Russ Powell
“If you pit a good performer against a bad system, the system will win almost every time." –Rummler
I was at a conference about performance improvement not long ago. In several of the workshops I attended, we talked about a model of...
Search
Russ Powell
- Jun 27
- 2 min
Three Steps for Having Better Difficult Conversations
To have productive difficult conversations take the perspective of the other, think about what you truly want, and don't take it personally.
14 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- May 9
- 3 min
Dunbar's Number and the Limits of Friendship
A few excerpts from an article by Maria Konnikova about Dunbar's number, the nature of friendship and the limits of social media.
20 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Feb 23
- 5 min
Systems Thinking and the Juggling Girls of Berlin
A troupe of jugglers from Berlin helps us apply a simple, powerful framework for thinking about and diagnosing problems in human systems.
108 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Feb 23
- 4 min
Three Things High Performing Teams Do Differently
A study from psychologist Ron Friedman suggests high-performing teams find success by making better, stronger social connections.
28 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Feb 22
- 2 min
Sometimes a Leader Needs a Good Poet
As leaders, we don't often think much about poetry, until it becomes a necessity.
58 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Feb 17
- 2 min
Working on Building Empathy Skills? Here are Four Best Practices
Brilliant stuff! I love it! In a recent HBR article, Sherry Turkle, author of "Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in the Digital...
4 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Feb 14
- 5 min
Five Ways to Get More Quiet Time
In this time of constant-distraction-as-norm, leaders need quiet time for reflection and discernment more than ever.
33 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Feb 11
- 1 min
What Makes Relationships Thrive
Leaders, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is I stumbled upon a fascinating, insightful podcast illustrating the...
9 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Feb 10
- 1 min
6th Grader Saves the Lives of Two People on the Same Day
This inspiring story caught my eye today. Here's a sixth grader illustrating the Maya Angelou quote "just do right" and the...
8 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Feb 8
- 1 min
How would you say it differently?
Language is important. (And we all get lazy w/ it from time to time, eh?) A huge part of my work these days is paying attention to the...
9 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Feb 5
- 1 min
To Get Ahead, You Need Both Ambition and Humility
Came across an insightful podcast this morning related to an important Middle Path leadership principle -- in particular, the integration...
7 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Feb 4
- 1 min
Data-Poor Conversations Lead to Poor Problem-Solving.
I love this bit of wisdom from the 70's TV show "Kung Fu" w/ David Carradine: YOUNG CAINE -- "The stick is straight, yet in the water it...
5 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Feb 1
- 1 min
Reinventing Your Leadership Team
The need for integral leadership has never been greater. Consider this example from an article in the new issue of HBR that emphasizes...
22 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Jan 26
- 7 min
If ya gotta eat a frog, why sit around and look at it all day?
A few thoughts on two timeless principles for managing time and tasks.
63 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Jul 30, 2021
- 5 min
10 Tips from Industry Thought-Leaders on How to Build Better Learning Programs
[This is an encore post, first written when I was working w/ Peregrine Performance Group a few years back.] Earlier this week, I flipped...
26 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Mar 22, 2021
- 2 min
Game-Theory and The Evolution of Trust
In business, as in life, all of our significant, productive encounters with others – our colleagues, our clients, our partners, our...
30 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Mar 22, 2021
- 4 min
"Fast Fixes" for Workforce Performance Problems
I was chatting with a colleague this week about a workforce performance problem—some employees consistently not doing what they're...
19 views0 comments
Russ Powell
- Nov 28, 2020
- 7 min
"We know a lot about organizations; they’re not as mysterious as they seem." –Bill Daniels
This weekend—when not washing my hands, obsessing about COVID-19, or re-binge-watching West Wing—I watched the HPT Legacy interview of...
36 views0 comments