Leadership Patterns
SUMMARY: Dolly Parton reminds us that the most successful leaders refuse to let other people’s labels define their future. One of my favorite quotes from her is, “I’m not offended by all the dumb blond jokes, because I know I’m not dumb and I also know I’m not blonde.” She nailed it for all the…
Summary: Most leadership programs teach skills, like how to communicate better, manage conflict, and improve engagement. All are worthwhile goals, but after more than 35 years working with leaders and organizations, I’ve learned something important—skills alone do not transform culture. Read on to see what matters even more. Dear Dr. Sylvia, My team is efficient…
Summary: Have you noticed lately how difficult it is to have an honest conversation? Whether it’s politics, workplace policies, social issues, generational differences, or organizational change, many people are walking on eggshells. Some stay silent because they’re afraid of saying the wrong thing. Others speak louder and louder because they feel unheard. The result is…
Summary: Leadership is often misunderstood. Many people assume that if a leader is nice, as in pleasant, agreeable, generous, and always trying to keep the peace, they are automatically effective. Not always. In fact, some of the most quietly frustrating workplaces are led by nice leaders. Let’s take a closer look at how this behavior…
Summary: There are moments in life when everything feels uncertain. Your company restructures. Perhaps your marriage cracks or your child pulls away. War begins, or the market collapses. You may get a difficult health diagnosis. A fire burns through your town. An election divides a family. AI changes how people work overnight. And suddenly, what…
Summary: Many years ago, I attended a conference focused on one enormous question: What do we need to do to make the planet healthier and more humane? The room itself felt electric. Among the dignitaries were John Denver, Ram Dass, and Ted Turner. To say Ted Turner commanded attention would be an understatement. He was…
Summary: Everywhere we turn, there’s noise, uncertainty, division, and pressure to perform. A constant low hum of anxiety that never quite shuts off. Leaders feel it. Teams feel it. Organizations live inside it. And here’s the uncomfortable truth: most leadership tools today are designed to help people cope with chaos, not transform it. Let’s go…
Summary: We’ve been sold a powerful idea that vulnerability is the key to better leadership. And to a point, it is. Thanks to the groundbreaking work of Brené Brown, leaders now understand that courage, connection, and trust require emotional honesty. But here’s the problem no one is saying out loud—vulnerability, by itself, can backfire. Here…
Summary: Let’s start with a truth that may surprise you ➜ Not all tension on a team is a problem. In fact, some of it is essential. But here’s where leaders get it wrong; they treat friction and conflict as if they’re the same thing. They’re not. And when you confuse the two, you either…
Summary: Let’s start with a truth most leaders don’t want to hear. People don’t leave companies; they leave patterns. And more specifically, they leave leaders whose patterns create disconnection, confusion, and emotional exhaustion. But the reverse is also true. When people love working with a leader, it’s not random. It’s not charisma alone, or just…
