Humans are messy, complex, confusing—and extraordinary. Reducing them to cells on a P&L spreadsheet severely limits what’s possible—for the organization and the individuals within it. Embracing each other’s humanity doesn’t make us weak—it’s the gateway to greater fulfillment and performance.

The health of business is fully entangled with the wellbeing of society and planet. Actions taken in service of short-term profit at the expense of long-term sustainability generate negative externalities that, whether priced or not, destabilize economies and generate untenable risk. Business can and must play the leading role in addressing the existential challenges we face, even beyond what governments and non-profits will. 

Stakeholder capitalism is here—that’s good for business. A more humane stakeholder economy and a more compassionate capitalism is a recipe for prosperity. When stakeholders thrive, profits will rise.

Ignoring the elephant in the room, glossing over tension, avoiding conflict—these are temporary salves that sow the seeds of long-term dysfunction and destroy value over time. Really “going there” is brave work—it’s also necessary, and far too rare.

There is strength in diversity. The more voices we bring to the table, the more we stand to gain as a collective. It’s not enough to create a safe space–we need to create a brave space where differences are acknowledged, explored, and ultimately celebrated.

 Employees, investors, owners, suppliers, competitors—they so often get caught in a zero-sum game that yields a needless cycle of suffering. With patience and creativity, it’s possible to forge a win-win strategy that avoids suffering.  

Great leadership isn’t about dominance and control—it’s about creating the condition in which people unleash their innate genius, operate with autonomy, and rise to the occasion. That can only be done when operating from an assumption of others’ inherent capacity.

There is no single act more important for leading others, sustaining culture, or devising a strategy than simply listening. Listening is the portal to situating ourselves inside of the reality in which we operate. It connects us to others and reveals opportunities in the marketplace. Transformative listening is an intentional and rigorous process that must be developed—it doesn’t “just happen.”