The hottest Leadership Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top World Politics Topics

How to Work With Anyone

Perspectives • 5 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
💼 Business Leadership
  1. As your career advances you often can't choose who you work with, so learning to cooperate with a wide range of people becomes essential for success.
  2. Start by understanding what others value and how they are measured, and look for even small commonalities to build trust and align incentives.
  3. Make people look good by sharing genuine, specific praise and credit, and take a team posture by framing challenges as shared problems so others join you rather than defend.

The Discipline of Seeing Clearly

Kathy PM • 21 implied HN points • 25 Jan 26
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Good leadership means noticing and naming what isn’t working instead of smoothing it over; that clarity helps teams move faster and builds trust.
  2. Growth language gets misused when it excuses poor outcomes. True growth requires precise learning and concrete updates based on real results.
  3. Self-deception feels easier but makes leadership harder because people stop sharing real signals. Using your own tools and judgment honestly is a discipline that starts real improvement.

Decision-making

Lessons • 550 implied HN points • 27 Jun 23
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Different situations require different styles of decision-making.
  2. Organizations benefit from being methodical in selecting decision-making styles.
  3. Having a structured decision-making system can improve efficiency and clarity.

Manage the What, Not the How

Lessons • 550 implied HN points • 25 Jul 23
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Focus on managing the 'what' instead of the 'how' when overseeing a team.
  2. Delegating effectively involves defining clear expectations and alignment around goals.
  3. When things go wrong, consider letting situations play out, coaching on the 'how', realigning on the 'what', or coaching preventatively.

America: 2076

Faster, Please! • 639 implied HN points • 21 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Leadership
  1. The excitement for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is building, with plans for a national celebration involving various historical figures. It's a chance for all Americans to reflect on the country's achievements.
  2. Thoughts about the future are growing, especially regarding the 300th anniversary in 2076, and how the past influenced people's expectations of the future.
  3. There's a hope that the national mood will allow everyone, regardless of political views, to come together and celebrate America's past while looking forward to the future.
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Long overdue life updates

box. • 419 implied HN points • 29 Nov 23
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Finding a balance between creating for an audience and focusing on personal projects is tricky but important. Having too many outside distractions can slow down real work, so taking breaks from attention helps keep goals on track.
  2. Loneliness is a big issue that needs meaningful solutions. Sometimes it's hard to work on this emotionally heavy topic, but caring about it makes the work feel worthwhile.
  3. Managing time as a solo founder can be challenging. Setting boundaries and valuing personal time helps stay focused on what truly matters, without getting overwhelmed by small tasks.

TBM 360: "Wait! I Thought the Team Was Overloaded?!"

The Beautiful Mess • 383 implied HN points • 30 May 25
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Teams often feel overwhelmed with too much work, but managers might deny there's a problem. It's important to listen to the team on the front lines.
  2. Sometimes, leaders want to cut down on projects, but managers are afraid to suggest it due to fear of losing resources. Clear and honest conversations can help break this cycle.
  3. If there are too many options with no clear priority, it's necessary to focus on one important goal at a time. This helps to reduce confusion and improves team effectiveness.

When Change Outruns Us

Fish Food for Thought • 42 implied HN points • 24 Dec 25
💼 Business Leadership
  1. When companies change faster than people can adapt, employees get exhausted and stop learning. That creates compliance without conviction and a culture that frays.
  2. Growth needs time to absorb change—quiet intervals for people to make sense, rebuild habits, and consolidate learning. Slack and recovery are not inefficiencies but necessary infrastructure for durable capability.
  3. Leaders should value direction and readiness over raw speed and watch for signs of saturation, slowing the tempo to let changes take root. Measure progress by clarity and strengthened capabilities, not by how many initiatives are launched.

2024 NBA Finals Leadership Lessons

DruGroup • 79 implied HN points • 04 Jun 24
🎾 Sports Leadership
  1. Success can lead to complacency. When teams or leaders get too comfortable after success, they often fail later on. It’s important to stay humble and keep pushing forward.
  2. Failure can be a stepping stone to success. Just because something didn't work out before doesn't mean it can't succeed later. Learning and adapting can turn past failures into future wins.
  3. Having great team players is key to winning. In basketball, no one can do it alone. It's important to recognize and appreciate the role of all team members in achieving success.

Weekend Listening: The Real Team America

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2026 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Leadership
  1. There is growing concern over potential conflicts involving the U.S., China, Russia, and other nations, which could escalate into a global war.
  2. Many Americans, including influential figures like business leaders and journalists, are investing in innovative defense technologies to strengthen national security.
  3. Innovation in software is seen as crucial for modern defense, enabling the development of advanced weapon systems and vehicles with AI and autonomous capabilities.

Trump. Again. The Question Is Why?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2068 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Leadership
  1. Donald Trump remains a prominent figure in the political landscape, commanding attention from both supporters and critics.
  2. Trump has been successful in recent Republican caucus victories and is gaining significant support within the party.
  3. He is currently polling well and leads President Biden in various public opinion surveys.

TBM 338: 4 Core Product OS Design Competencies

The Beautiful Mess • 647 implied HN points • 04 Feb 25
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Good leadership is key for a product team's success. Leaders need to support and influence their teams effectively, helping them navigate challenges without adding to their stress.
  2. Having the right experience matters. People should understand the product work deeply, as it helps them make better decisions and recognize what needs to be automated or done manually.
  3. Being skilled in operations and systems thinking is important. This means knowing how to manage workflows, map needs, and ensure that the right tools are in place for an efficient process.

Comment Décider ?

Venture Prose • 738 implied HN points • 22 Jan 23
💼 Business Leadership
  1. To make decisions effectively, leadership, a decision-making framework, and team engagement are crucial.
  2. Leadership entails setting direction, rhythm, and ensuring alignment with the company's vision and mission.
  3. Utilizing a decision-making framework involves considering the level of information, potential impact, execution intensity, and reversibility of decisions.

Time is emphasis: planning your calendar as a leader

Lessons • 511 implied HN points • 14 Apr 23
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Your calendar as a leader affects what gets done in the company and how you spend time and resources.
  2. Setting clear priorities and having a structured calendar system are crucial for spending time on strategic priorities.
  3. Create a calendar skeleton to lay out core activities and priorities, and regularly revisit and adjust your system.

How Trump’s Tariff Threat Made Apple Jump

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 570 implied HN points • 24 Feb 25
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Apple plans to invest $500 billion in the U.S., which could set a trend for other companies. This is a big decision that shows they are responding to economic pressures.
  2. Trump's comments on tariffs indicate he believes they can influence business decisions, like Apple's move to invest domestically.
  3. The situation reflects how political actions can have real effects on large businesses and their investment strategies.

Companies Do Not Transform. People Do.

The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past • 60 implied HN points • 23 Nov 25
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Change in companies happens through people, not just technology. It’s important to focus on growing and developing the individuals within an organization.
  2. To transform a company, you can either help current employees change or bring in new ones with fresh perspectives. Success often comes from a mix of both.
  3. Six key skills are important in today's work: Think critically, be creative, stay curious, collaborate well, communicate clearly, and convince others. These are essential for thriving in a fast-changing environment.

Keir Starmer's Reality Avoidance Field

The Ruffian • 264 implied HN points • 12 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Leadership
  1. Keir Starmer seems unprepared for the challenges of being Prime Minister, focusing more on image than on actual governance. He needs to seriously confront the issues facing the country and not just rely on his past record.
  2. Starmer appears to avoid difficult topics and has not clearly articulated a comprehensive plan for his government. Good leaders need to have strong ideas and be willing to take risks.
  3. Even though Starmer still has support, he risks losing it if he doesn't quickly adapt and face the realities of Britain's problems. Change is crucial, and only decisive actions will help him regain public trust.

Trump and the Rise of Asia

Global Inequality and More 3.0 • 770 implied HN points • 03 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Leadership
  1. Western elites feel confused and uneasy with Trump's approach, much like Eastern European elites felt with Gorbachev. They see him as changing the norms that they are used to.
  2. European leaders are struggling to adapt to changes brought by Trump. They tend to view his presidency as a temporary disruption rather than a challenge to their rule.
  3. China's rise is shifting economic power away from the West, and many in the Western middle class may feel a decline in their global status as Asian economies grow rapidly.

A Winning Strategy

Points And Figures • 932 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Being authentic is key for leaders. When leaders show their true selves, it helps build trust and culture in their organizations.
  2. Not every leader is suited for every situation. Finding the right fit where authenticity shines can lead to greater success.
  3. People today appreciate genuine leadership. With so much fake behavior around, being authentic stands out and resonates with others.

Building a technical career path at Spotify

It Depends / Nimble Autonomy • 19 implied HN points • 11 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Leadership
  1. Spotify emphasizes that career paths should fit the company's culture. Using a framework from another company often doesn't work well.
  2. Creating a career path framework should happen after seeing a real need for it, rather than forcing it too early in a company's growth.
  3. The Spotify model focuses on team success and personal growth, not just climbing a ladder. It encourages diverse development without penalizing role changes.

New Year JPM Thoughts

ASeq Newsletter • 29 implied HN points • 06 Jan 26
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Illumina’s clinical business is strengthening while overall revenue is flat-to-down, and the company will likely report modest results without launching new sequencing instruments.
  2. Oxford Nanopore probably won’t surprise before the new CEO starts in March, since recent gains looked driven by financial restructuring and price increases rather than clear instrument growth.
  3. PacBio has made technical progress and landed some population sequencing wins, but recent quarterly declines and doubts about reaching profitability by 2027 make acquisition rumors understandable yet unlikely.

The Difference Between Republicans And Democrats

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1788 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Leadership
  1. The difference between Republicans and Democrats lies in how they are perceived when supporting or backing certain actions - Republicans are seen as evil with evil reasons, while Democrats are viewed as having noble humanitarian reasons in spite of their actions.
  2. Republicans and Democrats differ in the ways they support certain agendas - Republicans use right-wing language to argue, while Democrats use left-wing language, even as they support wars, militarism, capitalism, and oppression.
  3. Republicans and Democrats vary in their approach towards global conflicts and issues - Republicans tend towards wars with China, while Democrats lean towards conflicts with Russia; they also differ in the perceptions of civilian casualties during their administrations.

TBM 316: Ultra Founder Mode

The Beautiful Mess • 925 implied HN points • 17 Oct 24
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Ultra Founder Mode is all about taking raw honesty and owning up to your weaknesses. It's crucial to be really self-aware and willing to face hard truths about yourself and your work.
  2. In this mindset, you take full responsibility for everything—successes and failures. There’s no blaming others; you say 'I' messed up, and you own that weight fully.
  3. Being a leader means being deeply involved in your team's day-to-day struggles. You need to feel their pressures and grind alongside them, absorbing all the chaos without immediately trying to fix everything.

Unlocking the Time Management Puzzle

QUALITY BOSS • 59 implied HN points • 17 Jun 24
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Time blocking can be challenging because admin tasks often take over the blocks. It's important to set separate times for these tasks to protect your focused work.
  2. Interruptions can break your flow, so setting 'do not disturb' periods or specific times to check messages can help. Communicating the importance of your focused time to your team is crucial.
  3. Procrastination can still happen even with a schedule. Breaking tasks into smaller steps or tackling the hardest tasks first can make projects feel more manageable.

What You Should Know

Yasha Levine • 471 implied HN points • 30 Jun 23
🌍 World Politics Leadership
  1. RFK Jr. may be using synthetic hormones despite being against big pharma.
  2. Hypergenderism involves using body modifications to affirm current gender.
  3. Marx's concept of degrowth communism challenges endless growth under capitalism.

Photo of the Day

Photo of the Day • 235 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
💾 History Leadership
  1. Admiral George Dewey's victory in the Spanish-American War led to the US expansion into the western Pacific
  2. Theodore Roosevelt's leadership focused on improving conditions for New York's working poor
  3. Roosevelt emphasized the importance of civic virtue in social progress

FOMO And AI Anxiety In Davos

High ROI Data Science • 297 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Davos crowd is pessimistic about global economic growth and sees AI as a potential solution.
  2. Big Tech companies are facing stiff competition in the AI space from innovative rivals.
  3. With interest rates rising, businesses need to focus on competitiveness and revenue growth to stay afloat.

Practical Almanac for Technical Program Managers

Building Rome(s) • 11 implied HN points • 30 Jan 26
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Clarity is the foundation: name goals, constraints, and what “done” means early, use writing to force decisions, and revisit assumptions before they become hidden problems.
  2. Make ownership explicit and real: assign clear accountability and give matching authority so decisions get made and escalations don’t become the default.
  3. Execution is social and continuous: watch handoffs and weak signals at the edges, build structure to avoid heroics, and reinforce decisions and timing so surprises don’t erode trust.

25 Things I've Learned In 25

Spilled Coffee • 44 implied HN points • 17 Dec 25
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Prioritize time and relationships over possessions. Spend money to buy time, create experiences, and celebrate loved ones while you still can.
  2. Invest with discipline and block the noise: have a watchlist, cut losses quickly, let winners run, and favor low-cost indexing if you can’t consistently outperform. Avoid loud social media opinions and fear-driven decisions.
  3. Act now and enjoy life instead of waiting for perfect timing: call people, ask questions, help others, and build small surprises and rituals that create lasting joy.

What can we learn from Spotify layoffs?

Alex Ewerlöf Notes • 255 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Spotify's layoffs serve as a warning for other companies, especially those that have grown rapidly and may need to optimize operations.
  2. Layoffs are often caused by a combination of external factors like market conditions and internal factors like fake work and lack of alignment.
  3. It's critical for companies to focus on meaningful value creation and avoid falling into traps like bureaucracy, fake work, and fragmented responsibilities.

Why Are Some Of Our Most Successful Leaders Mentally Ill?

The Ruffian • 510 implied HN points • 22 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Leadership
  1. Some successful leaders, like Javier Milei and Elon Musk, show traits that could be seen as mentally ill or eccentric. This often helps them think outside the box and act decisively, even in the face of criticism.
  2. Having a lack of empathy can sometimes be a strength in leadership. When leaders don't try to please everyone, they can take bold actions that others may avoid.
  3. While unconventional behavior can lead to positive change, not all 'crazy' actions are beneficial. Sometimes it's just madness without any deeper logic.

FDE Should Mean Forward Deployed Executive

Tippets by Taps • 12 implied HN points • 28 Jan 26
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Customers will pay to embed experienced leaders into their organizations to lead AI and data strategy, not just to buy software.
  2. Being embedded as a leader turns you into an extension of the customer, revealing real constraints and feeding those insights back into your product and roadmap to build more value and trust.
  3. Reframe the FDE role from a scrappy implementer to a forward-deployed executive whose judgment and experience drive decisions, which changes hiring, pricing, and the kinds of customer relationships you pursue.

The Mr. Beast Memo

Tech Ramblings • 2 HN points • 22 Sep 24
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Avoid hiring average workers. Focus on finding top talent since they help raise the team's quality and culture.
  2. Always learn from your work and the feedback you get. Analyze what works and what doesn't to keep improving.
  3. Don't settle for anything less than your best work. It's important to ensure that everything you share meets high standards.

Accountability and Authority

In My Tribe • 683 implied HN points • 25 Nov 24
💼 Business Leadership
  1. Clear job descriptions should state the authority and the accountability of a role. This helps everyone know who is responsible for what.
  2. Bureaucracy tends to make it hard to point fingers when something goes wrong. In businesses, leaders try to keep accountability clear, unlike in government.
  3. When people have less authority in their jobs, it's harder to hold them accountable for results. Finding the right balance is crucial for effectiveness.