How to Win Board Decisions with a 12-Slide Deck

The storms we face—the uncertainty, the setbacks, the chaos—aren’t there to undo us. They’re there to uncover the confidence and resilience we didn’t know we had. I sat down with Ron Alford, Senior Partner at Southwestern Consulting, bestselling author, and speaker, on this week’s episode of Navigating No to talk about exactly that: how to stay grounded when everything around you feels unstable. Ron’s story is a reminder that confidence isn’t built in calm waters, it’s built in motion. In how we choose to respond when control slips away. In how we steady ourselves so we can steady others. If you or your team are leading through change right now, this conversation is worth the listen. 🎧 Navigating No with Ron Alford— https://lnkd.in/g-Fk_sXm

Leaders don't stand alone | A clip from my Substack post, What If Focusing on Everything Is the Real Problem?. Watch it here: https://lnkd.in/eWv8AcUQ

Three of my favorite tips from this article: 1. Take action—even if it’s small. You don’t need to know the whole path—just the next step. Evaluate the situation, test a small hypothesis, learn from it, and adjust. That momentum will build clarity and conviction. 2. Eliminate what no longer adds value. Cut components, steps, or rules that don’t serve a clear function. Done right, this boosts speed, reduces costs, and sharpens focus without undermining trust or capability. 3. Substitute complexity with simplicity. Swap out high-maintenance tools or workflows with simpler options that meet the same need—faster, cheaper, and more reliably.

Do business leaders today choose new forms of media over legacy media in order to avoid tough questions? If so, is this a mistake? Andrew Ross Sorkin thinks so. Andrew told me the following story. "Many years ago I was about to go on stage with an executive, and right before the interview the CEO said, 'throw them as hard as you can.' And I remember thinking, 'Huh, no one ever says that to me.' When the interview was over, I said, 'What were you doing?' I thought maybe he was trying to throw me off. And he said, 'If you throw them underhand, both us lose. I knew that if you threw it hard and I could hit the ball out of park, I would win the game.' And I think there is a lot of value to that. And unfortunately I think right now there are not a lot of people who are following that lesson."

Casey Handmer on Cheeky Pint: “One of the mistakes I’ve seen a lot of first-time founders make is they assume that an hour of coaching is as good as an hour of firing. Nothing is worse for your career than sitting in a job failing for you because you don’t have the guts to quit and your manager won’t fire you.” Watch the full conversation: https://lnkd.in/gEUKuJZU.

I’ve noticed something about the business leaders with the best visibility on here. There's a common thread to what they're choosing to post about. Here’s what they’re doing that seems to be really working: - They talk openly about real things happening in their businesses (both the wins AND the chaotic things that sometimes happen) - They share stories about their clients: what’s working, what’s flopped, even some weird things nobody would expect to see. - They give us a "behind-the-scenes" insight into being part of their business: key team moments, big decisions taken, and day-to-day surprising stories. It’s not super polished. It’s certainly not a highlight reel. It’s the messy, real, "only-I-can share-this" view of their business life. That’s what grabs people's attention. So, when you next see posts that make you stop scrolling, it’s quite probably going to be because someone’s sharing something only they could. There’s a lesson hiding in there about how to change your own posting strategy, isn't there?

I can find four-leaf clovers like it’s a party trick. What’s your uncanny skill? We’re all amazed when someone pulls off something extraordinary. But I always wonder: Did they practice for years to master it… or were they just born that way? Even if you’re born with talent, the real difference-maker is how you develop it. Not just what you do, but how you do it, and the outcomes you create. When I speak with executive candidates, I’m not only looking at credentials. I’m listening for what sets them apart. That subtle edge. The unique lens. The result only they can deliver. “The right sort of practice carried out over a sufficient period of time leads to improvement. Nothing else.” - Anders Ericsson (the father of deliberate practice) Here’s the deal: ✔️ Focusing on your strengths builds confidence ✔️ Mastering your craft builds credibility ✔️ Showing results builds trust Nobody hires potential. They hire outcomes. Be clear on what you do. Be crystal on how you do it. And own the results you can deliver. What’s your rare skill or strength, and how has it shaped your success? Drop it in the comments. Let’s celebrate what makes you, you. P.S. My clover streak is 47 in one hour. Still unbeaten at a bus stop waiting for the school bus. #Skill #Talent #ExecutiveRecruiting #4Klo 🎥 Video credit IG rainmaker1973 and Buzz_scope

A bad system can destroy good people. Ever met a top performer who suddenly “lost their spark” after joining a new company? Spoiler alert: it’s usually not them — it’s the system. You can hire the brightest minds, the most motivated go-getters, and the friendliest team players… but if your processes are chaos, your approvals take longer than a Netflix series, and “collaboration” means 12 people editing one spreadsheet — you’re setting your good people up for burnout, not brilliance. And trust me, I’ve passed through that hell before — and it wasn’t funny. When you’re caught in a system that drains your energy instead of fueling your growth, it feels like running a marathon in quicksand. But thank God for where I am now. It wasn’t the end — I had to keep pushing, believing in myself, and remembering that one bad system doesn’t define your value. So before sending another “We value our people” email, maybe value their time, sanity, and ability to actually do their jobs. Because good people don’t leave bad companies — they leave bad systems disguised as good ones. 😉

✨ Boston, you were incredible. Huge thank you to Nick Hutchison Hutchinson for the opportunity to speak at the BookThinkers Conference last weekend. 🙌 Your team is next-level—so welcoming, so sharp, and so committed to elevating voices that make a difference. I also had the chance to connect more deeply with some amazing humans, including Jill Schulman and Joella Hopkins. And hearing Steve Pressfield—author of The War of Art and so many transformative books—was a highlight. His wisdom on writing, creativity, and the resistance we all face when we’re doing meaningful work ...wow. 💡 Reflection For You (Inspired by Pressfield): Every one of us feels resistance when we’re stepping into something purposeful—launching a project, sharing our message, writing our truth, or taking a courageous step. Resistance shows up as: • Self-doubt • Procrastination • Perfectionism • Fear of judgment But here’s the good news: Resistance is actually a sign you’re on the right path. It shows up because the work matters. One small practice you can try this week: 👉 Take one small action toward the thing you’ve been avoiding. Action shrinks resistance. Momentum builds confidence. And your voice, your work, your ideas—they deserve to be in the world. Feeling grateful. Feeling inspired. And feeling ready to share even more of what matters. 💛 #MentallyStrong #HighPerformanceMindset #BookThinkersLIVE #TheWarOfArt #StevenPressfield #DoTheWork #MindsetMatters #Resistance #Creativity #Confidence

The best career upgrades I made this year weren’t new tools—they were boundaries. 🧠 Leaders don’t need “more time.” They need better energy and cleaner decisions. The top posts I’m seeing win because they humanize the work: quiet wins, simple systems, and gratitude over vanity metrics. Here’s a simple playbook you can try next week: - Protect two deep‑work blocks; treat them like your most important meeting. - Take a 20‑minute no‑phone walk before any high‑stakes decision. - Write the decision in one paragraph; if you can’t, you’re not ready. - Replace “urgent?” with “impact in 90 days?” in standups. - Close the loop fast: thank, tag, and clarify in public comments. Why it works: - Signal > volume. Clarity compounds more than activity. - Human stories stick; principles spread when they’re repeatable. - Quiet time reduces rework and raises decision quality. If you try one thing, try this: schedule the blocks now and protect them like revenue. Your turn: which ritual will you protect next week—and what will you drop to make space? ⏳