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Tag: leadership advice

  • If You Want to Make Your Leadership Impact Big, Focus on the Small Things

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    Impactful leadership relies on many things too often seen as a grab bag of options rather than conscious choices. In truth, there’s a hierarchy, one people often miss, or worse still, invert.  

    Leaders do both at their peril. The implied hierarchy, the flipped one, puts the grand at the top. Think: the grand declaration, the grand gesture, or the commanding title. Far too often, these things become the default metrics for leadership impact, setting a misleading and false standard.  

    Below the grandiose in this upside-down order, leaders place the small things—all those little day-to-day acts that in isolation can easily seem inconsequential. They’re most often the ones few leaders take. Way down at the bottom of the list, nearly forgotten, are the patterns that link all the small acts together. These are the truth tellers. No matter how loudly leaders broadcast the grandiose, the patterns both foretell and prove leadership impact, or a lack thereof. 

    Questions leaders should consider 

    What is the message here? Put simply, if you’re a leader hoping to make a lasting impact, ask yourself: Do I flip this pyramid of priority? Do I attend more to the grand and perhaps sweep the small under the rug as less consequential? What, in other words, do my patterns add up to? What do they tell and foretell about the impact I have? Even if the message seems clear, examples always help. So let me share a fresh and personal one. 

    The little things: To amplify or to mute? 

    Today, I had two important emails to send. By and large, emails are not the acts you typically point to as the proving ground for leadership. Yet in their small way, these short notes were significant. They were intended for two individuals I was exploring as potential partners—two people who, in fact, compete. Each email was initiating a new relationship, or at least was intended to. Although the content of each message was simple and much the same, the nuances help leave a distinct impression. 

    For efficiency’s sake, I repurposed parts of my message, copying a sentence or two from the first email to the second. I rarely do this. However, when I do it, I do it with trepidation and care. In this case, although I checked multiple times, I made an error. I did so in the most dreaded way, too—in the second email sent, I failed to remove the name of the first recipient. 

    The small actions matter

    It’s easy to minimize or even erase the memory of such moments because the error wasn’t a make-or-break mistake. Also, it’s the kind of mistake unseen by the broader public. That’s also precisely why it’s so easy to miss that the small actions set patterns and shape your actual impact. It doesn’t happen right away, but without a doubt, it does over time. I knew this. I knew as well that in all likelihood only a few people would probably ever know of my mistake. It presented what every small act does: a choice. I didn’t have to, but I chose not just to own it but to call out the egg on my face. 

    I quickly sent a note to person No. 2. Right at the top, in a single standalone sentence, I called out my error to ensure it wouldn’t be missed. Then and only then did I go on to offer an explanation. I shared that, like any good businessperson, I was doing my homework and exploring my options. I was reaching out not only to him but to his competitor.  

    In a small but significant way, I was sending a message about myself as a leader. However, that was an additive. I quickly circled back to the central point that no matter my good intentions, it was a careless error and fully mine. If you’re curious, the outcome is yet to come. However, it’s also irrelevant. Here’s what is relevant, and pivotal. 

    How little becomes large 

    Everyone, regardless of their role, leads. Bigger still than their work roles, everyone leads in their lives. Yet, take careful note: Bigger is not grander. Bigger lies in the wholeness of who every person is, individually. There’s no coincidence that the best leaders not only know this, but they begin with this knowledge. They build from that base. The best leaders know that they have to learn to lead themselves before they have any chance of effectively leading anyone else.  

    Impactful leaders understand that true leadership rarely takes place in the white-hot spotlight. It happens in smaller and lesser-seen places. They also know that no matter how good you are, what you do will inevitably involve errors, bad calls, and unease. It isn’t avoiding or muting mistakes that defines you as a leader. It’s what you do when these things happen and the pattern that sets across your responses. 

    So, what should your next move be? Whatever it is, try something different. Try thinking small rather than grand. Think private instead of public. Most of all, take note of the pattern—not just the one already in motion or the one wished for, but the one ever-evolving from each small act. In the end, that’s how leadership makes an impact. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Larry Robertson

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  • Before You Greenlight That Next Project, Ask These 3 Questions

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    You value the truth, facts, and data. So why do so many businesses still operate in a fog of guesses, assumptions, and hopeful extrapolations? It’s a shaky ground on which to build strategy. 

    I don’t believe most business leaders sidestep the truth on purpose. It’s just that getting to the hard facts is time-consuming, expensive, and often doesn’t reflect the story they want to believe. That’s not deception. That’s business as usual, and it’s a problem for sustainable growth. Even the best-intentioned plans fall apart when they’re built on wishful thinking dressed up as facts. As a leader, your job isn’t just to tell the truth. It’s to know when you’re working with facts and when you’re not. 

    Beliefs versus facts 

    Too often, people confuse beliefs with knowledge. They build business cases on what they think customers want, what they assume budgets will allow, and what they hope partners will agree to. They take a few data points and fill in the gaps with confidence, enthusiasm, and narrative. I’ve done it myself. 

    Early in my career, I was part of a team that pursued a large enterprise client we were convinced needed our solution. We had a few signals: a conversation at a trade show, a mention in an article, maybe a half-remembered comment from a contact. However, we had nothing direct—no clear articulation of pain, no confirmed budget, and no real proof of interest. 

    Still, we believed our solution was a great fit. We believed we could help. So, we charged ahead, pouring hours into slide decks, product customization, and internal meetings. We prepared our pitch presentation for the close. When the client passed, we were stunned. How could they say no when we had worked so hard? 

    Looking back, the answer is obvious: We were selling into a fantasy. We never actually confirmed what they wanted, needed, or were willing to pay for. We skipped the uncomfortable work of getting to the truth. 

    A common decision-making strategy error 

    That kind of mistake isn’t rare. It’s everywhere. Teams make decisions every day based on a mix of facts, stories, assumptions, and hopes without separating the pieces or naming the difference. When the plan collapses, it’s easy to blame the market, the competition, or the customer.  

    However, in the example above, we didn’t fail because of one bad decision. We failed because we didn’t challenge our assumptions. We decided based on bad input. The real risk isn’t just failing. It’s spending enormous energy pursuing something that never had a shot and never learning the lesson about why it didn’t work. 

    Interrogating your way of thinking 

    So, what’s the fix? It starts with discipline. You must train yourself and your team to interrogate your thinking. You must ask yourselves: What do we actually know? What are we assuming, and what are we hoping for? 

    This doesn’t mean slowing everything down or demanding perfect certainty. Business moves fast, and sometimes you need to act before all the data is in. However, there’s a world of difference between acting fast with eyes open and plowing ahead without saying out loud what you’re missing or assuming. 

    A high-functioning culture of truth knows how to navigate that difference. It doesn’t punish uncertainty. Instead, it names it. It teaches people to distinguish between fact and inference, between evidence and guesswork. 

    Also, it empowers leaders to say things like:

    “We don’t know this part yet. Here’s what we’re assuming.”

    “We have some indicators, but let’s validate them before we commit resources.” 

    “We’re betting on this based on partial information. Let’s set a check-in point to confirm we’re right.” 

    A truth-telling strategy 

    Clarity doesn’t mean waiting. It means being transparent about what’s known, what’s guessed, and where the risks live. This is especially important in the age of fast decks, faster decisions, and AI-enhanced data storytelling. 

    Teams can now build incredibly convincing narratives in hours. However, a strong story doesn’t make something true. It just makes it believable. That’s why the best leaders constantly push for understanding, not just persuasion. They slow down just enough to ask the right questions. They reward people not for being right, but for being clear about what they do and don’t know—and that clarity pays off. 

    A shift from ambiguity to transparency  

    Studies from the American Psychological Association and Gallup show that organizations with higher transparency and truth-telling practices outperform those that operate in ambiguity. Teams are more engaged, decisions are faster, and trust goes up when people don’t feel like they’re being sold a story. If this sounds familiar, how might you shift your culture? 

    Start by auditing your thoughts. Pick one project or decision in motion and ask: 

    • What parts of this are proven or validated? 
    • What parts are assumptions, inferences, or hopes? 
    • Where are we most likely to be wrong? 
    • What’s one small step we could take to get more truth before going further? 

    This habit of truth-checking your input won’t slow you down. It’ll actually make you faster in the long run. Because nothing kills momentum like chasing the wrong thing for too long, only to find out it was never real.

    Truth isn’t just a leadership value. It’s a performance strategy. Get clear, separate facts from fiction, and make sure your next move is built on something solid. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Robin Camarote

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  • Why Clear Expectations Are the Key to Employee Productivity and Morale

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    Adi Klevit, an Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) member in Portland, Oregon, is the co-founder of Business Success Consulting Group, which helps leaders create and document custom processes and tailor-made management systems that ensure consistency. We asked Klevit how clear procedures and expectations in the workplace can drive productivity, confidence, and team morale.

    When roles aren’t clear, employees end up duplicating efforts, stepping on each other’s toes, or delivering work that misses the mark. The result? Frustration, resentment, and eventually, talented people walking out the door, not because they lack ability, but because they lack clarity. 

    Why clarity matters 

    I’ve seen this play out countless times, and the research backs it up. According to Effectory’s HR Analytics, employees who have clarity about their role are 53 percent more efficient and 27 percent more effective than those without it. That’s a 25 percent performance boost. Other studies show the same pattern. Role ambiguity is strongly linked to higher turnover intentions and lower job satisfaction. 

    Here’s the kicker: Many fast-growing companies avoid putting structure in place because they’re afraid it will slow them down. However, clarity isn’t red tape. It’s what allows you to grow at speed without chaos. 

    A real-world example 

    At a financial services firm we worked with, one client services team member stood out. She was diligent, smart, and genuinely wanted to excel. She completed a task for a client, sent it off, and thought she nailed it. However, when her adviser reviewed it, he was disappointed. The problem wasn’t her effort. It was that expectations weren’t defined or documented anywhere. She felt like she had failed, even though she had done her best with the information she had. 

    Her motivation took a hit, and eventually she began looking for another job. The firm lost a great employee not because of performance, but because she was never given clarity on what “good” looked like. The truth is she didn’t fail—the system did. 

    On the flip side, I’ve also seen clarity turn things around. One client in professional services decided to start small by documenting their client onboarding process. Within weeks, they cut mistakes in half, sped up turnaround times, and gave their employees more confidence. That single process win energized the team and created momentum to tackle other areas. 

    What actually works  

    The solution isn’t complicated, and it doesn’t have to bog your company down. Start small, keep it lean, and build as you grow. Here are five practices I’ve seen transform both productivity and morale: 

    • Map one process flow. Don’t boil the ocean. Start with a high-impact workflow, such as onboarding or invoicing. Even a whiteboard sketch can show everyone where they fit and prevent gaps. 
    • Define ownership at each step. Be crystal clear about who owns what, who contributes, and who needs to be informed. This avoids duplication and finger-pointing. 
    • Set success metrics. Don’t just say “do the report.” Spell out what a successful report looks like so employees know when they’ve nailed it. 
    • Connect the dots. Help employees see not just their tasks but how their work impacts others. That perspective builds collaboration and trust. 
    • Keep it current. Businesses evolve. Review and adjust your processes so clarity today doesn’t turn into confusion tomorrow. 

    These steps can be rolled out quickly by your managers and department heads, but only if leadership champions them. 

    The leadership mindset shift 

    Clarity is the foundation of productivity and scale, and it starts at the top. As CEO, your role isn’t to write out every process. Instead, it’s to set the tone. You model respect for clarity by following the systems yourself, and you make sure your leadership team sees procedures as empowerment tools, not bureaucracy. 

    Think of it this way: While your managers own the details of process mapping, you own creating a culture where clarity is valued and followed. Your company reaps the benefits of faster scaling, smoother onboarding, and a team that doesn’t need to be micromanaged. I’ve seen leaders lose top performers simply because they didn’t live by their own systems. If you want your team to respect the process, then you have to lead by example. 

    Clarity brings freedom 

    Clarity isn’t bureaucracy. It’s the structure that frees people to do their best work. When employees know what’s expected, they don’t just perform better; they feel valued, motivated, and engaged. For fast-growing companies, clarity is what makes scale possible. Without it, growth creates chaos. With it, growth creates freedom. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Entrepreneurs’ Organization

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  • Patience in Leadership Means Letting Things Unfold Naturally

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    Great ideas take time. It took more than 200 years for scientists to create vaccines. It took centuries of theory before space exploration and the invention of the internet. And millions of ideas are brewing today that you may not see come to fruition in your lifetime. So why do people expect leaders to make flawless, swift, and accurate decisions in minutes? True leadership requires patience, and part of that is learning to focus on the things that truly matter.  

    However, patience in leadership is not just about organizational decisions. It’s about taking the time to let things unfold at their own pace. This includes how you feel about the direction your business is headed or the discomfort that comes with change. You never really know how it’s all going to unfold unless you get intimately familiar with the feelings of unease.  

    Yes, change is unsettling

    Asking clients to wait and see is often met with frustration. Your world moves swiftly and demands attention at every turn. As a leader, you’re used to being in control of what happens next and manipulating outcomes. That’s the job you signed up for. However, stepping back to make a decision or letting changes take place without trying to control them is where you will grow as a leader. It’s also where the most significant transformations happen within any business. 

    But what about the anxious feeling? The one that keeps you up at night and begs you to take back the reins? Let it thrive. That feeling will not dissipate. It will not settle, sleep, or let you feel anything other than the power it holds. That’s because patience isn’t passive. It’s robust, anxious, and all the things that will cause you to second-guess yourself. However, patience is also a strength. That’s what I was referring to in my book, Reboot, when I wrote about staying with your discomfort until you reach that place where it becomes something else.  

    How leaders can develop more patience 

    You will pass through the depths of anxiousness and uncertainty if you sit with something long enough or if you allow patience to be your guide. On the other side is clarity and truth. However, before you can get there, there are some fundamental things to ask yourself. I recommend journaling, typing these questions out, writing them down on a dinner napkin, or even saying them out loud.  

    Patience carries powerful energy. The best way to channel it is by working through these burning questions:  

    • What am I really feeling? Now’s the time to write it all down—anxiety, uncertainty, dread, fear, excitement, or tension. Whatever it is that you are feeling, write it down. 
    • What am I avoiding? You might be avoiding something by trying to take back control and not sitting with patience. What are you really trying to avoid? Maybe it’s an inevitable outcome you dread, or perhaps it’s a feeling you’d rather avoid. Be honest with yourself. 
    • What’s the story I’m telling myself? In the words of Joan Didion, “We tell ourselves stories in order to live,” and that’s true in everything we do. We all have stories. What is the story you are telling yourself about the situation you’re unable to control right now? What is the narrative that is untrue but makes you feel better?  

    There’s a light at the end of this uneasy and difficult tunnel. The more that you practice patience and the art of sitting with unease, the more insight you will gain. It won’t get easier, but it will become a habit, and that, in turn, will become your leadership truth.  

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Jerry Colonna

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  • A Delayed Response to Staffing Issues Is a Costly Mistake. Here’s Why It Matters

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    In the bustling world of business, staffing issues can crop up unexpectedly, presenting challenges that demand immediate attention. Yet all too often, business owners find themselves tempted to adopt a wait-and-see approach, hoping that problems will resolve themselves over time. However, this seemingly passive stance can prove detrimental to the health and success of your enterprise in more ways than one. 

    Picture this: You notice a dip in productivity or a decline in team morale, perhaps stemming from a particular employee’s performance or behavior. It’s easy to brush it off, attributing it to a temporary slump or external factors. However, ignoring these red flags, even for a moment, can set off a chain reaction of negative consequences. 

    The effects of a passive response 

    First and foremost, delaying action on staffing issues can create a toxic work environment. When problems go unaddressed, they fester beneath the surface, breeding resentment and frustration among team members. This toxicity seeps into company culture, corroding the trust and cohesion that are vital for a thriving workplace. 

    Moreover, the ripple effects of neglecting staffing issues extend far beyond interpersonal dynamics. Your business’s bottom line is at stake. Whether it’s decreased productivity, customer dissatisfaction, or increased turnover, unresolved issues inevitably translate into financial losses that could have been prevented. 

    Consider the long-term implications as well. Every day that passes without resolution deepens the roots of the problem, making it increasingly difficult to untangle. What might have been a manageable issue in its infancy can escalate into a full-blown crisis, requiring significant time, resources, and energy to rectify. 

    How to address staffing issues head on 

    So, what’s the alternative? Take proactive steps to address staffing issues head-on, right from the outset. While it may seem daunting, having those tough conversations today can save you immeasurable headaches down the road. Here are a few strategies to consider: 

    • Open dialogue. Foster a culture of open communication where employees feel comfortable voicing their concerns and grievances. Encourage regular check-ins and feedback sessions to nip potential issues in the bud. 
    • Timely intervention. Don’t wait for problems to escalate before taking action. Address issues promptly and constructively, offering support and guidance to help employees overcome challenges. 
    • Clear expectations. Set clear expectations from the outset regarding job roles, responsibilities, and performance standards. Regularly revisit and reinforce these expectations to ensure alignment and accountability. 
    • Continuous improvement. Treat staffing issues as opportunities for growth and improvement, both for individual employees and the organization. Invest in training, mentorship, and professional development to help employees reach their full potential. 

    Remember, your employees are the lifeblood of your business. By prioritizing their well-being and addressing staffing issues proactively, you not only safeguard the health of your organization but also cultivate a culture of trust, resilience, and success. 

    Wait-and-seeing is not an option when it comes to staffing issues. The sooner you confront challenges head on, the sooner you can mitigate their impact and steer your business toward a brighter future. So, don’t delay. Act today and reap the rewards tomorrow. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    David Finkel

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  • How to Turning Fractional Leadership Into Full Teamship

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    This article was co-authored by Keith Ferrazzi and Maciej Traczyk. Traczyk acts as a sherpa, guiding entrepreneurs to the sellable company peak. A serial entrepreneur himself, he runs multiple international business ventures and helps founders grow their businesses faster with fewer mistakes while having fun.

    Fractional executives aren’t just a trend. They are now essential to the modern startup toolset. However, if bringing one part-time leader on board is a challenge, hiring several at once? That’s a whole new management game, and most founders aren’t fully prepared. As more CEOs tap into a “portfolio” C-suite, the struggle shifts from simply getting the talent, to actually building them into a unified, accountable team. That’s where teamship comes in: shared outcomes, one operating cadence, and mutual accountability across functions. 

    The challenge: Make them one team 

    Ask any founder who’s overseen a group of fractional executives, and they’ll say that the toughest part is moving from a collection of experts into a coherent leadership team. Even the best fractional executives can drift in different directions unless there’s a plan and a system to bind them.  

    You don’t need more meetings. You need a simple system. So, what does it take to flip the switch from isolated stars to real teamship? 

    1. Nail the strategy. Then, stick to it. 

    Fractional teams won’t gel unless there’s crystal-clear strategy and a clear moment when strategy planning ends. The CEO must set a firm beginning and conclusion to each planning sprint, making sure the entire leadership group agrees not to let analysis drag on or constantly reopen foundational questions. Communicate the plan, lock it, and pivot only when the data demands. 

    2. Outcomes over activities 

    Success isn’t about keeping everyone busy. What matters is delivering on commitments. CEOs should guide every fractional leader to clarify exactly what outcomes they will achieve: real results such as revenue targets, completed launches, strategic milestones. Make them measurable, such as “Partner pipeline to $1.5M,” “v2.3 live to 100% of customers,” or “CSAT 4.2-4.5.” Only once those commitments are explicit does true accountability emerge. Activity alone is never the goal. 

    A founder, tired of sifting through stale spreadsheets and losing money on “legacy” clients, couldn’t afford a full-time C-suite. We orchestrated a one-two fractional punch: first a fractional CFO who rebuilt data collection and financial analytics, so decisions happened on time. Then, came a fractional CMO who rewired the value proposition to attract profitable clients. Within a few months, the company shed unprofitable accounts and closed a multimillion-dollar, long-term deal. 

    3. Guard the vision and the gaps. 

    Vision can fade when multiple leaders run in parallel. In to master teamship, appoint someone to own the seams between product, marketing, sales and success and other applicable functions. Schedule a 30-minute weekly Integration Review to reconcile roadmaps and resolve the top three cross-functional risks. 

    4. Work smart: Leverage tech and culture. 

    Fractional leadership means every minute counts, and wasted meetings are twice as expensive. Shorten meetings and raise the signal by harnessing AI tools for notes, tracking, and decision support. Implement a live KPI dashboard for transparent commitment tracking. Make candid and open dialogue a norm so fractional execs can surface issues quickly, not hide them. 

    5. Write the social contract. 

    Beyond outcomes and systems, teamship runs on a social contract, a co-created pact, written in clear, simple language, and signed. It spells out how you work together: the few behaviors you expect, how decisions get made, when you escalate, what happens when a commitment slips, and how you give feedback without drama.  

    Keep it short, specific, and referenced every week, aka “Did we honor the contract?” Have a quick monthly refresh as the business shifts. When the rules of engagement are explicit, and owned by everyone, fractional leaders stop operating in parallel and start acting like one accountable executive team. 

    Fractional leadership works when it operates as one system, not a collection of experts. However, to turn a loose roster into a true executive team, set a clear strategy, manage outcomes, install tight operating cadences and make candor non-negotiable. That’s how you turn a group of individual fractional leaders into a scale-ready executive team. 

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    Keith Ferrazzi

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  • How Blueland’s Founders Avoided the ‘Founder Divorce’ That Kills 65% of Startups

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    Since my co-founder John Mascari and I started Blueland, we’ve only had one real disagreement—what to name the company. That was seven years ago. Since then, we’ve made thousands of decisions that matter far more. Somehow, we’ve managed to stay aligned. 

    That doesn’t mean we see everything the same way. We approach problems from different angle, and we ask different questions. However, we’ve built a partnership grounded in trust—trust in the other’s ownership and trust that the other person cares as deeply, works as hard, and sweats the details just as much. 

    Co-founder conflict is one of the top reasons startups fail 

    Research from Harvard Business School shows that around 65% of startups fail because of co-founder conflict or misalignment. “Founder divorce” is one of the most common but least-discussed risks in building a company. You can have the right idea, funding, and timing, and still fail because your partnership breaks down. From day one, we knew that if we wanted to build something durable, we’d have to protect alignment as deliberately as we protect cash flow. 

    How we work together 

    From the start, we divided responsibilities loosely by strength. For example, I tend to lead on marketing, brand, and creative. He focuses more on operations, finance, and our people. Those boundaries, however, aren’t walls. We both deeply co-own our mission and product philosophy. We both jump into anything that touches the customer or the planet. We talk nearly every day—sometimes about the biggest strategic calls and sometimes about the smallest details. 

    We each care deeply about the details. Knowing the other does the same is what makes trust possible. When he makes a call on a supplier, I don’t need to double-check it because I know it was made with as much care as if I had made it myself—never out of convenience or lack of time. When I do double-check, it’s welcome. We’ve built enough trust that questions never feel like second-guessing. We both know any push or challenge comes from the same place — wanting to get to the right answer for the company. 

    That kind of trust actually makes it easier to challenge each other, not harder. It’s a habit the broader team sees and mirrors. When people watch founders question each other with respect and curiosity, it sets the tone for how the whole company communicates. 

    Revisiting our North Star every year 

    From the beginning, we take a step back to reset once a year. Together with our board and leadership team, we set a North Star—a theme or focus for the year. Then, we define each leader’s priorities that will bring it to life. 

    We also revisit our company values to make sure they still feel true to how we operate. Next, we share the theme with the full company. It keeps everyone anchored and keeps us accountable. 

    When everyone knows the focus, it’s easier to see when decisions start to drift away from, including our own. That discipline around alignment isn’t just for founders. It scales across the organization. 

    Staying aligned in practice 

    Alignment doesn’t happen by luck. It’s maintained through constant communication. We check in daily—sometimes formally, sometimes between meetings or flights—to trade notes, flag concerns, or pressure-test each other’s thinking. If something feels off, we don’t wait. We speak up immediately. It’s rarely dramatic, but this habit has prevented countless small misalignments from becoming bigger ones. 

    What makes it work 

    • Shared ownership of purpose
      We both care about why the company exists and what we refuse to compromise on. 
    • Equal respect for detail
      We trust each other because we both do the work and commit to the details. 
    • Constant communication
      We don’t wait for formal check-ins to reconnect. 
    • Regular re-alignment
      Revisiting the North Star each year keeps decisions consistent and our focus transparent. 
    • Assuming good intent
      Every disagreement starts from the belief that we’re both trying to do what’s best for the company and the mission. 
    • A shared desire to keep learning
      We both approach the business with curiosity. There’s always more to understand, questions to ask, and new ways to make Blueland stronger. 

    The real takeaway 

    People sometimes hear that we’ve only had one major disagreement and assume that means we never debate. It’s the opposite. We question everything. We just do it from a place of total trust. The goal isn’t to avoid conflict. It’s to build a partnership where you know the other person cares as much as you do. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Sarah Paiji Yoo

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  • Three Ways to Build Client Trust, According to Celebrity Photographer Michael Muller

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    On a recent episode of The Big Idea from Yahoo Finance, I sat down with Michael Muller, the award-winning Hollywood and environmental photographer behind some of the most recognizable celebrity portraits and Marvel movie campaigns. His work has also taken him into refugee camps and shark-filled oceans, giving him a rare perspective on what it takes to connect with people in every situation. I first met my lifelong friend on Mt. Kilimanjaro, and he later joined me to document refugee stories for the United Nations Foundation. 

    Our conversation on The Big Idea centered on one question every entrepreneur faces: How do you build client trust? According to PwC’s Trust in US Business Survey, 90% of business executives think customers highly trust their companies while only 30% of consumers actually do.  

    The foundation of trust 

    Muller explained that trust often begins before the first project even starts. “I am a vault,” he explained. “I have to earn someone’s trust in 30 seconds or they’re not going to give me the photo I want to get.” 

    For entrepreneurs, those early moments with a client can determine whether it becomes a one-off engagement or develops into something long term. Muller is not intimidated by celebrities and says he treats everyone equally regardless of their job. Building trust, he added, means showing respect, making eye contact, and avoiding starting off with excuses about your business.  

    Avoiding missteps 

    Over the years, Muller has had opportunities to sell photos or salacious stories to make a quick buck, but that isn’t his style. Trust can take years to build and seconds to lose. Muller said the fastest way to lose trust is to lie. “I hate liars and I hate lying,” he said. If you make a mistake, then fess up and move forward with honesty.  

    Muller warned against making assumptions and reminded entrepreneurs that communication is key. He also emphasized the importance of respect. 

    Taking care of yourself 

    You can’t build strong relationships if you don’t have a healthy one with yourself. Muller has a holistic approach to avoid burnout. His self-care toolkit includes ice baths, sauna sessions, meditation, breathwork, and gratitude. He avoids gossip and encourages listening more than talking. 

    Whether you are running a small service business or managing global clients, the fundamentals of trust remain the same: deliver promises, communicate clearly, and show respect for the client’s perspective. Muller’s career proves that when trust is at the center, relationships can grow into something far bigger than a single project, as evidenced by our friendship that has lasted more than 15 years. 

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    Elizabeth Gore

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  • Why Passion for Your Work Is Your Ultimate Competitive Advantage

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    Do you know which professionals always stand out in the crowd? It’s the fans, fanatics, and enthusiasts about their work. If you’re successful, chances are, you don’t only do what you love but you really enjoy doing it. When you talk about your products, services, or business, you have a light in your eyes that no advertising campaign can buy. 

    Find your professional North Star 

    However, what if you haven’t found the work that excites you? What if you are looking for what makes you enthusiastic and passionate? You may be working in a job for the money. Perhaps, you have not taken the time to discover what really motivates you. The good news is that you can work on it—just ask yourself the following questions: 

    • What do I really like to do at work? 
    • What am I good at doing? 
    • What impact do I want to generate? 
    • What do I understand about professional success? 

    Finding answers to these questions will make all the difference in your life. 

    The transformation process 

    The process usually begins with a crisis, loss, or frustration. It is common for this situation to occur after losing a job or getting passed up for a promotion. It usually leaves you more frustrated and without knowing what to do. However, this situation is also the one that can get you out of your comfort zone and can lead you to find your professional passion. If you’ve been laid off or passed over, you will have to accept and start moving forward again. 

    You must give yourself time to find work that has to do with something that you are not only good at, but you also like. Although there are people who have an innate passion for what they do, many of us must work on it a bit. 

    The most important thing 

    The most important thing at this point is to have the courage to be who you are and try to do what makes you resonate. It is a liberating and also a surprising process to discover and reconnect with what you are really passionate about. The result is a renewed professional image accompanied by something that was not there before: passion. When you put this passion and joy into your work, success is practically guaranteed. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Peter Economy

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  • When Ego Gets in the Way of Leadership

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    Ego has many masks but only one truth. I see ego-based leadership reactions disguised as intuition, trust, defensiveness, micromanagement, and a multitude of other things. However, what’s really at the heart of those responses is a lack of radical self-inquiry. Your ego can be pushy. It can take over every decision you make if you aren’t aware of its presence.  

    Once the ego has been quieted, the real reason for a reaction is revealed. When the noise of ego subsides, what’s left is often a kind of groundlessness—a soft spot that reveals your fear, tenderness, and longing to be seen. Leadership begins in that unguarded place.  

    From a Buddhist perspective, the ego is not an enemy that you need to eradicate. It’s a mistaken belief in a fixed self. Psychoanalysis defines the ego a bit differently as the part of human beings that tries, however clumsily, to protect people. Understanding both dimensions will help you see that ego isn’t the problem; rather, it’s our identification with it that is. 

    I will warn you, though, that sometimes what’s left when ego has departed is challenging to sit with. More often than not, it isn’t what you thought it might be. What you do with the thing that’s unveiled is what defines great leaders. 

    Rooting out ego 

    There are two fundamental questions to ask yourself when you have an ego-driven response. This might look like a strong reaction to a team decision, the need to control what someone else is handling, or a knee-jerk reaction of defensiveness. You can view these questions as an inner dialogue between your ego and awareness.  

    • Why do I do what I do?
      Stop and consider you go to work every day, why you function the way that you do, and why you initially stepped into your current position. Are you destroying yourself by trying to be someone you’re not? Are you still aligned with your own goals and values? Have you strayed so far from those that you do not know who you are? Are you “chasing lemon drops,” like I wrote about in my book, Reboot? Get to the core of your “why.” 
    • Why do I feel what I feel?
      If you really take the time to pause when reacting to a message or decision, you will find the root cause. This is not easy to do, and it does require some practice, which can be guided through regular journaling. Often, what you call “drive” or “ambition” begins as a defense. This is an ego strategy to be loved, feel safe, and belong. Seeing that softens judgment and opens the door to self-understanding and, importantly, self-compassion.  

    The act of writing down how and why you reacted the way you did and then reading those words back to yourself can give you great insight. Perhaps more importantly, a regular journaling practice can teach your brain to pause before sending that email, micromanaging a team, or making decisions based on ego rather than logic.  

    It takes the time it takes 

    Some people process things and learn new patterns quickly. Others take days, weeks, months, and even years to fully engage in radical self-inquiry. Sometimes, the amount of time it takes to find the real and raw answers can surprise you.  

    A good example of this is a conversation I recently had with a client. He informed his team that he needed several weeks to implement a significant cultural shift. He worked on journaling and answering the two questions above for a few days, repeatedly coming back to the same conclusion. However, when he returned to his team with his thoughts and decisions, a board member questioned his processing time.  

    The board member said, “You said it would take weeks, and here you are, a few days later, with a decision. How can that be?” They even went so far as to suggest that he reconsider for a more extended period. However, the answers were clear, and he had no reason to continue processing.  

    The work of self-inquiry

    When you’ve done the work to understand why you react the way you do, you may find it takes less time than expected to reach a decision you can live with. Insight can appear suddenly, but only after long work of self-inquiry. The ego loosens not by force but by love and friendship. It’s there, after all, to protect you. 

    It’s okay to take more—or less—time to figure things out. You owe it to yourself and your team to fully process big decisions and act when the move feels right, regardless of the timeline. It’s not about the numbers, but it’s about setting your ego aside and finding the truth through radical self-inquiry. When you meet your ego with curiosity and friendship rather than contempt, it becomes a teacher, pointing you toward the true self beneath. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Jerry Colonna

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  • How My Dishwasher Hunt at Lowe’s Became a Master Class in Missed Moments

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    There was a time when shopping in person meant something. You’d get eye contact, maybe even a smile. Someone might care whether you walked away satisfied or at least, with what you came for. Lately, retail feels like an archaeological dig site for customer service. I was reminded of this during a recent trip to Lowe’s, which began as a simple errand and ended as a case study in how customer experience dies—not from one big failure, but from a thousand small indifferences. 

    The spark of hope 

    It started promisingly. I was on the hunt for a new dishwasher. The store was busy, but one associate went above and beyond. He didn’t just point me to the appliance aisle, but he walked with me, asked a few smart questions about my kitchen setup, and even flagged a clearance model that checked every box: black finish, energy-efficient, and a serious deal. 

    He was one of those rare employees who got it. The kind who doesn’t just follow the process but thinks creatively. The unit was slightly taller than my counter opening, but instead of dismissing the problem, he brainstormed a workaround—adjusting the leveling legs, tweaking the height, even offering double-check specs. I was impressed. This was the kind of customer service and interaction that restores faith in retail—real human effort, genuine interest, and problem-solving in motion. 

    When the system takes over 

    Then came the moment to pay. That’s when things went sideways. Apparently, the dishwasher wasn’t “in stock” according to the computer system, even though I was staring right at it. The barcode wasn’t scanning properly, and the helpful associate couldn’t override it. So he called for the manager. Bye bye customer service.

    Enter Karen. Karen arrived with that brisk, confident energy of someone ready to fix things. She typed, clicked, and frowned. She tried again, then again, and then she sighed audibly. 

    “This isn’t supposed to happen,” she said to the screen. She called another manager. One was “at lunch.” The other was “in a meeting.” So, she gathered reinforcements—five other employees, each trying to diagnose the mystery of the ghost dishwasher. 

    For the next 30 minutes, I stood there while this ad hoc task force hovered around the terminal, discussing possible fixes, store policies, and, eventually, unrelated topics—upcoming vacations, a broken printer, and someone’s lunch order. I might as well have been invisible. I received zero updates, no estimated timeframe, and no reassurance. Instead, I just stood in quiet frustration amidst inside chatter while I waited, holding my credit card, wondering if anyone remembered I was still there. 

    The fix without influence 

    Eventually, someone found a workaround. The transaction went through. I signed the slip and walked away with my receipt and a strange feeling: relief, not satisfaction. Here’s what struck me most. The outcome was fine. The problem was resolved, but the experience was awful. I had no control, no communication, and no participation. The helpful associate who started strong was sidelined. The manager who tried to help got lost in her own process. I, the customer, had zero influence in shaping the journey. That’s the modern retail paradox. The system works—just not for the customer. 

    Process over people 

    Modern culture has optimized retail to death. Every transaction, approval, and exception flows through a maze of systems and rules. Employees follow scripts instead of using judgment. Managers focus on compliance over connection. While technology was supposed to make things smoother, it’s often just created new friction points no one feels empowered to solve. 

    When the system doesn’t allow for flexibility, people stop thinking creatively. They stop owning the experience. The “Karen” at Lowe’s wasn’t incompetent, but she was constrained. Trained to follow procedure, not to lead a customer through uncertainty. 

    The forgotten human element 

    Customer service used to be about helping people. Now it’s about people managing systems, and that shift has quietly gutted the emotional core of the in-store experience. Customers don’t expect perfection. They expect acknowledgment. They expect to be seen, heard, and informed. A simple, “Hey, this might take a few minutes, but we’ll get it sorted out,” would have changed everything. Instead, the silence spoke volumes. 

    What retail can learn 

    The lesson here isn’t about dishwashers but about design. Companies need to rethink customer experience as something that happens between people, not just through systems. Empower front-line employees to own outcomes. Encourage managers to communicate transparently, even when they don’t have all the answers. Most importantly, remember that every customer interaction is a story in progress. Whether it ends as a tale of frustration or delight depends on how much agency the customer feels they have in shaping it. 

    That day at Lowe’s could have been a shining example of service recovery done right. Instead, it became a microcosm of retail’s biggest challenge: confusing process for progress. Because the truth is, customer experience isn’t measured by how efficiently a system runs. It’s measured by how human it feels when things don’t go according to plan. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Andrea Olson

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  • Gen Z’s Work Values Are Different From Employers. Here’s How Hiring Managers Can Meet in the Middle

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    A hiring manager shared something with me that explained the dilemma so many workplaces are facing today. He said, “Job interviews with young candidates have turned into a sparring contest where both parties attempt to clarify what they want out of the job experience.” This observation now has research behind it. 

    NYU professor Suzy Welch released the results of her study on Gen Z and businesses across America. Ms. Welch teaches M.B.A. students and attempts to prepare them for a life of purpose and leadership as they graduate. There’s just one problem. These students have a different set of values than most companies do.  

    Fasten your seatbelt. Welch’s analysis produced an outcome that startled her and her team. A mere 2% of Gen Z members hold the values that companies want most in new hires, which are: achievement, learning, and an unbridled desire to work. Gen Z respondents’ top three values were: 

    • The desire for self-care and personal pleasure or to be happy 
    • The desire to express authentic individuality or to have a voice 
    • The desire to help people or to make a difference in others’ lives 

    Of course, none of these top values are bad, but values are choices, and right now, Gen Zers have chosen to push back on the traditional “work ethic.” They prefer a more “look out for number one” mindset. I can’t always blame them, but for now, employers must figure out how to close the gap between what the organization wants and needs, and what that young potential team member does.  

    The motivators behind Gen Z values in the workplace 

    As I hosted 13 focus groups with members of Gen Z, I had two epiphanies. First, I began to realize they represent the future, and I would do well to listen rather than merely demand that they align with past ways of doing things. Second, as I listened, I heard many say they didn’t want to “hate their work” like so many do today, nor feel bound to it.  

    Further, some said they witnessed their mom or dad “worship their work” and become workaholics. They saw them stressed out and unhappy. No wonder their top priorities on the job surfaced differently in Welch’s study. 

    The secret to meeting in the middle 

    The key to my research emerged when they associated work with hobbies. The young people I met wished that work could somehow be treated as a hobby they participated in, rather than a job. In other words, they did it because they wanted to, not because they had to. Their motivation was devotion, not duty.  

    Herein lies the gap between old and young. I expect them to embrace my kind of work ethic, but I’ve found I see that kind of motivation when I profile their job differently. I began describing the tasks I needed them to perform as a hobby: places where they could connect their talents and their passions. I gave them more autonomy to accomplish tasks with strategies they came up with, rather than the steps I prescribed. Soon, they owned the task, rather than “renting it” from me. 

    Certainly, there are several tasks that need to be done at a specific time. They must meet a deadline because others depend on them. However, this criterion is agreeable since their motivation shifted from duty to devotion. I had their “heart” not just their “head” in the mix. I enjoyed engaged, not disengaged employees. 

    What compromise looks like  

    Consider your favorite hobby growing up. Did you play sports? Did you have a collection of coins or baseball cards? Did you play video games or paint pictures? I found that when I had a great hobby, I could hardly wait to get to it, and my best work might happen at 10:00 pm, not 10:00 am. I was inspired, not forced to do it. Isn’t this what leaders want from their staff?  

    I wonder if this could be what meeting in the middle looks like with Gen Z: 

    • Since we’re paying them, we do require punctuality and outcomes. 
    • Yet, we’re getting their inspired work, from fully engaged teammates. 
    • Our values and their values have found a place to overlap. 

    When it comes to the future, there is a lot of uncertainty. But one fact is that Gen Z will be there. It’s time to adapt and become better leaders. May their push back on traditional values nudge older generations to grow and enable them to achieve more than they felt they could. I have no doubt this will allow both leaders and teammates to get on the same page. 

    To get a copy of my new book, The Future Begins with Z: Nine Strategies to Lead Generation Z as They Disrupt the Workplace. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Tim Elmore

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  • Why Rest Is a Smart Return on Investment

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    Picture a CEO bragging about not taking a day off in seven years, as if he’d earned a medal in the war on downtime. Then came the “mystery illness,” the endless fatigue that no amount of caffeine can fix, and a board of directors suggesting he step away for a while. When he finally took a week off—no laptop, no calls—he came back with two breakthroughs: one for his business and one for his life. He realized both were running him instead of the other way around. 

    The return on investment of rest 

    Modern business culture glorifies doing, doing, and more doing. Sleep less, crush more goals, and check off more boxes. Rest becomes the thing to do after success—if there’s time left.  

    Yet, research reveals the need to prioritize rest. Downtime fuels creativity, clarity, and emotional regulation. A Harvard study found that strategic rest increases long-term productivity. Meanwhile, chronic overwork can cut cognitive performance. And leaders who model rest? Their teams are more engaged and less likely to burn out, according to Gallup. Translation: Rest isn’t a luxury. It’s a smart leadership strategy. 

    The power of pausing  

    Taking to pause isn’t just about sleep or vacation. It’s a mindset—balancing being and doing. Arianna Huffington built an entire company, Thrive Global, on the idea that rest restores humanity to business. Even Einstein is often quoted as crediting his breakthroughs to long walks and moments of “idleness.” Rest doesn’t stop the work. It makes the work better. 

    Self-reflective questions 

    Ask yourself the following questions to assess your relationship with rest: 

    • When was the last time you truly unplugged—no email, no mental to-do list? 
    • How does your leadership change when you operate from a place of rest instead of rushing? 
    • What message does your rest or lack thereof send to your team? 

    5 techniques for productive rest 

    • Schedule sacred pauses.
      Block “white space” on your calendar. Treat it like a meeting with your best self. 
    • Rebrand rest as ROI.
      Track the insights, solutions, and better decisions that come after taking time off. Share these stories with your team. 
    • Lead by example.
      Tell your team when you’re unplugging and that they should, too. Better yet, build rest into company rhythms. For example, does your team truly need to come back for a day or two between Christmas and New Year’s? 
    • Practice micro-rest moments.
      Do one-minute meditations, a mindful breath before meetings, or stepping outside between Zoom calls to reset your nervous system and improve focus.  

    Own your meetings. Book 45-minute meetings instead of 60-minute meetings, and use those extra minutes to review, recharge, and reset. 

    Team talk  

    In a team meeting, reflect on organizational norms or habits in your culture that discourage rest. Discuss together how you might integrate rest and renewal into your daily workflow. Then, agree on one experiment: outside walking meetings, a creative quiet hour where people can think without interruption, or a 10-minute midday recharge break. Notice what changes. 

    Rest and rise 

    Great leaders know that rest refuels purpose, perspective, and presence. After all, people are human beings, not human doings. Leadership isn’t an endurance contest. When you unplug, you return to your work with sharper thinking, a steadier heart, and a truer sense of what matters. The best leaders don’t just keep going. They know when to pause and recharge. They have the wisdom and courage to stop long enough to see clearly again and that makes space for real power to show up. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Moshe Engelberg

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  • The Mindset Shift I Teach at Harvard to Create Captivating Presentations

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    There’s a big difference between a person delivering a PowerPoint and someone who’s telling a story. Storytellers captivate and engage audiences. Presenters put people to sleep with boring, confusing, and convoluted slide decks. 

    Be a storyteller, not a presenter. 

    That’s the advice I give to entrepreneurs and business leaders in my Harvard classes on 

    communication skills. The first question they always ask is: “Does that mean we avoid using PowerPoint?” Absolutely not. You can and should use PowerPoint and other graphic design tools to complement your story, but you’ll be far more effective if you build the story first. 

    It might sound like a subtle shift, but once you adopt the mindset of a storyteller, the presentation your audience sees will change for the better. 

    Storytellers storyboard. Presenters build slides. 

    Most people have access to new and cool presentation tools such as AI-generated animations, sleek graphics, and even new PowerPoint features like “designer” that make it easier than ever to generate design ideas. Although the tools are great and will help build better looking slides, they won’t necessarily make your presentations memorable. 

    While it’s tempting to open PowerPoint and start dropping in slides and inserting graphics, the most effective speakers do something different: They storyboard first. Storyboarding simply means laying out the flow of your message before you touch the software. Think of yourself as a movie director who sketches out the scenes before picking up a camera.   

    One of my favorite photos that I show in class is a picture of me and SanDisk founder and CEO Eli Harari standing in front of a whiteboard. We were sketching out ideas and creating the flow of the presentation that senior executives would deliver at the company’s annual analyst meeting. Once we could see the big picture and identify key messages, we began to invite designers and creators into the meetings to help us visualize the ideas. While most people rush to open PowerPoint. Great communicators reach for a pen. 

    Storytellers follow structure. Presenters wing it. 

    The reason most audiences find PowerPoints boring is because they lack structure. Presenters build PowerPoint decks while storytellers build arcs. An arc is a journey taken by a character in a book or movie. Think about the arc you want your presentation to take. 

    For example, a simple storytelling structure used in nearly every Hollywood movie is the three-act play. Act 1 is the set-up where the audience gets to know the characters, their world, and what they hope to achieve. Act 2 is the challenge the characters and heroes face. Lastly, Act 3 is the resolution where everything gets wrapped up in a bow. 

    A good business presentation follows a similar arc: 

    • They use Act 1 to describe the world as it exists today for potential customers and prospects. 
    • Then, in Act 2, they define the problems people face in navigating the world as it exists. 
    • Act 3 offers a solution to the problems and a clear call to action. 

    Presenters deliver information. Storytellers guide their audience on a journey. 

    Storytellers rehearse. Presenters read. 

    One of the biggest differences between an average presentation and a truly memorable one happens before anyone steps on stage. Presenters spend their final tweaking slides, adjusting fonts, inserting charts, adding more text and data. Storytellers, on the other hand, spend more time rehearsing for the performance, their opportunity to share their ideas on stage. 

    If you don’t internalize the message you want to convey, you’ll be forced to read from slides or the notes you’ve written on your smartphone. You’ll have missed the chance to move people, to connect with your audience face-to-face and eye-to-eye. Presenters read to the audience. Storytellers speak to the audience, and they can feel the difference. 

    PowerPoint isn’t the enemy. The problem is starting with slides instead of a story. Don’t be the person who delivers a presentation. Be the person who tells a story people will remember. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Carmine Gallo

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  • Hybrid Work Isn’t Dead. It’s Being Optimized

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    For office employees, the transition from the traditional, Monday through Friday “9-to-5 work model” office to a more flexible, technology-forward workplace is nearly complete. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional workplace relied heavily on the physical environment and tools that employees had access to. Hybrid or remote work options were rare, coveted benefits, usually limited to the tech sector. Otherwise, people came into an office daily to do their work surrounded by other colleagues. 

    Today, the workplace looks different as hybrid and remote work options are mainstream. With technology enabling people to work from anywhere—and AI becoming an integral part of the workforce—flexibility has become a strategic lever for many organizations, helping to maximize productivity, streamline overhead, and enhance employee retention. Despite the slew of Return-to-Office (RTO) headlines over the last few years, the reality is many leaders are leaving the traditional work model in the rearview and leaning into hybrid work. 

    The prominence of hybrid work  

    For small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), the prominence of hybrid work has remained stable, with only minor shifts over the last three years. According to Vistage CEO Confidence Index data, 43% of all SMBs offer hybrid work as of Q3 2025, a decrease of seven percentage points since Q2 2022. Meanwhile, the percentage of workplaces that are fully remote has increased slightly from 8% in Q3 2025 compared to 7% in Q2 2022. 

    This 7% rise in fully onsite work, up to 45% in Q3 2025 from 38% in Q2 2022. is a far cry from recent rhetoric around return to office. Hybrid work is far from dead; for many, it’s the new normal. The once-deafening drumbeat of RTO has lost momentum since early 2025, as CEOs shift their focus to pressing matters such as economic uncertainty, policy confusion, and the three Is of inflation, interest rates, and immigration. As a result, some of the strictest and most inflexible RTO plans have stalled, cementing hybrid work’s place in the modern world. Hybrid work hasn’t disappeared. It has evolved as leaders determine the best mix of in-person and at-home work for their organization’s needs. 

    Why hybrid work didn’t end when the market declined 

    It goes without saying that the job market of 2025 is nowhere near as robust as it was in 2022.  Rather than the Great Resignation, many organizations face the “Great Stay,” with employees holding onto jobs amid uncertainty and a weak market. Enter the rise of “quiet quitters” who are completely unengaged but try to do just enough to avoid being let go. In every workplace, employee engagement remains critical to driving performance, productivity, and ultimately return on investment. Regardless of how strong or weak the job market is, rocking the boat on workplace dynamics is a risk to business success. In the short term, employees may comply, but at what cost?  

    Amid economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and the rapid adoption of new technology, hybrid work is playing a key role in how many business leaders are preparing for the year ahead. Here are four ways CEOs are using hybrid work to optimize their business: 

    Reinforcing culture and collaboration 

    When hybrid work first became more widespread during the COVID pandemic, CEOs expressed concerns about fostering company culture and collaboration virtually. Today, many leaders find hybrid work can help elevate and better define culture and collaboration by reinforcing a more intentional approach to time spent in the office. 

    Improving the physical environment  

    A physical environment isn’t just what an office space looks like. Also, it includes all the tools and technology people need to be successful in their roles. Today’s most forward-thinking leaders are creating in-person environments that complement at-home work while improving infrastructure and rethinking floor plans to promote teamwork. 

    Providing more flexibility 

    In Vistage’s most recent survey of CEOs, respondents identified flexibility as the third leg of the workplace. Since experiencing hybrid benefits during shutdowns, employee satisfaction rates have become increasingly reliant on people’s ability to achieve better balance through flexible arrangements. 

    Building better bosses  

    It’s often said that people don’t leave bad jobs. Instead, they leave bad bosses. Bosses play the single most significant role in shaping employee experience. Businesses can only reap the full benefits of their hybrid workforce if managers are equipped to help teams maximize their workflows and technology, while upholding strong communication both in-person and virtually.  

    In today’s world of constant change and instability, the principles of the most productive and engaged workplaces remain the same. Instead of reinstating the traditional 9-to-5 work model, many leaders are leveraging hybrid work to enhance employee engagement and increase productivity. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Joe Galvin

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  • How to Coach Your Team Instead of Carrying Them

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    If your team can’t function without you in the room, you don’t have a team, you have a dependency. Too many business owners confuse supporting their team with carrying them. Instead of learning how to coach team members, they do the work for them. They jump into every problem, solve every issue, and answer every question themselves. It feels like good leadership, but it’s actually just bottlenecking in disguise. 

    The goal of leadership isn’t to be the smartest person in the room. Instead, it’s to build a room full of people who can think, solve, and act without you. That shift, from problem-solver to coach, is one of the most important moves a business owner can make. It’s also the only way to scale without burning out. Here’s how to make it. 

    1. Stop answering every question. 

    When a team member asks you, “What should I do about X?” don’t give them the answer right away. Instead, ask: 

    • What options have you considered? 
    • What would you do if I weren’t here? 
    • What’s the next step you could take? 

    This isn’t about being evasive. It’s about developing their decision-making muscles. Every time you solve it for them, you train them to keep coming back. When you coach them through it, you grow their confidence and capability. 

    2. Trade firefighting for frameworks. 

    Good managers put out fires. Great leaders build fire prevention systems. Start capturing how you think through challenges: 

    • What is your decision-making process? 
    • What questions do you ask before committing to a course of action? 
    • What patterns do you see in recurring issues? 

    Turn those into frameworks your team can use. That could be a decision tree, a checklist, or a step-by-step doc. If it’s in your head, it’s a habit. If it’s on paper, it’s a tool. 

    3. Coach on outcomes, not style. 

    Many owners get stuck correcting how something is done instead of focusing on the result. If a team member gets to 90% of the desired outcome in their own way, then celebrate that. Tweak where needed but resist the urge to micromanage their method. 

    Too much intervening or micromanaging can stifle creativity and growth. Your goal isn’t to build clones. It’s to build capability. Let people solve problems in their own voice as long as the standards are met. 

    4. Create a feedback loop. Then, step back. 

    Coaching doesn’t mean disappearing. It means setting up support and structure: 

    • Weekly check-ins focused on progress, not perfection. 
    • Clear KPIs tied to outcomes, not hours. 
    • Open channels for questions but with the expectation that they will bring solutions too. 

    When you step back with structure, your team steps up with ownership. 

    5. Let go of the hero identity. 

    It feels good to be the fixer, the rescuer, or the one who always has the answers. However, if your business depends on you always being the hero, you’ll never escape the hamster wheel. And your team will never reach their full potential. Great coaches don’t chase trophies. They build champions. 

    Be the multiplier, not the machine. 

    Your job isn’t to do more. It’s to make everyone around you better. Coaching is the leverage point where leadership stops being reactive and starts becoming exponential. It’s the difference between growth that drains you and growth that sustains you. 

    So the next time you feel the urge to fix something for your team, pause and ask: 

    “Is this a task to complete—or a chance to coach?” One builds a to-do list.  The other builds a business. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    David Finkel

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  • Strategic Objectives Alone Won’t Drive Change. Here’s the Value in Specific, Measurable Actions

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    You’ve sat through those strategy presentations. The ones with the slick slides, the ambitious objectives, the carefully crafted mission statements. Leaders nod, teams take notes, and everyone leaves feeling…something. Inspired? Maybe. Perhaps, overwhelmed is a better description. Possibly confused. 

    Then, Monday happens. Someone asks, “So what does this actually mean for how I do my job?” And the room goes quiet. The problem is strategy documents are essentially wish lists without behavioral translation. 

    The strategy-execution chasm 

    Leadership teams invest months crafting strategic objectives. They debate every word, metric, and timeline. The final document is a masterpiece of corporate aspiration. However, they stop short of the most critical step—defining the specific mindsets and behaviors required to bring those objectives to life. You’ve shown them where to go, but not how to get there. 

    A financial services company I worked with had set a strategic objective to “become the most customer-centric bank in our region.” Beautiful sentiment. They measured it through NPS scores and customer retention rates. However, when you walked through their branches or called their service centers, you saw the disconnect immediately. 

    Employees were still being primarily evaluated on sales metrics and transaction speed. Their behaviors reflected what actually mattered to their performance reviews, not what the strategy document claimed mattered. When a customer had a complex issue, representatives rushed through scripted responses rather than taking time to understand the underlying need.  

    Why? Because their schedule allowed eight minutes per interaction, and their bonus was tied to how many products they could cross-sell. The objective said, “customer-centric.” The behaviors screamed, “transaction-focused.” Nobody had translated what customer-centricity actually looked like in specific, observable actions. 

    Why leaders skip the behavioral blueprint 

    The gap isn’t accidental. Leaders avoid behavioral translation for several reasons: 

    • It feels too prescriptive. There’s a belief that smart people should figure out how to execute strategy on their own. Defining specific behaviors feels like micromanagement. 
    • It’s genuinely difficult. Translating lofty objectives into concrete actions requires deep understanding of how work happens, not how you imagine it happens from the executive suite. 
    • It exposes philosophical divides. When you start defining what “innovation-driven” or “customer-obsessed” looks like behaviorally, disagreements that were hidden under vague language suddenly become visible. One leader thinks innovation means taking calculated risks. Another thinks it means following proven methodologies. 
    • It demands accountability. Once you’ve defined specific behaviors, you can measure whether they’re happening. That makes everyone uncomfortable, leaders included. 

    What translation looks like 

    For example, a common strategic objective is, “Drive innovation across the organization.” 

    Most companies stop there, maybe adding some metrics around new product launches or R&D investment. Then, they wonder why innovation doesn’t materialize. Here’s what the behavioral translation might include: 

    • Overall mindset shift
      From “don’t bring me problems without solutions” to “problems are opportunities for discovery.”  
    • Leadership behaviors that exemplify it
      When someone raises an issue without a solution, ask exploratory questions rather than dismissing the concern. Share stories of failures in leadership meetings, focusing on what was learned.  Allocate 10% of team meetings to discussing ideas that didn’t work and why. 
    • Employee behaviors that exemplify it
      Experiment with one new approach each quarter, documenting results. Spend time with customers outside formal feedback sessions. Propose improvements to existing processes, even small ones. Build on others’ ideas rather than immediately critiquing them. 
    • Supporting changes needed
      Adjust performance reviews to include “experiments conducted” as a metric. Create protected time for exploration that isn’t consumed by urgent tasks. Change approval processes to enable faster small-scale testing. 

    Notice the specificity. These aren’t suggestions but observable behaviors you can coach to, recognize, and measure. 

    The collaboration contradiction 

    A technology company client set an objective to “break down silos and increase cross-functional collaboration.” They reorganized into matrix structures. They implemented new collaboration software. They measured meeting attendance across departments. Eighteen months later, silos were stronger than ever. Why? Because the behaviors that actually got rewarded hadn’t changed. 

    Engineers were still evaluated entirely by their individual code contributions. Product managers owned success metrics for their product alone. When cross-functional conflicts arose, leaders sided with “their” team rather than solving for the company objective. What was missing was a mindset shift from “protect my function’s interests” to “optimize for the customer’s needs.” 

    Before proposing a solution, talk to at least two people from different functions that engage with customers. In disagreements, reframe debates around customer impact rather than functional preferences. Share credit explicitly when presenting work that involved multiple teams, framing around customer outcomes. 

    Leaders should openly ask, “What did other functions contribute?” when reviewing accomplishments. They should make trade-offs based on holistic customer experience, not departmental lobbying. Also, they will include cross-functional and customer feedback in every performance evaluation. Lastly, they will model asking for input outside their domain of expertise. 

    The company eventually did this work, after a painful year of wondering why their reorganization had failed. Once behaviors were defined and reinforced, collaboration significantly improved. 

    The discipline of specificity 

    Translating strategy into behavior requires uncomfortable specificity. It means answering questions like: 

    • What does someone do differently tomorrow to be successful with this objective? 
    • What’s a meeting that would look fundamentally different? 
    • What would cause someone to hesitate or feel conflicted if they’re operating the old way? 
    • What would we see less of if this behavior is taking hold? 
    • What would customers notice before we told them anything changed? 
    • What metric would move in the first 90 days if behaviors actually shifted? 

    These questions feel tedious because they are. They’re also the only path from strategic aspiration to operational reality. The most effective leaders I’ve encountered don’t stop at defining objectives. Instead, they obsess over behavioral translation. They ask themselves, “If someone shadowed me for a day, would they see me modeling this?” They work with teams to identify what successful execution actually looks like in practice. 

    Your strategy is only as good as your behavioral clarity. 

    The next time you review a strategic plan, ask yourself, “Could someone use this document to change what they do tomorrow, not theoretically, but practically? Would they know what conversations to have differently? What old habits should we abandon?” 

    If the answer is no, you don’t have a strategy. You have aspirations, and aspirations without behavioral translation are just expensive wish lists that make everyone feel busy while changing nothing at all. The hard work isn’t writing the objective. It’s defining what living it actually looks like. 

    This article was originally published on LinkedIn.

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Andrea Olson

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  • The Dos and Don’ts of Nonverbal Communication in Business

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    Entrepreneurs know that what you say matters. In my recent conversation on Yahoo Finance’s The Big Idea with body language expert Linda Clemons, I learned that how you say it can matter even more. Clemons has trained leaders from Coca-Cola to the FBI, and she explained that confidence, trust, and influence are often communicated before a single word leaves your mouth.  

    My favorite takeaway from the interview was a quote from Clemons’s grandmother, who said, “Your mind better be in the same spot as your behind.” In other words, if you’re in the room, your focus better be there too. In fact, anthropologist Ray Birdwhistell once estimated that no more than 30 to 35 percent of social meaning is held in the words themselves. 

    So how can founders use nonverbal cues to win over investors, customers, and employees? Mastering body language is a business tool that can mean the difference between closing the deal and losing the room. 

    Body language dos for entrepreneurs 

    Clemons said the most important aspect of body language for successful CEOs is great posture. Confident entrepreneurs walk with power and presence and stand with that presence to command the room. 

    The second most important attribute is presenting yourself as being open and available when you’re around people. When representing your business and interacting with customers, make sure you and your employees’ power zones are open. Think about your throat, heart, and belly button areas.  

    “You’re open with the facial expressions, open with your body language,” Clemons explained. 

    Body language is not just for big companies. “It starts with you because every major company started where you started,” Clemons said. “Your thoughts, your talk, and your walk show who you are.” 

    Body language don’ts for entrepreneurs 

    Clemons says that when you first engage with someone, they don’t know your baseline and can misinterpret your nonverbal cues. For example, some people frequently fold their arms while in thought, but that can be an off-putting first impression.  

    “It’s habits that [entrepreneurs] have that new people or other people don’t know about,” Clemmons explained. 

    Everyone has bad days but try not to bring that with you to work. “Don’t bring it in because those emotions transfer over to other people; emotion and motion are transferable,” Clemons said.  

    She encouraged business owners to think about the positive impact their body language and attitude can have on every customer who walks in the door. 

    As Clemons reminded listeners, nonverbal communication is a powerful amplifier for entrepreneurs. It can open doors in the first 10 seconds of a meeting or quietly close them just as quickly. The good news is that nonverbal communication is a skill you can practice and refine, just like your pitch deck or business model. Entrepreneurs who master both spoken and unspoken communication stand the best chance of leaving a lasting impression, so let your inner light beam out. 

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    Elizabeth Gore

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  • What the Government Shutdown Teaches Leaders About the Value of Trust

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    The first thing to collapse in any negotiation isn’t the terms. It’s the trust. You can see it in Washington, D.C., right now. Every shutdown is more about belief than policy. People stop trusting that the other side means what they say. Then they stop listening. Eventually, they stop showing up. 

    I’ve seen this movie many times before, and not just on Capitol Hill. Years ago, I sat across from a vice chairman at KPMG during a tech acquisition that was about to die on the table. Both sides had retreated into their corners, convinced the other was posturing. Numbers were flying, but no one was listening. 

    So, I did something that, at the time, felt counterintuitive. I stopped negotiating. From every frustration and every unspoken risk, I summarized the other side’s position. I told the client that it seemed like he was afraid of wasting political capital on a deal that might not deliver. When he finally said, “That’s right,” I knew the deal had shifted. The trust valve had reopened. 

    That’s the same missing link in Washington. You can’t pass a budget in a room that’s stopped believing. 

    As a talent agent, media attorney, and professor at USC Gould School of Law, I teach my students and clients how to build trust in their negotiations. I’m also working on my new book, TILT the Room, coming out in 2026, which explains how you can use timing, influence, leverage, and trust to better negotiate. 

    Trust is the currency before currency. 

    Every deal starts with an invisible exchange, credibility for consideration. If you don’t believe someone is operating in good faith, you’ll assume every offer hides a trap. When trust disappears, facts get filtered through fear. 

    That’s what is playing out now during the current shutdown: a failure of emotional credit. Both parties are catering to their base instead of seeking the truth, and the country is paying the interest on that debt. 

    In business, this happens all the time. Founders promise equity they can’t deliver. Partners start hiding numbers. Teams sense the spin and quietly disengage. The shutdown just happens faster in politics because it’s televised. 

    You can’t build trust in a transaction you’ve already poisoned. 

    When I was a kid, I learned that hard lesson of trust on the street, not in law school. Deals in backrooms and alleyways weren’t written. They were felt. You learned to read the room, the pause, and the micro hesitation before someone said yes. If that energy shifted, the deal was over before words caught up. 

    That instinct never left me. It’s why I tell executives: if you can’t feel trust leaking out of the room, you’re not negotiating. You’re performing, and they are not feeling it. 

    Acknowledge the issue to rebuild trust. 

    Whether it’s a government shutdown or a stalemate in negotiations, rebuilding trust in crisis doesn’t start with persuasion. It starts with acknowledgment. Say things like:  

    • “It seems like you’re giving up on the idea of us working this out.” 
    • “It seems like you don’t believe we’ll follow through.” 
    • “It sounds like you think we’re protecting our side, not the solution.” 

    This is the language of reconnection, the first step to tilting the room back toward progress. 

    The TILT lesson: Retilt before you renegotiate. 

    In the TILT framework, trust is always the first pillar for a reason. It’s the oxygen of every deal. You can’t strategize your way out of an emotional deficit. Right now, leaders across the country, in politics, in startups, and in families are facing their own mini shutdowns. Someone stopped believing. The only way back is empathy that feels real, not rehearsed. 

    So, before you send that next proposal, schedule that next call. Walk back into the room you just lost, and ask yourself one question: “Do they still believe me?” Because once they stop, all the leverage in the world won’t move them. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Ken Sterling

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  • If Leaders Want to Create, Serve, and Connect With People, a Business Revival Is Essential

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    In the era of early business—long before stock tickers and shareholder reports—the spirit of goodwill fueled the mission. Picture the shepherd trading wool for olive oil to sustain his community or the potter shaping bowls so her neighbors could share meals. Today, the life-giving spirit of business has given way to meetings about meetings that produce more meetings, chasing likes and followers as leadership KPIs, and bowing to the gods of quarterly earnings. The joy of creating and serving? Leaders checked it at the door long ago.

    Revival is a deliberate return to the original purpose of enterprise: to serve life, create meaning and joy, and connect people through exchange. It’s profitable too. 

    Good news. Revival is underway again! 

    In the agoras of ancient Greece, business was woven into civic life. Reputation, community, and the joy of exchange built trust and prosperity. Medieval guilds during the 12th and 15th centuries upheld standards of quality and mutual support, protecting both craftsmen and customers. Quaker businesses in the 19th century, like Cadbury, built model communities where dignity, fairness, and profitability thrived together. These were not side notes but revivals of business grounded in humanity and joy.  

    Today, the same spirit is in Patagonia’s purpose-driven culture, Ecosia’s reforestation-through-search model, and USAA’s unwavering service to members while thriving financially. Revival is a return to what’s always made business worth doing. 

    Questions for leaders to ask themselves

    • Where have you lost the spark of joy and buried the original spirit of business under “business as usual”? 
    • What’s one outdated practice—personal or organizational—you could revive to bring more life into work? 
    • If your company held a revival, what would you celebrate and what would you respectfully retire? 

    Why it matters now  

    • Gallup’s recent workplace report shows global engagement sliding. Translation: fewer people feel alive at work. 
    • Top talent is leaving uninspired workplaces. Translation: top talent won’t waste their best years where purpose is missing. 
    • Revival drives innovation and profitability. Translation: love and joy at work aren’t soft. They’re competitive advantages. 

    The bottom line is revival is not optional. It’s a business necessity. 

    5 steps to revive your business

    1. Dust off your why.
      Reconnect with the deeper reason your business exists. Share it. Clarity brings vitality. 
    2. Spot life-giving moments.
      Notice when joy, care, or genuine connection shows up. Shine a light on it and multiply it. 
    3. Release the draining stuff.
      End practices that sap energy—pointless reports, toxic meetings, or reviews that feel like obituaries. 
    4. Experiment with traditions.
      Revive a meaningful old practice—team lunches, storytelling, or celebrating small wins. See how it renews culture. 
    5. Build for belonging.
      Design rituals that weave connection into daily work—shared gratitude, check-ins, or recognition that make people feel seen. 

    How to implement a revival strategy with your team 

    Take five to 10 minutes at your next meeting and ask one of the “mirror” questions above. No fixing, just listening. Agree on one tradition to revive and commit to trying it this week. Invite each person to share one moment when they felt most alive at work and what made it possible. 

    A revival challenge for you 

    Revival takes courage. It’s leadership stripped of buzzwords and rebuilt on timeless truths. It is about being awake to what business really is: a way to serve life, generate meaning, and yes, create joy. Imagine walking into work and feeling energy instead of dread, anticipation instead of boredom, connection instead of isolation. That’s strong and practical leadership. That’s revival. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Moshe Engelberg

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