N2Growth Blog

MARCH 24, 2025

Identifying and promoting leaders is one of the most consequential decisions an organization can make. However, many organizations make the mistake of equating high performance with leadership potential. Effective leadership requires a unique set of skills, including emotional intelligence, adaptability, and the ability to inspire others. This article explores how organizations can distinguish between performance and leadership potential and adopt structured approaches to identify the right cand

Metrics 397

Metrics CTO Leadership Simon 397

Let's Grow Leaders

MARCH 27, 2025

Difficult Conversations: It’s not just WHAT you say, BUT WHERE you say it If youve ever been blindsided by feedback via Slack, had your stomach drop at a cryptic text from your boss, oryes, it happensbeen let go over Zoom, youre not alone. One of the most common complaints I hear about difficult conversations is where they are held. We talk a lot about what to say in a difficult conversation, and how to say itbut we dont talk enough about where that conversation should happen.

Guidelines 291

Guidelines Video Learning-by-Doing Definition 291

Leading Blog

MARCH 27, 2025

I DEAS shared have the power to expand perspectives, change thinking, and move lives. Here are two ideas for the curious mind to engage with: I. Bob Rosen on uncertainty: Uncertainty can become our undoing if we are not open to whats around the corner, whether new ideas and experiences or the latest resentments or disappointments. During a state of uncertainty, we must learn to be comfortable with being vulnerable.

Uncertainty 336

Uncertainty Creativity Blog Innovation 336

Next Level Blog

MARCH 25, 2025

Anyone who has ever flown in the exit row knows the drill. Just before takeoff, the flight attendant stands in the aisle, asks everyone to take their ear buds out, and make eye contact as the attendant asks, Are you aware that youre sitting in an exit row and are you willing and able to assist in an emergency, including opening the exit door and assisting other passengers?

Power 232

Power Team Execution Commitment 232

Advertiser: Paycor

Great leadership development is the key to sustainable business growth. Are you ready to design an effective program? HR can use Paycor’s framework to: Set achievable goals. Align employee and company needs. Support different learning styles. Empower the next generation of leaders. Invest in your company’s future with a strong leadership development program.

Leadership Development

Rich Gee Group

MARCH 25, 2025

One book that punched me in the gut this past year? Meditations For Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. My godson, Will, gave it to me, and I voraciously tore through it in two days. Its short, powerful, and cuts right to the bone. Burkeman has this uncanny ability to make you stop, breathe, and realize that youre not here to do everything - youre here to do what matters.

Books 195

Books Open-book Newsletter Power 195

Let's Grow Leaders

MARCH 28, 2025

Episode 296: Are you running meetings that drive real resultsor just draining everyone’s time and energy? Lets be honest: no one hates meetingsthey hate the ones that feel pointless. If your teams meetings often end with vague action items, low engagement, or zero follow-through, its not just frustratingits hurting your leadership credibility.

Skills 266

Skills Leadership Consensus Diversity 266

Leadership Freak

MARCH 27, 2025

Radical listening is the heart of leadership. How many aspects of leadership are made worse by listening? Not many. Ive been learning to listen all my life. If you think listening is easy, you arent doing it.

Learning-by-Doing 276

Learning-by-Doing How To Leadership Books 276

Innovation Excellence

MARCH 24, 2025

GUEST POST from Greg Satell In 1980 Harvard professor Michael Porter published Competitive Strategy, which recommended that firms create advantage by driving efficiencies throughout the value chain and mastering competitive forces by maximizing bargaining power. These concepts drove corporate thinking for decades.

Porter 119

Porter Efficiency Strategy Power 119

HR Digest

MARCH 27, 2025

The upcoming 25% auto tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico are set to ignite a full-blown trade war that will only end with more layoffs in 2025. For the U.S. automotive industry, this is more than a policy change. Its a significant shift that could not only increase car prices by as much as $10,000 but also unleash a fresh wave of layoffs in the auto industry.

Automotive 102

Automotive Supply Chain Industry Crisis 102

Eric Jacobson

MARCH 24, 2025

The 29 profiles you will read in Robert L. Dilenschneiders new book, Character , are about people who are exceptional exemplars of character. Theyre inspirational because they used their abilities at their highest levels to work for causes they believed in. Because of character, they influenced the world for good. The dictionary defines character as the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual, the distinctive nature of something, the quality of being individual in an interesting

Self-aware 81

Self-aware Leadership Loyalty Books 81

Speaker: Chandra McCormack, CPA, MBA, NACD.DC

Technical degrees might open doors—but it’s the soft skills that keep them open. In the face of disruption, evolving workplace dynamics, and rising expectations of leadership, soft skills like communication, emotional intelligence, and presence have become core business essentials—not nice-to-haves. Inspired by stories from her father coupled with her own career journey, seasoned executive Chandra McCormack breaks down how to lead with impact, connect with purpose, and cultivate a workplace cult

Skills

Leadership Freak

MARCH 25, 2025

Most things people want from leaders benefit everyone. Get out of leadership if you dont care what people want from you. Leadership is about people. Learn to adapt to people, but dont lose yourself. Balance responsiveness with conviction. Here are 7 things people want from leaders.

Leadership 262

Leadership Emotional Intelligence Leadership Development Development 262

The Horizons Tracker

MARCH 26, 2025

In our increasingly complex world, it’s crucial that teams are able to communicate and collaborate effectively. Fundamental to a team’s success is good leadership, but in a world in which teams can be in-person, virtual, and everything in between, leadership is far from straightforward. Research from Rutgers highlights the key role leaders play in the success of a team, with the researchers discovering that leaders were often the biggest predictor of team effectiveness than any other

Team 70

Team Leadership Diversity Environment 70

Lead from Within

MARCH 25, 2025

If your employees dont trust you, the problem isnt themits you. A Gallup study found that only one in three employees strongly trust their leadership, and thats no accident. Leaders who assume their title alone commands loyalty set themselves up for failure. Trust comes from consistency, transparency, and respect. Without it, leadership is nothing more than a title.

Micromanagement 73

Micromanagement Active Listening Loyalty Follow-up 73

Eric Jacobson

MARCH 26, 2025

I just read the best book I have ever read about how to be a great listener. It is called Radical Listening by authors Prof. Christian Van Nieuwerburgh (PhD) and Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener. This book will expertly guide you to move from being an active listener to becoming a radical listener. Radical listening is a profound practice that moves beyond simply hearing words to actively co-creating meaning.

Active Listening 89

Active Listening How To Open-book Executive Coaching 89

Advertiser: ZoomInfo

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

Marketing

Leadership Freak

MARCH 24, 2025

You can do many things right, but one destructive behavior pollutes them all. Toxic behaviors poison teams. Eliminating destructive behaviors lifts your potential. Keep the good. Jettison the bad. Here's my list of 12 toxic behaviors you must avoid. Which three are the worst?

Cost 215

Cost Team Leadership Development Development 215

The Horizons Tracker

MARCH 26, 2025

The lifespan of skills is shrinking, driven by rapid technological change, shifts in the job market, and the need for continuous learning. Technology is advancing faster than ever, with new tools and systems constantly emerging. As a result, the skills required for many jobs are changing quickly, and workers must regularly update their abilities to stay competitive.

Learning-by-Doing 73

Learning-by-Doing Training Participative Content 73

Innovation Excellence

MARCH 25, 2025

How Complex Problem-Solving Creates Automation Champions GUEST POST from Robyn Bolton Imagine a manufacturing company. On the factory floor, machines whirl and grind, torches flare up as welding helmets click closed, and parts and products fall off the line and into waiting hands or boxes, ready to be shipped to customers.

Strategy 77

Strategy Innovation Products Productivity 77

Eric Jacobson

MARCH 27, 2025

Edward M. Marshall 's book, Transforming The Way We Work -- The Power Of The Collaborative Workplace , remains relevant today, more than a decade after Marshall wrote it. Particularly useful is the book's section that teaches readers how to be a collaborative leader. Marshall says that there are seven different, important roles and responsibilities of collaborative leaders when leading teams , and those leaders should select the appropriate style to meet the team's needs.

Participative 73

Participative Books Team Operations 73

Advertisement

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical for an organization’s success. And companies that take bold action to help ensure an inclusive workplace will win every time. Discover how your company can create a culture that celebrates DE&I while achieving higher revenue and growth.

Diversity

Leadership Freak

MARCH 24, 2025

It's time for another great book giveaway on Leadership Freak! "No More 24/7" CEOs enable businesses to run efficiently when they arent there. Business owners burn out when they constantly work in the business instead of on it. They end up overwhelmed, stagnant, and unable to grow. Catherine Roe is giving away 20 copies of her book!

ROE 201

ROE Delegation CEO Efficiency 201

The Horizons Tracker

MARCH 26, 2025

Managers ability to support employees with mental health issues depends not just on their own attitudes but also on the broader culture of the workplace. A study by the University of Gothenburg highlights this link, showing that the views of colleagues and the overall workplace environment can be just as important. Earlier research found that managers with stigmatizing views of mental illness often struggle to provide adequate support.

Management 70

Management Survey Video Environment 70

Chartered Management Institute

MARCH 25, 2025

Article: What do music and leadership have in common? Written by Pegram Harrison / CMI Insights Share Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email In an extract from The Arts of Leading, edited by Edward Brooks and Michael Lamb, Pegram Harrison explores leadership lessons from the experience of music Many MBA students and professional managers have experienced workshops involving music to develop leadership skills, drawing on similar inspirations and working in similar ways.

Workshop 69

Workshop Leadership Learning-by-Doing Article 69

Eric Jacobson

MARCH 22, 2025

Only you , as a senior leader, have the power to direct your company to continuous and sustainable success, says Scott K. Edinger , author of the book, The Growth Leader. Growth is a leadership issue, not a sales issue, he adds. His book explains why that is true. And why the relationship that executives and leaders have with the sales organization is among the most important elements of growth leadership.

Competitive Advantage 73

Competitive Advantage Leadership Energy Micromanagement 73

Advertiser: Paycor

Before you can achieve success, you have to define it. Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) give you the framework to do just that. Paycor’s free guide includes a step-by-step process leaders can use to work toward – and achieve – their loftiest business goals.

Objective

Leadership Freak

MARCH 26, 2025

Everyone asks, How can I get the boss on my side? Its the wrong question. Questions have direction. Where are your questions taking you? Here are two questions your boss needs to hear. Curiosity is influential.

Influence 197

Influence Leadership Development Development Leadership 197

The Horizons Tracker

MARCH 24, 2025

Among the many fields where AI is supposed to have a positive impact, few hold as much promise as science. Indeed, it’s notable that the Nobel prizes for both physics and chemistry went to leading figures from the AI community. The hope is not new, of course, and in 2019 researchers from Carnegie Mellon showcased how they believed AI could support scientific research.

Sharpe 64

Sharpe Analysis Reference Learning-by-Doing 64

thoughtLEADERS, LLC

MARCH 27, 2025

Our reader poll today asks: What is the biggest challenge you face when delivering difficult feedback? I get emotional too easily 5.98% I have a hard time separating the behavior from the person 18.91% I struggle to offer concrete behavior change suggestions 10.94% I soften the message too much and the feedback doesnt land 47.76% Something else 16.41% Dont Soft-Peddle Feedback.

Training 61

Training Leadership Career 61

Eric Jacobson

MARCH 24, 2025

Confusion often abounds as to what workplace wellbeing actually is and what it entails, explain the authors of the new book, Why Workplace Wellbeing Matters: The Science Behind Employee Happiness and Organizational Performance. Workplace wellbeing is how we feel at work and about our work, share Jan-Emmanuel De Neve and George Ward. It has evaluative, affective, and eudaimonic components.

Reference 73

Reference Books Objective Stress 73

Speaker: Cy Wakeman, M.S., CSP, President, Reality-Based Leadership

Most HR leadership philosophies are grounded in two completely faulty assumptions — “change is hard” and “engagement drives results.” Those beliefs have inspired expensive attempts to keep change from being disruptive to employees. What these engagement programs actually do is create and reinforce feelings of victim-hood and leave employees unprepared to adapt to real changes that are necessary for the health and profitability of their enterprises.

Self-aware

Leadership Freak

MARCH 28, 2025

I dont want to choose where we eat. I usually dont care. Some people dont like making decisions. You often defer to experts. Up to 75%* of us, for example, let doctors make important decisions for us. Others shape your life when they make decisions for you. Sometimes its destructive.

Power 193

Power Examples Leadership Development Development 193

The Horizons Tracker

MARCH 24, 2025

Its become common for companies to show off their social responsibility. Google highlights its solar-powered data centers, Apple talks about using recycled materials, and Walmart mentions its support for local communities. But new research from Berkeley Haas shows that these positive messages can backfire. The study finds that when companies promote their good deeds, it can trigger negative memories in consumers, reducing support for policies that help businesses, especially in a crisis.

Positioning 64

Positioning Video Participative Policies 64

HR Digest

MARCH 24, 2025

The rise of remote work has reshaped how companies operate. But with this shift comes a chilling new risk. One that would see your company employing North Korean hackers. Recent warnings from the FBI spotlight a growing threat in America. Hackers from North Korea are now posing as legitimate remote workers to infiltrate US employers. This is no longer a cybersecurity scare story.

Compliance 59

Compliance Operations Reputation Video 59

Eric Jacobson

MARCH 28, 2025

In Bob Rosen s book, Grounded: How Leaders Stay Rooted In An Uncertain World , he explains that there are six dimensions of being a healthy leader : Physical health : how you live. How you manage your mind and body managing your energy and living a peak performance lifestyle. Emotional health : how you feel. This is about being self-aware and having positive emotions and the ability to be resilient, catching yourself when you have a counterproductive thought.

Self-aware 73

Self-aware How To Construction Diversity 73

Advertiser: ZoomInfo

ZoomInfo customers aren’t just selling — they’re winning. Revenue teams using our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform grew pipeline by 32%, increased deal sizes by 40%, and booked 55% more meetings. Download this report to see what 11,000+ customers say about our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform and how it impacts their bottom line. The data speaks for itself!

Report