Growing up in the Midwest in the 1970s, bullying was one of the worst things a kid could do. My father made it clear that bullying was cowardly, and if someone bullied me, I should fight back. He used to say bullies were like kangaroos—if you hit back, they would stop. While I’ve never found … Read More
When Fear Leads: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of a Paranoid Leader
“Paranoia, the destroyer.” — Ray Davies, The Kinks A few months ago, I received a long, detailed email from a CEO candidate applying to one of our client’s portfolio companies. He had just completed our online assessment, but couldn’t find our privacy policy — and that triggered a deep concern. He feared his information might … Read More
Ego Death and Birth- Coaching at its Deepest
Reading Time: 12-15 Minutes The past and present wilt—I have fill’d them, emptied them. And proceed to fill my next fold of the future. Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself, (I am large, I contain multitudes.) Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself The self is not a singular, unified entity but a … Read More
Cognitive Fluidity: a Key Success Factor in Complex Roles
Why Psynet Group Invested in Developing a Cognitive Fluidity Measure Many human resource and hiring managers do not assess cognitive fluidity when hiring for complex roles, including portfolio managers, design and product engineers, software developers and so on. As a result, they miss a key predictive data point. Last month, I spoke with a portfolio … Read More
Applying Lessons from the 2024 Election to Crucial Human Capital Management Decisions
By: Dave Popple, PhD Summary “I know it is a cult, but I miss feeling like I was part of something significant.” Former Scientologist and Rock Star I heard this from a friend who was somewhat famous in the 80s. Once his fame subsided, so did his feelings of significance. His loss of fame made … Read More
Leadership in Biotech: Navigating the Pitfalls of Dysfunctional Leadership
Introduction In the fast-paced and innovation-driven world of biotech, effective leadership is crucial for maintaining a culture that fosters collaboration, mission-aligned progress, and regulatory adherence. The unique pressures of the industry can give rise to dysfunctional leadership styles that hinder rather than help. Leaders in biotech, who often deal with high financial stakes, regulatory hurdles, … Read More
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Minor Derailers: Are They Just Annoying? In brief encounters with people, minor derailers are either not noticed or mildly irritating. This is why interviewers rarely pick them up. But what happens when they are part of our daily work life? What about their impact on the team? I learned early in my career how toxic … Read More
Minor Derailers: Are They Just Annoying?
I was in my mid-20s, interviewing a candidate to be my assistant. She would be my first, and I had yet to develop my interviewing skills. I welcomed her into my office and asked her the first of a series of prepared questions. She answered the first question and then stared at me sideways. As … Read More
What Happens When I Hire a Coach? An Example of How the Three Stages of Coaching Changed a Man’s Life
Everyone’s coaching experience will differ, but all coaching candidates have one thing in common, an expectation of change. I have observed the overlap of three different coaching approaches, each of which can be useful depending on the candidate’s needs and the nature of their request. These requests fall into three categories: Line-of-Sight Coaching I once … Read More