Blog
Why Small Fish Bowls Lead to Small Talent Pools
When I was a kid, our community hosted a carnival each fall. Every year, either my brother or I won a goldfish by sinking a ping-pong ball into a tiny cup. (In retrospect, it must have been traumatic for the fish swimming around in the cups; but for us, it was...
Let’s Get Smarter About Goal-Setting
The rhythm that we established as school children lives on in many of us. Admit it: You get antsy in the spring, realizing that summer is just around the corner. Feeling like September is a fresh start, you clear out a few old files and bring in a few new office...
What’s Happening to Wonder?
One of the quieter casualties of AI isn’t our ability to think. It’s our willingness to wonder. Every day, leaders are rewarded for having answers. Team members come with questions, problems, and uncertainty, and the instinct is understandable: solve it quickly,...
What the Room Knows
The most powerful thing at ATD this year wasn't on any slide. It was in the space between people. I had a problem at the International Association for Talent Development Conference last month. A good one. I couldn't get people to stop playing. In my session on...
A Word about Welcoming New Workers: Three Secrets to Satisfaction, Engagement, and Retention
First impressions apply to organizations as well as individuals. If you’ve ever hired someone, you know that employers have a short window during which to capture the hearts and minds of a new employee. Unfortunately, too frequently the window closes... about the...
May 2026 Leadership Development Digest
Every month, the Leadership Development Digest brings together smart, practical insights from some of the brightest voices in leadership and development—and we’re grateful that you keep showing up to read, reflect, and engage. If these ideas have been helping you...
Let’s All Be More Like Anthony
I'll admit it: my guilty pleasure this month has been watching Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat on Prime Video. There's something captivating about seeing a perfectly orchestrated workplace drama unfold — especially when only one person doesn't know it's happening....
Employee Retention in Uncertain Times: Why Growth Beats Fear
Over the past few years, leaders have been bracing for flight risk. Now, in many organizations, the opposite concern has emerged: people aren’t leaving. At first glance, that sounds like stability. But look closer, and you may see something more fragile beneath the...
March 2026 Leadership Development Digest
What does leadership require right now? Not in theory. Not in calmer times. But in a moment defined by AI disruption, economic strain, burnout, and eroding trust. This edition of the Leadership Development Digest features more than 20 thoughtful contributors wrestling...