Research & Thought Leadership
Insights
Thought pieces for local government leaders navigating real challenges. Every article connects to The Shift That Sticks methodology.
All Articles
Practical thinking on leadership, culture, and navigating changed conditions.
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Who Do You Allow to Waste Your Time?
In a Think Tank session, one question changed the conversation: “Who do you allow to waste your time?” The answer reveals more…
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The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction, Performance, and Employee Engagement
Employee engagement and job satisfaction impact everything from productivity to public trust. Research shows the key driver: alignment between individual values and…
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What Feral Kittens Taught Us About Leadership, Trust, and Healing
We didn’t plan to become kitten rescuers. But the experience changed how I think about leadership. Trust isn’t something you demand. It’s…
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The Question AI Can’t Answer
AI can process information faster than any human. But it can’t tell you what matters. The methodology that helps you think clearly…
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What is AI’s Morality?
AI tools either mirror the user or enforce guardrails. The same dynamic plays out in organizations every day. The real question isn’t…
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Are Your Managers Solving the Wrong Problem?
In many organizations, the managers who get promoted are the ones who execute well. But when execution becomes the only signal, managers…
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The Manager Crisis in Local Government
Gallup’s 2025 report reveals global engagement fell to 21%—matching pandemic lows. The cost: $438 billion in lost productivity. For local government, this…
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Who Grew the Bad Apple?
A single toxic presence can cut team performance by 30-40%. But the research points somewhere leaders often overlook: the environment that created…
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When Proven Leadership Meets Changed Conditions
The approaches that built careers were effective responses to conditions that no longer exist. The question isn’t whether you’re failing. It’s whether…
Explore by Practice
Content organized around The Shift That Sticks methodology.
Face the Truth
Seeing clearly before acting. Expanding what we can perceive.
Define What Matters
Choosing priorities deliberately. Protecting what we commit to.
Make It Real
Building systems that sustain what matters. Structure over willpower.
Reinforce the Change
Making change stick. Closing the gap between intention and culture.
The Evidence Base
Every insight connects to current research about workplace dynamics, leadership effectiveness, and organizational change. Explore the studies behind the methodology.
Drawing from the World Happiness Report, Gallup, and 250+ Think Tank sessions with practitioners.