Blog
“Clarity of purpose and speaking up about what will make the difference in our communities and businesses is critical. Uncommon Candor inspires us to keep giving the gift of straight talk – for ourselves and others.”—MARIO MORINO, author of Leap of Reason and founder, Venture Philanthropy Partners
Profiles in Candor: Poet Amanda Gorman
In perhaps the single most inspiring public moment our country has witnessed in years, National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman delivered her own poem, The Hill We Climb, during President Biden’s inauguration on January 20. Despite her relatively…
A Truth Awakening for the New Year
The events that unfolded in the first week of January reawakened something in me – and probably you, too. Something we’ve always known the value of, and yet, have become desensitized to watching it slide. Have we finally…
Uncommon Gifts for an Uncommon Year
Here we are, at the end of a long, challenging year. Before we move forward into 2021, there are still bits and pieces of 2020 that call on our attention, including celebrations of faith, gift giving and setting…
Just Sneakers: The Tragic Loss of Zappos’ Tony Hsieh
I met Tony Hsieh in Las Vegas seven years ago. His fresh perspective, humility and commitment to his work and home neighborhoods changed my life. I am heartbroken by his death at 46. While many articles about his…
Conscious Conversations
Virginia Public Media (VPM), the Richmond-based affiliate of NPR and PBS, has partnered with StoryCorps to host meaningful one-on-one conversations among people with different perspectives. The initiative, called One Small Step, asks for volunteers and, based on a…
Gender Diversity: From Applications to the C-Suite
I recently had the honor of moderating a break-out session during the “Promoting Growth & Prosperity Through the Banking Industry: The Power of Gender Diversity in the Board Room and C-Suite” conference, co-hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank…
Making Room for Leadership: WFT Coach Rivera’s Cancer Treatment
The Washington Post recently ran an article titled “Ron Rivera is coaching through his cancer; and the battle might be making his team better.” (Les Carpenter, September 16, 2020) The title gives you pause for thought… head coach…
Good Economics for Hard Times, by Banerjee and Duflo
For our Bill Gates’ Summer Reading List final discussion, we read Good Economics for Hard Times, by Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo. Gates describes their book as “useful and compelling,” and says they are “honest about the…
UC from RBG
Fight for the things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you. I am a very strong believer in listening and learning from others. Real change, enduring change, happens one…