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John W Bailie, PhD
Mar 11, 20203 min read
Connectedness Beats Metrics
Whether you’re the newest intern or CEO, most people in an organization recognize that everyone has a functional role to play in a highly...
302 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
Feb 25, 20204 min read
Cancel the Apocalypse
Nothing is inevitable. Success and failure have little to do with fate. They have everything to do with the ability to dream big, while...
136 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
Jan 23, 20203 min read
The Survivor Bottleneck
Is your organization led by the best, or by the “survivors”? There are many reasons certain people find themselves in positions of...
252 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
Nov 5, 20195 min read
Three Reasons Why No One is Doing What You Want
As a mentor for leaders, there are some conversations you have over-and-over again. One common conversation begins with a statement like...
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John W Bailie, PhD
Oct 17, 20195 min read
Buy Me an Ice Cream: An Unlikely Case Study
Life lessons about interpersonal conflict sometimes come from unexpected sources. In this case, it's a maximum security prison. My father...
176 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
Oct 8, 20192 min read
A Monkey, a Rock, and a Coconut
How do you know when it’s time to let go? A wise friend once told me a story about a hunter. This hunter’s tribe lived in an area with...
235 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
Oct 2, 20195 min read
Justice, Mercy, and the Irish Curse
Don't be fooled by those smilin' Irish eyes. Beneath that sunny disposition lurks a dark and terrible storm waiting to be unleashed. We...
178 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
Sep 18, 20193 min read
“Cus” Words for Work
When the guy above walks into your office, will you be ready? Some tasks are inherently unpleasant. No one likes rinsing out a garbage...
241 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
Aug 19, 20195 min read
Work/Life Balance is a Myth
You cannot “balance” aspects of life that are inherently unequal. To attempt to do so produces nothing but pain and fruitless sacrifice...
355 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
Jul 19, 20194 min read
Shall We Play a Game?
I’ve recently discovered one of the great benefits of entering the early middle-aged phase of life: some of the things I loved in my...
178 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
Jul 3, 20193 min read
Fundamentals Win Fights
If you ever study a martial art that includes real competition or sparring, like boxing and jujitsu, you’ll learn one thing very quickly....
252 views1 comment
John W Bailie, PhD
Jun 19, 20193 min read
Kind is Mandatory. Nice is Optional.
I was recently invited to speak at a leadership retreat. The organization is based in a region of the country that is known for many...
614 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
Jun 6, 20194 min read
The Art of Following
A subscriber recently asked me, “How do you follow a bad boss?” The answer is, “The same way you follow a good one.” Great leaders are...
399 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
May 7, 20194 min read
Grow or Go
Sometimes a colleague needs to decide: it’s time to grow, or time to go. In the previous article, Seek Problems, Not Solutions: Leading...
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John W Bailie, PhD
Apr 9, 20196 min read
Lie To Me
Every month, the small alternative school for at-risk youth where I worked as a young man ran a “recovery” group. This group was for...
289 views1 comment
John W Bailie, PhD
Mar 13, 20193 min read
Truth Is Freedom
Humans are hardwired to reward truth-telling and responsibility-taking. I know it doesn’t feel that way when you’re the one with the...
257 views1 comment
John W Bailie, PhD
Mar 6, 20194 min read
Sacrifice, Sackcloth, and Ashes
Throughout the years, I’ve had the unique opportunity to help many organizations come to terms with the relational impact of internal...
266 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
Feb 27, 20193 min read
Culture is an Egg. Practice is a Chicken.
New systems and practices will always default to conformity with an organization’s culture over time. You cannot simply impose a new way...
267 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
Feb 6, 20195 min read
High-Trust Vs. High-Monitoring Workplaces
I once worked as a counselor in an alternative school for delinquent and troubled teens. The building was full of young people who were...
723 views0 comments
John W Bailie, PhD
Jan 30, 20193 min read
The Great Equalizer
There are some domains of human life that are great equalizers. They humble the proud and exalt the modest. Conflict is one of those...
153 views0 comments
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