The Leading Sapiens Weekly

The Leading Sapiens Weekly explores leadership development through diverse lenses such as psychology, philosophy, practical action, and introspection. It emphasizes adaptability, understanding implicit biases, leveraging unique leadership styles, and embracing creativity and metacognition for professional growth and effective decision-making in dynamic organizational environments.

Leadership Development Psychology and Philosophy Career Success Strategies Organizational Dynamics Decision Making and Problem Solving Innovation and Creativity Professional Growth and Learning Workplace Politics and Ethics

The hottest Substack posts of The Leading Sapiens Weekly

And their main takeaways

The Hidden Psychology of Career Choices | LSW#61

100 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
💼 Business Career Choices Decision-making Personal Growth
  1. Choosing a career is tough because we often fear making the wrong choice. It's important to remember that feeling lost is normal and part of the journey.
  2. It's better to try different jobs and experiences instead of only chasing promotions. You discover more about what you like by experimenting and learning from your experiences.
  3. Regret is a normal part of making choices. It's more about owning your decisions and accepting that every path has ups and downs, rather than looking for a perfect option.

How Much Frustration Can You Tolerate? | LSW#60

90 implied HN points • 16 Jan 25
💼 Business Leadership Personal Growth Goal setting Motivation
  1. Tolerating frustration is important for long-term success. It helps us stick to our goals even when things get tough.
  2. Lowering your standards can actually help. It means accepting that things won't always be easy, which allows us to push through challenges.
  3. Seeing frustration as a teacher can change our mindset. Instead of avoiding it, we should embrace it as part of the growth process.

Permission to Act: The Psychology of Effective Planning | LSW#59

120 implied HN points • 12 Dec 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Leadership Strategy Psychology Planning
  1. Plans help us take action, even if they're not perfect. They give us the confidence to start exploring without needing everything to be figured out.
  2. Taking steps forward can bring clarity. Instead of waiting for a perfect plan, moving can help us learn and adjust along the way.
  3. Sometimes, acting on a not-so-accurate map can be better than seeking perfection. It allows us to move forward and learn from our experiences rather than staying stuck.

Think like a Plumber, not a CEO | LSW#58

40 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
💼 Business Work Culture Productivity Leadership Creativity Mindset
  1. Knowledge work shouldn't just rely on inspiration or perfect conditions. Showing up consistently, like a plumber, leads to real progress.
  2. Instead of waiting for creativity to strike, focus on making a routine and setting clear goals. This structure helps reduce stress and improves productivity.
  3. It's important to value practice and effort over perfection. Producing more often can actually improve the quality of your work over time.

The Long Game | LSW#47

30 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
🚌 Education Learning Strategies Systems Thinking Professional development
  1. Thinking long-term is a challenge because we're not naturally wired for it. Compounding gains show significant results on a long timeline, requiring consistency and patience.
  2. Maintaining consistency of effort involves focusing on simple patterns, understanding the mundane, and adopting an input-focused mindset.
  3. Systems thinking helps uncover the underlying structures that drive actions, emphasizing the importance of proactive, future-oriented actions over reactive firefighting.
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If Miranda Priestley Was Your Boss | LSW#45

30 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
💼 Business Leadership Organizational dynamics Communication Career development Coaching
  1. Recognize the importance of adjusting your approach based on who you're working with, especially dealing with power differentials in organizational settings
  2. Learn to identify leader stereotypes and their preferences to improve stakeholder interactions
  3. Understand that stakeholders have unique styles that require tailored approaches for effective communication and collaboration

The Donkey, Fox, Sheep, & Owl | LSW#43

30 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
💼 Business Workplace dynamics Leadership Organizational Behavior Career development Human Resources
  1. Everyone has some level of political awareness in the workplace, but it varies in understanding and application.
  2. Reading involves understanding the external world and organization, while carrying focuses on ethical behavior versus manipulation.
  3. Owls are wise in politics, balancing awareness, integrity, and interpersonal skills.

3 Pillars of Career Success | LSW#42

20 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
💼 Business Career Leadership Success Coaching Skills
  1. Confident ignorance often wins out over conscientious intelligence in workplaces, limiting career growth and impact.
  2. Beyond self and technical competence, organizational competence is a critical pillar for long-term career success.
  3. Successful careers involve understanding the art of organizational savvy and navigating workplace dynamics effectively.

LSW#20 🎭Acting into New Ways of Thinking

40 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mindset Behavior Change Learning Self-Improvement Personal Development
  1. Action can often be easier than changing your mindset or waiting to feel ready before taking action.
  2. Focusing on the verb (action) is often more within our control and judgment-free than focusing on the noun (mindset).
  3. Acting your way into a new way of thinking can lead to growth and learning, even if it feels uncomfortable at first.

LSW#18 🤔Do You MBWA?

30 implied HN points • 21 Mar 23
💼 Business Management Leadership Networking Conversation Books
  1. Practice MBWA (Managing by Wandering Around) can be more effective than an MBA.
  2. Effective leadership involves understanding the work of your team and being visible and accessible.
  3. Engage in casual conversations and networking within and outside your organization to enhance success and effectiveness.

Feynman's Obliquity | LSW#41

2 HN points • 18 Jan 24
🚌 Education Goals Decision-making Problem Solving Philosophy Career development
  1. Richard Feynman's method of reframing goals from a positivist to a more playful perspective led to breakthroughs and ultimately, success.
  2. There's a difference between the direct approach and the oblique approach to decision-making and problem-solving, with obliquity often leading to innovative and effective solutions.
  3. It's important to consider incorporating obliquity into our goal-setting strategies, as over-reliance on direct approaches may limit potential for creativity and success.

Vocabulary, granularity, & terministic screens | LSW#46

1 HN point • 08 Mar 24
🚌 Education Language Neuroscience Cultural Change Learning Techniques Interpretation
  1. Understanding problems as conditions of the game can help navigate workplace challenges more effectively.
  2. Immersion in challenges rather than resistance can enhance performance and freedom in various domains.
  3. Having a rich vocabulary and nuanced understanding can lead to better predictions and responses, benefiting overall effectiveness.

LSW #12 Understanding how Bezos thinks

0 implied HN points • 20 Jun 22
  1. Bezos' shareholder letters contain key ideas on decision making and failure that can benefit you at work and in life.
  2. Being distinct and standing out requires effort and comes with a price.
  3. Reflect on areas where you default to the norm, be aware of your mental models, and consider which ones may be holding you back.

LSW #11 Learning to learn, brittle personalities and our need to be right

0 implied HN points • 13 Jun 22
  1. Professionals struggle with learning due to their fear of failure and defensive reasoning routines.
  2. Brittle personalities hinder the ability to learn and grow, but awareness is key to overcoming this tendency.
  3. The need to always be right can be a barrier to clear thinking, so strive to stay open to others' ideas and be willing to admit mistakes.

LSW #13 Action, mindset and balancing the head, heart, and hand

0 implied HN points • 27 Jun 22
  1. Forget about mindset and focus on taking action first for achieving your goals.
  2. Balance the head, heart, and hand to improve your change efforts in work and life.
  3. Identify whether head, heart, or hand dominates in your failed change attempts and work on balancing all three for future endeavors.

LSW #8 On Dichotomy of Control and Nudging

0 implied HN points • 23 May 22
  1. Some things are under our control, others are not - discerning between the two is key.
  2. Influencing by nudging is often more effective than commanding, especially in managerial roles.
  3. Strategic conversations and influencing behavior positively can lead to better outcomes for teams.

LSW #2 Mastering Context

0 implied HN points • 11 Apr 22
  1. Leaders need to master and reengineer the context surrounding their teams and organizations.
  2. Our individual context influences the choices we make and determines what is possible for us as leaders.
  3. Reflect on the context from which you operate and consider if it is by design or default.

LSW #9 Limbo, getting better and optionality

0 implied HN points • 31 May 22
  1. Limbo can be worse than a clear disaster, as uncertainty can feel more challenging.
  2. As we practice and improve over time, tasks become easier and faster.
  3. Committing fully can bring clarity and power, compared to keeping options open.

LSW #6 Transitioning to leadership & domains of competence

0 implied HN points • 09 May 22
  1. Transitioning from a specialist to a generalist role in leadership can be challenging.
  2. There are seven key shifts that leaders make during a transition, such as from tactician to strategist.
  3. Reflection is important to identify blind spots and biases that may impact our careers.