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Sharpen Your Leadership Perception Before You Intervene
A conductor’s lesson in seeing the whole picture “The problem you think you’re solving is rarely the real problem. Leaders who pause to ask what they’re missing save time, strengthen trust, and avoid fixing the wrong thing.” A string section that wouldn’t blend taught me something I’ve carried ever since: leadership perception is a skill, not a gift. I was standing in front of an ensemble, trying to fix what sounded like a technical problem. I adjusted bowing, articulation, dynamics—but the fragmented sound persisted. It wasn’t until I noticed the principal violist sitting apart from the group, and asked a simple question about how the section was doing, that the real issue surfaced. There had been a scheduling conflict. A unilateral decision. Resentment that was palpable—and audible. Once we acknowledged the tension, the blend returned within minutes. The music hadn’t changed. The relationships had. This pattern repeats in boardrooms, project teams, and family dinners. The problem you think you’re solving…
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Leadership Clarity: What Happens When You Remember Why You Lead
How leadership clarity transforms urgency into wisdom Most leaders know the feeling: buried in details, managing a hundred fires, reacting to every crisis. You’re capable. You’re working hard. But somewhere in the blur, you’ve lost sight of why you’re doing any of it. Leadership clarity doesn’t come from working harder or faster. It comes from stepping back and asking a question most teams never pause to consider: What are we actually trying to accomplish here? That single question can change everything. Why Leadership Clarity Matters More Than Urgency When urgency drives your leadership, everything feels critical. Every email, every problem, every demand screams for immediate attention. But not everything urgent actually matters. Without clarity, you’re just managing chaos. You can handle a thousand details and still drift further from what truly counts. Your team feels it too—the frantic pace, the reactive culture, the exhaustion that comes from never knowing if the work actually serves a larger purpose. What Leadership Clarity…
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From Maestro to Manager: An Adventure in Progress
The Maestro takes a different approach: Cultural shifts prompt this musician's journey to project management, embracing new opportunities.
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Performance anxiety is a thing: How to deal with it
Strategies for managing performance anxiety: Acknowledge it's normal, define your purpose, and focus on positive outcomes.
Joyful Excellence in Leadership
Stephen P Brown – The Maestro
