2026: Exchanging vision pictures through real memories. The end of the year is approaching, and most people will take time off over the holidays. What I find essential for starting fresh in the new year is reflecting on what's working and what isn't. This means looking at your environment and honestly assessing how to approach making an impact and driving innovation where you are. Reflection as a Leadership Practice Each year, I reflect on what worked for my team, what we sho

Last week, I wrote about how leaders can say no without killing innovation. But there's another side to this: the people bringing the ideas forward. And here's the truth: if leaders need to learn how to say no constructively, intrapreneurs need to learn how to build ideas that can survive contact with reality. Inside large organizations, we often hear, "Be entrepreneurial. Take initiative. Think big." But what does that actually mean? To me, it means learning to think not jus

Innovation doesn't happen in a silo - discussing assumptions is critical I was talking with a client the other week, a senior executive, about a challenge that shows up in almost every organization trying to innovate. There are a lot of ideas floating around, but not every idea makes sense from a business perspective. So the question becomes: how do you say no to those ideas without killing people's energy and creativity? This client was thoughtful. They didn't just want to s

Blackhole of Achievements It's strange, but I have these huge dreams I'd love to follow. And something in me just holds me small. Every other time, I've made it out. I've pushed myself out of my comfort zone, sometimes my fear zone, and just jumped. That worked in the past. I told myself: if I get something offered which inspires me, even if it scares me, I jump. I had great sponsors in my career who saw something in me I couldn't see in myself. But in the last couple of year

Finding you mission is an iterative process but step-by-step you get to more clarity. So it was that time again at the university, where new learners start their learning journey, and like always, it begins with one big question: What’s your mission? This year, I had the privilege of being invited as a mentor and coach, guiding 15 incredible individuals through their own mission discovery process. But right before the kickoff, I was asked to share my own mission and a short