 10:45 AM
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10 Books You Should Read This Summer 2025

SUMMER begins today. It’s time to select a few books to make you think and supercharge your leadership.

The top summer reading list for leaders this year includes books on systems thinking, personal growth, self-knowledge, and psychological distancing for better decision-making. This year, we’ve also added a few books for the entrepreneur.

Here are ten suggestions for creating your reading plan.

  On Character: Choices That Define a Life by General Stanley McChrystal - (May 2025)

How to measure a life? After a career of service, retired four-star general Stanley McChrystal had much to contemplate. He pondered his successes and failures, his beliefs and aspirations, and asked himself, Who am I, really? And more importantly, who have I become? When I die, how will I be measured? In the end, McChrystal came to a conclusion as simple as it was profound: the reality of who we are cannot be recorded in dates or accomplishments. It is found in our character—the most accurate, and last full measure, of who we choose to be. On Character offers McChrystal’s blueprint for living with purpose and integrity, challenging us to examine not just our deeds but who we become through them.

  The Systems Leader: Mastering the Cross-Pressures That Make or Break Today's Companies by Robert E. Siegel - (June 2025)

A groundbreaking blueprint for mastering “cross-pressures” in a rapidly changing world, teaching leaders to execute and innovate, think locally and globally, and project ambition and statesmanship alike—from a Stanford Business School lecturer and consultant to some of the biggest and most innovative CEOs. Part of the problem is that these challenges, while acutely felt, are rarely articulated in a way that makes them graspable and actionable. Robert E. Siegel has witnessed the impact of these cross-pressures from different perspectives. As a lecturer in management at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, an operator, a venture capitalist, and a consultant, he sees countless teams of managers, at all sorts of companies, struggling to lead their companies into the future.

  Lean Learning: How to Achieve More by Learning Less by Pat Flynn - (June 2025)

Navigate the chaos of information overload and supercharge your efficiency with Lean Learning, a groundbreaking guide that reveals a counterintuitive approach to success: winning by learning less. From an early age, we’re taught that more is better. More money, more information, more skills. But times have changed. What was once valuable has now become a burden, and if information alone were the answer, we’d all be exactly where we want. In today’s fast-moving world, the difference between success and failure is not in what you know but in what you do with what you know. Lean Learning equips you with the tools to do just that, propelling you towards your goals with greater efficiency, purpose, and results.

  Firm Feedback in a Fragile World: How to Build a Winning Culture with Critical Conversations by Jeff Hancher - (June 2025)

Turn dreaded workplace feedback into opportunities for growth and trust with Firm Feedback in a Fragile World, your guide to fostering stronger teams and a thriving workplace through effective, confident communication. “We need to talk.” It’s a phrase that can fill us with dread. For many, the statement signals conflict or criticism. But what if it didn’t? What if feedback and conversations in your workplace inspired growth, built trust, and created thriving teams? In Firm Feedback in a Fragile World, Jeff Hancher redefines how we approach feedback in the workplace. Combining relatable stories, research, and practical tools, Hancher offers a roadmap to turn feedback from a source of tension into a powerful leadership tool. As a military veteran, corporate leader, and leadership coach, he provides actionable insights that help leaders and employees alike navigate feedback with confidence and clarity.

  Go One More: Find the Clarity to Make Intentional, Life-Changing Choices by Nick Bare - (June 2025)

Stop holding yourself back and make a powerful impact by taking control of your life and transforming your mindset around health, relationships, and success. Growth doesn't happen overnight; it's a choice. You must wake up every day and choose growth. These decisions compound over time, and with ruthless consistency, the outcomes are life-changing. Whether training for a marathon, leading a family, or starting a business, being intentional with everything we do is essential for success. Nick Bare shares a simple philosophy for helping people tap into the clarity and resolve they need to keep progressing: go one more.

  G.O.A.T. Wisdom: How to Build a Truly Great Business--From the Founders of Beekman 1802 by Dr. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell - (July 2025)

Have you ever wanted to create a business that's not only good but great? Have you ever felt as though you're destined to do something bigger and more significant with your life? If so, you should know that you don't need millions in funding, a marketing department, or influencer status. If you have an idea, the determination to bring it to life, a deep and abiding belief in your product, and a devotion to your customers, you already have the humble starting point behind one of the world's fastest-growing and most beloved brands: Beekman 1802. In this book, for the first time, Ridge and Kilmer-Purcell present the twelve principles that made the biggest difference in their entrepreneurial journey, and show how these principles are relevant for anyone ready to defy the odds and grow a brand that matters

  The Science of Leadership: Nine Ways to Expand Your Impact by Jeffrey Hull and Margaret Moore - (July 2025)

The Science of Leadership: Nine Ways to Expand Your Impact presents a game-changing synthesis of 50 years of leadership research as a comprehensive guide for seasoned and aspiring leaders, and anyone who wants to help their boss become a better leader. Authors Jeffrey Hull and Margaret Moore, leadership coaches and leaders of the Institute of Coaching, translate academic research and their extensive experience in leading and coaching into a practical, self-coaching roadmap for your own growth in these times of exponential change and disruption. This book organizes the science of leadership (15,000+ studies and articles showing what improves individual, team, and organizational performance) into nine capacities which build upon each other. Each capacity is brought to life by real-life stories, a science overview, practices, and ways to deal with overuse. These capacities are organized into three levels with increasing complexity: Self-Oriented, Other-Oriented and System-Oriented.

  Blindspotting: How To See What's Holding You Back as a Leader by Martin Dubin - (July 2025)

As leaders, we all hit a point when things stop going well. A problem emerges that we think we can handle but discover we can't. The tools that got us this far somehow stop working. We don't understand; what are we missing? What we don't see is what we can't see: we have blindspots. It's a known fact that we're often not great judges of ourselves, even when we think we are. Sometimes we're simply unaware of a behavior or trait that's causing problems. Other times, where we see normal, effective behavior, others see tremendous deficits. Bottom line: until we uncover these blindspots, we can’t move forward or deliver on our goals as leaders. Blindspotting provides a framework for understanding six types of blindspots, then takes you inside coaching sessions with profoundly relatable leaders going through the process of learning to recognize their own blindspots. Along the way, you get the practical guidance you need to identify and manage those same blindspots in yourself, unlocking high performance and great leadership.

  Scaling Innovation: How Smart Companies Architect Profitable Growth by Madhavan Ramanujam and Eddie Hartman - (August 2025)

The brutal truth: most startups and scale-ups don't fail because of bad products. They fail because they never figure out how to grow fast―and profitably. Some chase market share at all costs, burning cash on customers who won't pay enough to sustain the business. Others over-monetize too soon, pushing away the customers they need to reach scale. Still others obsess over customer loyalty, missing larger markets and monetization potential. And then there are those who assume a great product will sell itself, only to realize too late that pricing, packaging, positioning and value selling matter just as much. The true winners take a different approach. They adopt a Profitable Growth Mindset, refusing to choose between market expansion and monetization―instead, they dominate both. Instead of relying on instinct or momentum.

  Distancing: How Great Leaders Reframe to Make Better Decisions by L. David Marquet and Michael A. Gillespie - (August 2025)

Be yourself. Be fully present. Be in the moment. This is a message we hear constantly. While this may be beneficial some of the time, the biggest obstacle to making wiser decisions that actually drive lasting success is ourselves. Being fully immersed in our own limited point of view biases our decisions toward defending our previous actions and maintaining our self-image. We need to exit our me-here-and-now self and get an outside perspective that sees us and the situation we are in objectively. We need a coach. This book shows us how to become our own coach by using a mental technique called psychological distancing.

For Entrepreneurs

  Founders, Keepers: Why Founders Are Built to Fail, and What it Takes to Succeed by Richard Hagberg and Tien Tzuo with Gabe Weisert - (June 2025)

Based on decades of empirical research and data, Founders, Keepers gives founders a practical roadmap for navigating the inevitable challenges that come with startup growth. It’s a brutal paradox—the same founder attributes required to put a startup in motion will invariably blow it up. The difference between success and failure lies in the personal journey that every founder must pursue to avoid their own worst impulses. Steeped in nearly forty years of research in leadership psychology, Founders, Keepers begins with the same personality assessment Rich Hagberg, a psychologist and executive management coach, gives his clients. Hagberg and Tien Tzuo, founder and CEO of Zuora, help founders build a Swiss Army knife of practical tools that will give them a much better chance of making it to the next level of success.

  From Founder to Future: A Business Roadmap to Impact, Longevity, and Employee Ownership by John Abrams - (June 2025)

From Founder to Future is an essential guide for mission-driven leaders seeking to reshape their businesses for inclusivity, longevity, and positive impact. Whether you're a retiring owner planning your exit, a young entrepreneur building for the future, or an employee working in a purpose-driven business, this book offers a blueprint for creating enduring, values-driven enterprises in the emerging regenerative economy. Learn how to transition leadership, implement shared ownership, and preserve your organization's core values—setting the stage for your business to thrive for generations to come. This visionary but practical handbook offers mission-driven business owners a roadmap for ensuring their company's lasting impact, building leadership internally, and fostering participatory management.

  Soul Venture: A True Life and Death Journey Into the Startup Culture by Ashwin Gulati - (January 2025)

Soul Venture isn't your typical business book—it's a wake-up call. In this gripping exploration, Ashwin Gulati dismantles the myths, ambitions, and raw realities that drive an entrepreneurial culture where 97% of start-ups are destined to fail. When Jensen Huang, co-founder of the $2 trillion tech giant Nvidia, admits he wouldn’t go through it again, it makes you wonder: Why would you? So why do entrepreneurs keep lining up? Why do venture capitalists continue to encourage them? What exactly isn’t working? Soul Venture turns the conventional wisdom upside down: It’s not just about business—it’s about you.

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Posted by Michael McKinney at 08:18 AM
Permalink | Find more on this topic in Books

Leading Thoughts for June 19, 2025

IDEAS shared have the power to expand perspectives, change thinking, and move lives. Here are two ideas for the curious mind to engage with:

I.

Marshall Goldsmith on personal growth:

“If we can stop, listen, and think about what others are seeing in us, we have a great opportunity. We can compare the self that we want to be with the self that we are presenting to the rest of the world. We can then begin to make the real changes that are needed to close the gap between our stated values and our actual behavior.”

Source: What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful

II.

Alan Deutschman on Ranking values:

“When you walk the walk, you reveal the ranking of your values. There are always a multitude of values that are well worth enshrining. The hard part. Is making the inevitable trade-offs between them: deciding this is more important than that. And the hardest part is showing that one particular thing, or two things, are the most important.”

Source: Walk the Walk: The #1 Rule for Real Leaders

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Posted by Michael McKinney at 12:08 PM
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How to Lead When the Room Panics: 7 Essential Strategies

CRISIS doesn’t create leaders; it reveals them. It strips away the trappings of title and tenure and shines a spotlight on judgment, courage, and decisiveness. And while no sane executive welcomes a crisis, the best don’t waste one either. Crisis is the ultimate leadership stress test. If you want to pass it—and elevate your organization in the process—here are seven lessons you’d better take seriously.

1. Smoke Usually Means Fire

Ignore the early warning signs, and you’ll soon be standing in the ashes of your own inattention. Every crisis starts small. A dip in customer satisfaction. A missed deliverable. A bizarre memo from compliance. Pay attention to these flares. If you don’t, they become grenades with the pins pulled. Leaders don’t have the luxury of surprise. If something feels off, it probably is. Probe early. Intervene sooner. Make a nuisance of yourself—your board will thank you later.

2. Don’t Lose Altitude or Airspeed

Pilots live by this. Leaders should, too.

• Altitude is perspective. It’s your ability to rise above the noise and see where the business is really headed. Lose it, and you’re flying blind.
• Airspeed is momentum. If your team stalls, if decisions drag, if execution slows, gravity wins.
• Ideas are your engine. Without innovation and creative problem-solving, you’re dead stick—no thrust, no options.

Want to survive a crisis? Keep one eye on the horizon and one hand on the throttle—and make sure someone’s thinking clearly.

3. Face Reality or be Replaced by Someone Who Will

Leaders who sugarcoat bad news don’t build trust—they build exits. Denial is not a strategy. When the Tylenol crisis hit Johnson & Johnson in 1982, their leaders didn’t issue platitudes or duck responsibility. They pulled $100 million worth of products off shelves, stopped production, and offered full exchanges. Painful? Absolutely. But it saved the company—and became a business school case study on how to lead in disaster. You don’t need a cyanide capsule to tell the truth. Own it. Communicate it. Fix it.

4. Prepare as if it Matters (Because it Does)

You don’t train for the marathon in the middle of the race. And yet, I watch leaders “practice bleed”—agonizing over hypotheticals, spinning their wheels in the name of preparation that’s neither practical nor actionable. Instead, do this:

• Monitor cash as if it were oxygen—because it is.
• Create a crisis response team with decision-making authority.
• Map out the top ten disasters that could hit your organization. Plan responses now.
• Build strong external relationships before you need them.
• Maintain a real-time contact list of every stakeholder who matters.

Preparation beats panic. Every. Time.

5. Be Realistic Without Becoming Fatalistic

Optimism isn’t denial—it’s discipline. It’s knowing how bad things are and leading anyway. Don’t declare false victories or pretend a new coat of paint will keep the ship afloat. Be honest about what you are facing. Share what you know and what you don’t. But don’t ever say, “It can’t get worse.” Because it can, and you’ll sound like a fool when it does. Instead, project confidence in your team’s ability to adapt and overcome. Resilience starts at the top.

6. Control the Microphone

In a crisis, silence is not golden—it’s cowardice. If you’re not filling the information void, someone else will. Employees, clients, media—they will all be watching and wondering. So, speak. Clearly. Often. Honestly. And strategically. Ask yourself daily:

• What must happen today to turn the tide?
• What can I clarify or simplify?
• What are people afraid of—and what real reassurance can I offer?
• What do I need to say that no one else will?

Don’t let PR run the narrative. You’re the leader. Act like it.

7. Don’t Let the Media Outmaneuver You

The media is not your enemy. But if you treat them as if they are, they’ll become one. “No comment” is not strategy—it’s surrender. Instead:

• Be quick. Delay signals guilt or confusion.
• Be honest. Spin is dead.
• Be consistent. Focus on three key messages and repeat them relentlessly.
• Don’t minimize the crisis—or compare it to something worse. That’s not perspective; it’s evasion.
• Never blame the victims. Take responsibility, even if someone else messed up.

And remember: accessibility earns credibility. If you vanish during good times, don’t expect goodwill when things go south.

Machiavelli got it right: never waste the opportunity of a good crisis. Because crisis will either bury you or it will catapult you to the next level of leadership. You decide. Leading through uncertainty doesn’t require perfection. It requires presence, perspective, and the guts to do what’s right when it’s hard.

Don’t wait for the smoke to clear. Get in front of it. That’s what real leaders do.

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Dr. Linda Henman is an advisor, speaker, coach, and author or co-author of 11 books. She founded Henman Performance Group, a leadership consulting firm that works with C-suite leaders from organizations like Avon, Emerson Electric, Estee Lauder, Kraft, and Tyson Foods. Her work with executives is guided by her PhD research on how American POWS (including John McCain) maintained resilience by making pivotal decisions during their brutal imprisonment. Her strategies in decision-making to increase profitability, mergers & acquisitions, succession planning, and other issues have never failed. Her work with John Tyson helped land one of the most successful acquisitions in the twenty-first century. Her new book is Healthy Decisions: Critical Thinking Skills for Healthcare Executives. Learn more at Henmanperformancegroup.com

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Posted by Michael McKinney at 07:03 PM
Permalink | Find more on this topic in Problem Solving