The Leadership Stack

Hi Reader, If you had to choose, would you rather share the contents of your phone or your ChatGPT logs? Most people say their phone. Because increasingly, we're asking our deepest questions of AI. We want a judgment-free zone to do it. A few months ago, a new Corgi puppy moved into my house. In the bleary-eyed early weeks, I leaned on ChatGPT at all hours for questions like, "Why won't he sleep when he's tired?" or "When is it serious enough to take him to the vet?" (after a particularly bad...

Hi Reader, I have a weird question for you. If the world ended tomorrow and you found yourself at the gates of the last functioning community on earth... What would you tell them you bring to the table? Not your job title. Not your technical skills. Not your industry expertise. What essence of you would actually matter to a group of humans trying to rebuild? I've been asking this question to leaders for months. The answers always surprise them: "I'd help people remember their worth." "I'd...

Hi Reader, Are you accidentally crushing your team’s potential? Here's the thing about good intentions: They can be your biggest leadership blind spot. You hire brilliant people. You want them to succeed. But somehow, your team keeps coming to you for answers instead of bringing solutions. Sound familiar? Liz Wiseman's research in Multipliers reveals a uncomfortable truth: leaders with the best intentions often suppress their team's intelligence without realising it. You're not trying to...

Hi Reader, I'm constantly asked: "How do I motivate my team?" Here's the uncomfortable truth: You can't. You can't inject motivation into people like a vitamin booster. You've either hired motivated people, or you haven't. But let's dig deeper.. because this isn't about giving up. It's about understanding what you actually control. Motivation = You + Them The "YOU" Side (what's actually in your control) Your responsibility is creating the conditions where motivation can thrive: 🔹 Are you...

Hi Reader, Quick gut-check: In the last 30 days, how many times have you said "It's easier if I just do it myself"? No shame. Most brilliant, overextended leaders I work with say this constantly. It feels efficient. Until one day you're working at 4AM because "no one else will catch this," or sitting in your car too exhausted to walk into your own house. This isn't about efficiency. It's about control. And control becomes a prison. I had a client running a 50-person consultancy. Brilliant...

Hey Reader, Picture this: It’s the late 90s. South Africa. I’m 24 and freshly minted in program management, convinced I’m God’s gift to transformation projects. (I was not.) I’m working on a massive change initiative. Millions of Rands on the line, execs everywhere, and more ego than EQ in the room. And what does young, confident me do? I go around telling everyone why the program is doomed. Everyone except, you know… the person actually in charge. I was technically right. The plan had flaws....

Hi Reader, "We just can't find the right people!" I hear this a lot from accidental leaders. The problem isn’t the market. It’s not even the job description. It’s you. You’re not hiring, you’re searching for a mini-me—and it’s sabotaging your growth. · Senior developer candidates? "Not technical enough." · Seasoned project managers? "Won't understand our complexity." · Experienced team leads? "Lack the domain expertise." You’re not hiring for talent—you’re hiring for comfort. I did the same...