callmemapo

When I was a kid, there was nothing more exciting than hearing someone shout, "No ref, no rules!" during a soccer game at recess. It felt like pure freedom. Suddenly you could use your hands, tackle people on the field, score from anywhere. For about ten minutes, it was glorious chaos. Then it became actual chaos. The stronger, faster kids started dominating the game. Many kids lost interest and s...

I know it’s been a while since I’ve written for the blog. A few other writing projects have been in the works. If they pan out, I’ll be sure to share with you. For now, hope you enjoy this topic, which has been on my mind for the better part of a year. “I’m just curious…” How many times have you heard someone start a question with these three words, knowing full well that what they’re about to say...

Boss 1: I really need you to focus on the how , not the what . Employee A: ...but shouldn’t the what influence the how ? Boss 2: Here, we prioritize execution . Employee B: ...even if we don’t know what strategy we’re supposed to be executing against? Boss 3: At this company, it’s important to get everyone aligned around a common strategy . Employee C: ...even though we haven’t delivered or execut...

We hear about empowered teams all the time: Pour your heart into making sure every member of your team feels empowered to be their best. Invest in them. Develop them. Then watch them soar. -Howard Schultz, Starbucks former CEO Great teams are comprised of ordinary people that are empowered and inspired. -Marty Cagan, Silicon Valley Product Group Founder & Partner Leadership is about shaping a visi...

How often do you compare yourself to others? Be honest!  Isn’t it tiring? You either end up swimming in self-doubt or cultivating a superiority complex — or some paradoxical combination of the two.  In the "woe is me" version, you become subsumed by imposter syndrome and blind to your own talents and strengths. You look at others and think, "If only I had their [insert enviable quality here], I'd...

By now you’ve likely read or heard about Paul Graham’s ‘founder mode’ essay. I started reading the essay with excitement—you could feel energy and conviction from the get-go—and I left the essay… confused. And frankly, worried that this essay will unintentionally become a manifesto for a whole new generation of awful founders (hence, why I bothered to write this during Labor Day weekend). Now, fir...

One of the most enjoyable aspects of my new role is returning to the world of deep tech and engineering. I’m already hearing terms I’ve not heard in years. You can bet I’ll be drawing all sorts of tech-to-something analogies, in part as a mechanism for (re)learning—and for better or worse, sharing some of these analogies with you! First up: an analogy between team and fluid dynamics. If you’re not...

Over the past few years, I’ve been surprised to hear from more and more people relieved to discover that expressive leaders not only exist — but can also be successful.  Why did this surprise me, you might ask?  I suppose it’s because I thought I was alone on the Expressive Leaders Island. (And no, ChatGPT did not write that sentence. I’m just that dorky.) But it turns out that the rising draw of...

One of my most valuable lessons on leading high performing teams came from a CEO I previously worked with.  It took me a while to assess whether I’d see the same great results as the CEO by putting this lesson into practice. I’m happy to report that I did—which is why I’m thrilled to share the lesson with you, in the hopes you’ll enjoy similarly great results. Let me start by telling you about thi...

A couple of years ago, we lost our 14 year old Weimaraner, Adicus. Anyone who knew Adicus (and anyone who’s spent time with Weimaraners in general) knows just how big his presence was. He was our best buddy, most demanding aristocrat, most loving companion. Years later, we still feel his presence. And he left me with three important life lessons I’ve been meaning to share. But I haven’t been quite...

Cross-functional collaboration couldn’t be more important today. Building, buying, and using AI raises critical questions that cut across disciplines: Is licensing this AI product worth it? Is our new AI product safe to use? How can we make this new AI tool useful for customers?  The only way organizations can answer these questions is to draw upon the combined expertise housed across its various...

Over the past decade, baseline requirements for building data-driven tech responsibly have shifted dramatically.  What changed?  Well, a lot. Among other things, the Cambridge Analytica scandal became a household reference; GDPR and privacy starred in dozens of mainstream news stories; and digital tools and apps infiltrated every corner of our lives.  What does this mean for organizations building...

So. You want to get from Point A to Point B, and the distance to travel is significant. Your very intelligent colleague says they can help you, and they give you a car engine. You look at the engine. You look at Point A and Point B on a map. And you’re not seeing how that engine is going to transport you over that distance.  You turn to your intelligent colleague and ask them to explain. They assu...

Last week, I had the pleasure of presenting a keynote at the AI/ML Technology Leadership Forum. I discussed Responsible AI and shared practical tips for how to practice Responsible AI in your organization. You can view a video of the presentation here . Key takeaway Responsible AI is about day-to-day decisions: Should we build it? Can we build it? Are we building it right? It’s a personal responsi...

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the relationship between value and responsible innovation. When making the case for responsible innovation within an organization, the conversation almost inevitably turns to a discussion about managing risk. And while responsible innovation absolutely helps manage risk, this defensive framing fails to capture the upside that responsible innovation can genera...

I decided to take a month off before starting a new job at a new company.  (If you have the opportunity and the means, taking time off between jobs is something I highly, highly recommend. It’s about the best thing you can do for your soul: there are no professional responsibilities hanging over your head, and this does wonders for self-reflection, revelation, creativity, and the like.)   So what...

A few weeks ago, I participated in a fireside chat for new managers at an international financial institution. We discussed feedback—and the importance of both giving and receiving it—as a team leader. Below is a summary of the key takeaways. (Check it out in video form on YouTube , Instagram , and LinkedIn .) Key takeaways 1/ Investing time and energy in each of your team members’ development is...

I had the great fortune to attend the Center for Women in Law (CWIL) Women’s Power Summit in Austin, Texas. The theme this year was The Power of Transitions to Transform .  The Summit played host to some of the most impressive and powerful women in the law—general counsels, judges, law firm partners, as well as corporate board members, founders, CEOs, journalists, professors, and more. The present...

I recently had the privilege of presenting on effective leadership to an audience of tech leaders at an international finance & investment organization. Here’s a summary of what we covered. * * * Authentic leadership is a gateway to other valuable team benefits.  * Authentic leadership has a network effect: A leader who shows up authentically gives their team the license and confidence to do the s...

Last week, I led a panel at SXSW called, ‘ Cancel the 3rd Shift: Improving Retention of Women ’. Joining me on the panel were the very talented Chandra Adusei (business owner & entrepreneur), Aubrey Blanche (DEI consultant & designer of equitable orgs), and Ana Bracic (political science professor). The experience was exhilarating! We delivered a discussion on one of the most important topics about...

Recently, I was in a work meeting where I was sharing a proposal for a project. My audience was a more senior person in the company. At the conclusion of my proposal, the listener shared constructive feedback that I said the word, ‘like’, too often. I know this is something I need to work on, especially when nervous or tired, so I thanked the listener for their feedback. I then followed up request...

After procrastinating for most of the evening, I made my way down to our apartment building’s gym for a workout. It was cardio day, which is never my favorite.  I put the Olympics coverage on the gym TVs in the background, figuring that seeing elite athletes on the screen would push me to work a little harder.  So, there I was on the treadmill, feeling like a hamster on a hamster wheel. Women’s gy...

In Part I, I told the story of how I walked into a workshop for helping women improve their performance review results, and walked out with a bee in my bonnet (I know, I know, but I’m giving more idioms a try) about how backward it is to expect women to hack flawed performance review processes instead of putting the onus on organizations to improve those processes.  Picking up where we left off, h...

I’d like to make a bold—and possibly controversial—assertion: Training women to more strongly self-promote for performance reviews is a losing strategy. I know, it sounds crazy. There is plenty of research demonstrating that women don’t self-promote as much as men and that this has adverse career implications for women. So shouldn’t we be doing everything we can to help women get on an even playin...

It was the middle of a busy work week, and I was overdue for a workout. But I was tired, not feeling my best, battling spring allergies, and doubtful that I’d get much out of any workout.  I nevertheless donned my COVID mask and (begrudgingly) headed down to our apartment building’s gym that evening. We are very lucky to have a Peloton Tread+ in our gym (safety issues notwithstanding), so I decide...