Articles

Conversations with Intrapreneurs: Insights on Social Intrapreneurship with John Thompson, H&R Block
5/24/24

In the first installment of the series, I spoke with John Thompson, an Aspen First Mover Fellow since 2011 and VP of Financial Services at H&R Block, to learn how John is connecting his purpose to his current work. I also invited his advice for those who want to be changemakers in the companies but are facing challenges in these disruptive times when companies are pulling back, reducing costs and staff, and seem to be more resistant to social innovation.

Why I Wrote Making Work Matter
5/7/24

There are many reasons why I wanted to write this book. First of all, I was driven by my own professional journey.

One of the Best Investments for a Leader? A Book of Poems
4/24/24

The new sports documentary drama, Nyad, tells the remarkable story of Diana Nyad, a champion swimmer, who sought to achieve a life-long ambition – to swim 110 miles, non-stop from Cuba to Florida. She had tried in her 30’s and failed. Now, at 60, she was determined to realize her dream.

As I watched this movie, I couldn’t help but note that Nyad passionately quotes a line from “The Summer Day,” a beloved poem by Mary Oliver, as a prompt for attempting this seemingly impossible feat:

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

Three Ideas for Turning the Page on 2023. No Resolutions Required
12/29/23

It’s that time of year: the annual prompt for a refresh. Many of us declare we aren’t going to make a list of resolutions again this year (knowing they will soon be forgotten), but we still tend to make promises quietly to ourselves about how the next year will be different than the one we have just been through.

Coach K, the Bear, and Lessons for Leaders
9/29/23  

I’m not a sports fan, but Coach K, the legendary coach of Duke University’s Blue Devils, was at least in my consciousness. I am, however, a student of leadership (and a huge fan of Chef Syndey); and as I watched The Bear, I thought I should learn more about what she was gleaning from her reading.

What If Great Leadership Required Spreading Hope
3/16/23

In these times, when despair lurks and hope seems elusive, I have been thinking back to a story I heard over 20 years ago. The setting was a convening the Aspen Institute Business & Society Program hosted for experts in leadership development.

Reframe the Struggles of Parenting During the Pandemic into Lessons that Will Make You a Better Boss
8/4/22 

I work closely with sustainability leaders and other innovative change agents within companies – many of whom are working parents. On Zoom calls over the past two years, I have heard countless working parents recount how they have coped with back-to-back Covid quarantines, distant learning for children, and the social isolation that has been so troubling for children throughout the pandemic.

What If Great Leadership Required Spreading Hope
3/16/23

In these times, when despair lurks and hope seems elusive, I have been thinking back to a story I heard over 20 years ago. The setting was a convening the Aspen Institute Business & Society Program hosted for experts in leadership development.

Reframe the Struggles of Parenting During the Pandemic into Lessons that Will Make You a Better Boss
8/4/22 

I work closely with sustainability leaders and other innovative change agents within companies – many of whom are working parents. On Zoom calls over the past two years, I have heard countless working parents recount how they have coped with back-to-back Covid quarantines, distant learning for children, and the social isolation that has been so troubling for children throughout the pandemic.

Preparing for a Meeting? Find a Poem.
3/31/22

We often use poetry to begin a meeting. Poems evoke unexpected and diverse observations and help people change their frame of reference as they join the group.  Reading poems ignites curiosity and establishes a reflective tone at the outset of a discussion.

A Salute to Optimism – With a Cautionary Note to Business Leaders
4/29/21

In our own crisis-filled time, what are we to think of optimism? The research on the benefits of optimism is compelling. It is associated with better mental and physical health, enhanced problem solving skills and more.

A Timeless Leadership Lesson:  We Always Have Choices
March 30, 2020

As I set up my home office in a suburb of New York City to work remotely in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I reflected on another time when fear and uncertainty were pervasive. I thought about life after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

“Developing Business Innovators Who Integrate Profitability and Social Value”
Chapter in The Handbook for Teaching Leadership: Knowing, Doing, and Being. Edited by Scott Snook, Nitin Nohria, and Rakesh Khurana. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 2012.)