John K Whitehead & Associates

06/19/2026

When you go into a negotiation, whether it's a high-dollar deal for your company or who should take out the trash at home, it's best to know what you value, what the other person values and what alternatives you have if the negotiation fails, write Attia Qureshi, founder of AQ Consulting and MIT Sloan School of Management instructor John Richardson. "By not being overly worried about getting the answer you want, you won't come off as desperate, which they will pick up on. If you are relaxed, they will pick up on that too and typically be more generous," they write

Co-authors John Richardson and Attia Qureshi share 5 key insights from their new book, Never Settle: Persuasion and Negotiation Skills to Get What You Want.

06/18/2026

Building community is more meaningful than traditional networking, writes Leadership Vitae's Kristen Hendrix, who notes that authentic connections, built on trust and consistent engagement, make it easier and more natural to give and receive help when challenges occur. "I'm looking for ways to find my people and invest in them. Eventually, if I've been showing up for them and we've supported and celebrated each other's wins, asking for something doesn't feel like an imposition. It feels natural," Hendrix writes.

Networking feels transactional because it is. Here's how building community instead changes who you ask, how you ask, and what you get back.

06/17/2026

Develop Leaders who communicate better

06/16/2026

Instead of seeking agreement on a direction from your team, executive coach Doug Thorpe writes that alignment is most important, regardless of individual preferences. Alignment requires clarity on the decision's purpose, genuine consideration of team input and a firm commitment from leadership so teams can execute quickly and cohesively. "You can be aligned without agreeing. And in real business, that's not a compromise -- it's a sign of a mature, functional team," Thorpe writes.

Discover why leaders should focus on 'alignment' over 'agreement' to drive team momentum and seize new market opportunities effectively.

06/15/2026

06/14/2026

Conversational debt occurs when unresolved issues, poor alignment and suppressed concerns build up over time, writes Gustavo Razzetti, the CEO of Fearless Culture, who notes that left unchecked, it can quietly undermine productivity and team effectiveness. Debt builds up when teams are not aligned with goals, don't feel a sense of belonging or can't reach final decisions. Identify which debt you're dealing with and address each one individually, Razzetti recommends

Like financial debt, conversational debt can feel manageable. But it often gets out of control before we realize it.

06/13/2026

Coaching Questions to Develop Creativity

06/12/2026

When morale is low at your company due to layoffs, restructuring or other events, it can spread quickly as disengagement and reduced productivity feed off each other, writes Ashley Jordan, a professor of psychology at the University of Arizona. Jordan recommends pausing to better understand the dynamics at play, consulting those experiencing the issues directly and avoiding hasty solutions. "Perhaps most importantly, [leaders] use their influence to create a culture of belonging -- one where people feel safe pointing out problems, disagreeing with decisions and voicing their opinions," Jordan writes

Low morale spreads quickly at work. The instinct to fix things fast may actually make problems worse. Research suggests how leaders can effectively navigate this complex challenge.

06/11/2026

In an age of shifting industries and new technologies, the "soft skills" of leadership are in demand, writes author and leadership expert Renee Giarrusso, who notes that the ability to clearly communicate to your team with empathy, understand the impact of your decisions on them and the willingness to have tough conversations will mark the next generation of great leaders. Find out if you're on track by asking your team to evaluate your leadership, invest in their development and create a psychologically safe culture where your team can fearlessly perform, Giarrusso writes.

As many leaders will recognise, most were never actually taught how to lead people. They were promoted because they were brilliant at the job, being the best salesperson, the sharpest analyst, the most technically gifted person in the room. And then one day, they were handed a team and expected to i...

06/10/2026

Welcome back to this final video in the short series on coaching and mentoring.
To wrap up this series, remember that the main difference between coaching and mentoring is that:
* Coaching is structured and short-term.
* Mentoring is long-term and relationship-driven.
The best leaders use both.
* Coaching builds performance.
* Mentoring builds potential.
https://youtu.be/6QSDaVadvyE
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