Those who know founder Virginia Diamond know she has resisted blogging, social media, LinkedIn ‘thought’ pieces consistently for two decades. All that felt…like a waste of time, or worse, adding to the deafening noise.
Our thinking has shifted. As a team, we are writing to share our reflections and thoughts as we all grapple with years of major societal changes – to be a voice in helping shift and respond effectively, and honestly, at times, to work out our own responses.
This is part of a new series of topics designed to meet this moment. Let us know what you want to hear about. What is the question lurking at the edge of your mind? What is keeping you up at night as a leader? Let’s explore.
Contrary to popular belief, the early stage of a career change is often messy. Your ideas don’t align neatly. They pull in different directions. This discomfort is normal, and it’s a sign you might be on the right track.
Have you ever been excited to join a team, thinking of all that you could accomplish together? Some teams achieve all that but…too many find that the way people worked together got in the way of the work itself. Only in hindsight do people realize the team could have done so much more. Teams of all sizes can be a source of tremendous strength, strategic advantage, and impact—if attended to and cared for properly. And right now, we don’t have the luxury of future regret. Instead, we can do more by lowering friction from the start.
Are you taking on a new leadership role? Or hiring a new leader? If so, we suggest being very intentional about what you do and how you do it as they start. Being wise in the honeymoon period is crucial for new leaders to make the impact needed, rather than flame out. Leaders can invest their time to gather data, diagnose what’s really needed, and build the relationships and understanding to actually deliver durable results. In other words, start a bit more slowly to build quickly – because purpose-driven organizations do not have time to waste.
Have you noticed how quickly your mind starts to feel fragmented, especially when scrolling the news or even in talking to friends about events over these last few months? Our brains are wired for fast, intuitive reactions that often overshadow slower but more careful modes of critical thinking. These fragmented moments when your rational mind seems to vanish, overtaken by a chorus of thoughts and feelings—are what psychologists call an “amygdala hijack.”
