Lead Without Stress: How Your Vagus Nerve Shapes Presence, Connection, and Communication

Relaxed woman at work

By Dean Newlund Most leaders spend years honing strategy, communication, and emotional intelligence. Yet there’s a part of the body that quietly determines whether any of those skills come through when the stakes are high. It’s not a mindset trick or a productivity hack. It’s a nerve—one that begins at the base of the brain […]

The Whisper That Won’t Go Away: Why Change Is Calling—and What To Do About It

Thoughtful man sitting at his desk

By Dean Newlund There’s a moment most of us experience—not once, but many times—when the momentum of our lives slows just enough for something more profound to be heard. It’s not a dramatic breakdown, not a billboard sign from the universe. It’s quiet. Almost imperceptible. A sense that something isn’t right or isn’t whole. That, while […]

How Neuroscience Can Transform Employee Engagement: Dr. Paul Zak on Immersion, Trust, and High-Impact Culture

Photo of neuroscientist, Paul Zak

By Dean Newlund Imagine knowing—at the very moment it happens—when your team leans forward with interest, drifts away, or silently checks out. Most leaders can only guess. We rely on surveys, town halls, and gut instinct, hoping the enthusiasm we sense in the room will carry forward. But too often it doesn’t. People nod politely, […]

The Inner Work of Outer Leadership

A confident female executive in her office

By Dean Newlund Leadership used to be measured by output: what we achieved, how fast we moved, how many goals we hit. Today, the real measure is deeper. The question isn’t how much we’re doing, but how aware we are while we’re doing it. We live in an attention-deficit world—speeding through our days, skimming conversations, mistaking […]

The BRAVE Leader: How to Build Connection, Adapt to Change, and Strengthen Resilience Across Generations

Multi-generational group of professionals working happily together

For the first time in history, five generations are working side by side. Baby Boomers are extending their careers, Gen Xers are leading in senior roles, Millennials are now the largest part of the workforce, and Gen Z is redefining how and why work happens. According to Gallup, Millennials will make up 75% of the global workforce […]

How to Become the Kind of Manager Every CEO Wants on Their Team

Photo of manager collaborating with team

When we were asked to create a guide for new managers, we decided not to start with theory or trends. Instead, we reviewed data from dozens of Leadership 360 Assessments we’ve conducted for CEOs and senior leaders across healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofits, and tech. The patterns were unmistakable. Across industries, geography, and company size, CEOs consistently […]

How Culture Becomes the Best Customer Service Strategy—My Conversation with Jamie Henriod

By Dean Newlund. I’ve been looking forward to this conversation for over two years. On a recent episode of the Leadovation podcast, I finally sat down with my friend and former Zappos executive, Jamie Henriod. We’ve collaborated in the nonprofit world and had countless off-the-record talks about culture and leadership. But this one, focused on the intersection […]

AI as a Truth Serum

Photo of AI expert Greg Shove

By Dean Newlund. How Leaders Can Harness Artificial Intelligence Without Losing Their Humanity We’re in the midst of an AI gold rush. Across boardrooms and C-suites, leaders are urgently asking: What should we do with AI? But amid the excitement, most organizations are missing a critical point—AI doesn’t fix dysfunction; it exposes it. In this […]

Midlife, Meaning, and the Rise of the Modern Elder

Photo of Chip Conley

By Dean Newlund. On a recent episode of the Leadovation Podcast, I had the privilege of sitting down with Chip Conley, a man who has not only transformed industries but is now redefining what it means to grow older with purpose. Chip’s story, and the creation of the Modern Elder Academy (MEA), isn’t just inspiring—it’s a […]

The Blessing, the Curse and the Solution for Working at a Highly Purposeful Organization

Female employee with laptop smiling

By Dean Newlund. Working for a company with a bold social or health mission feels like stepping into a sun-drenched room. People show up eager, hopeful, and ready to pour their whole selves into the cause. That energy is the blessing. It can also become the curse when day-to-day reality — budgets, deadlines, clashing styles […]