Writing

Field notes on leading & being

Field notes since 2021 on leadership, neuroscience, consciousness, and tales from the road. Subscribe on Substack or LinkedIn to get new posts.

Latest · Oct 12, 2026Consciousness, Growth, Mindfulness, Spirituality

Waiting

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is refuse to build the plan. Some things need to steep before they can be served. Last week I traveled to Denver to attend the EDUCAUSE conference. It continues to serve as an anchor point for…

Aug 10, 2026Consciousness

Gentleness

Since arriving at my mother and stepfather’s home this weekend, I have regularly seen a Doe and two Fawns in the areas behind their home. One night this week, I went to bed early. When I awoke the next morning, my Mom told me that after I…

Aug 3, 2026Executive Presence

Leading Without Authority

Most of the leaders I work with are in senior roles, managing multiple teams, if not entire organizations. These leaders are accustomed to leading with authority, as the teams and leaders who report to them naturally recognize their role…

Jul 15, 2026Wanderment

Change of Plans

I’m six weeks into my return to nomadic life. It’s been a magical time for me, and I feel like the first arc is already coming to a close. I alluded to this at the end of last week’s post, and several of you reached out asking for an…

Jul 6, 2026Awareness

Allowing Everything to Be as It Is

A few weeks ago, we were honoured to have the renowned spiritual teacher Adyashanti in one of our meditation teacher training classes. Since the program started, I’ve been steeping in his wisdom, and I regret missing the opportunity to…

Jun 29, 2026Emotions

Untethered. And Tethered.

Two weeks ago, when I arrived in Fairfax, California, things felt different. As I’ve grown accustomed to doing, I leaned into the feeling to explore it. I made some intriguing discoveries that remind me, once again, of the power of…

Jun 15, 2026Awareness

The Pendulum

I traveled 1,100 miles over four days, and then shut everything off for another week of silent retreat. It was like crashing into a wall of water. Pendulum Swings Two weeks ago, I had my second silent meditation retreat. I chose this…

Jun 1, 2026Awareness

Welcoming

This has been a week of change. Exiting my home for the last time. Traveling from New Mexico to California. Embracing nomadic life more fully than before. As I paused mid-week to connect with a fellow meditation student, I received a…

May 26, 2026Wanderment

Meditations on O’gha Po’oge

This week marks the end of my year in Santa Fe. When I decided to settle here, it wasn’t because of the city or the people. It was the land. When I first crossed the border from Texas to New Mexico back in January 2025, a voice in my head…

May 18, 2026Awareness

Unnesting

A friend recently characterized this period of my life as a time of locomotion. I loved the imagery of a locomotive gathering steam, the way my April unfolded. By mid-month, it was full steam ahead. Now, I find myself very much in motion.…

Apr 27, 2026Executive Presence

The Gem Within Executive Presence

As I wrap up a week connecting with lifelong friends and colleagues at Ellucian Live, I sense more deeply than ever the richness of life that emerges when we are fully present. I’ve written about presence before, and two years later, I…

Apr 6, 2026Growth

Growing Up, Again

I wrote about adult development theory a few years ago. At the time, I still had a scientific bias. I looked at a model and felt it had to be justified with rigorous evidence for people to buy into it. The model made sense to me. It deeply…

Mar 30, 2026Awareness

More or Less

Recently, I caught up with a friend who is approaching that magical age of 50. Somewhere around this age, give or take 5-10 years, so many of us go through that phase we’ve unfortunately labeled a “midlife crisis.” I much prefer to think…

202452 posts

Dec 23Best of 2024CompilationsDec 16Tales From the RoadWandermentDec 9New Manager. Feeling Unsure.Career · ManagementDec 2Rethinking RetirementCareer · life planningNov 25An Abundance of GratitudeGratitudeNov 18Walking AboutAwareness · GrowthNov 12Strengthening StrategicExecutive Presence · Strategic ThinkingNov 4A Historic WeekCommunicationOct 28A Story of PresenceAwareness · Executive PresenceOct 21The Unwinding of an AthleteAwareness · GrowthOct 14By RequestCommunication · DelegationOct 7Celebrating Three YearsCoachingSep 30Two Ears. One Mouth. One Brain.CommunicationSep 23The Council of JoshesAwareness · GrowthSep 16Just a Little PatienceAwareness · GrowthSep 9Your First 90 DaysCareerSep 3The Neuroscience of Doing and BeingNeuroscienceAug 26DragonflyHealthAug 19Refining TeliodosisGrowthAug 12Social ConnectionsCommunication · GrowthAug 5Credentials MatterCoachingJul 29Meaningful ConversationsCommunicationJul 22As Measured By…Goals · ProductivityJul 15NeuroplasticityNeuroscienceJul 8Summer ThinkingLearning · life planningJul 1Summer ReadingCompilationsJun 24Exploring IntegrationAwareness · GrowthJun 17Running With The TurtlesHealthJun 10A Funny Thing Happened on VacationHealth · life planningJun 3TransformationGrowthMay 28Mirror, MirrorAwareness · MindfulnessMay 20Be A RavenGratitudeMay 13Leading Through CoachingCoachingMay 6Be A LiverCommunication · GrowthApr 29Thus Spoke TaylorPerspectivesApr 22AuthenticityExecutive Presence · ManagementApr 15Beneficial CommunicationAwareness · CommunicationApr 8The Wisdom In Your BodySomaticsApr 1PresenceAwareness · CoachingMar 25Great Leaders Speak LastExecutive Presence · ManagementMar 18Understanding TrustTrustMar 11Listening to the Universe, Part 3CoachingMar 4Coaching DiscoveryCoachingFeb 26Courageous ConversationsManagementFeb 20How To Do Your TaxesProductivityFeb 12Embracing IntuitionNeuroscienceFeb 5Life Accountslife planningJan 29Cultivating WonderGrowthJan 22Work-Life Balance is a MythHealthJan 12More Doing LessProductivityJan 8Doing LessProductivityJan 2Best of 2023

202351 posts

Dec 18Listening to the Universe, Part 2CoachingDec 11Unlocking Opportunities: How to Strengthen Your LinkedIn ProfileCareerDec 4Happy New YearGoalsNov 27AreteGrowthNov 20Creating SpaceMindfulnessNov 13Shared Background of ObviousnessManagementNov 6Prince KohakuMindfulnessOct 30Your Future SelfAwareness · PerspectivesOct 23From Subject to ObjectAwarenessOct 16My Second YearCoachingOct 9Never Grow UpLearningOct 2Missing ConversationsTeamsSep 25We Are Always GrowingLearningSep 18The Golden MeanMindfulnessSep 11What Should I Do?ProductivitySep 5Journal of AwarenessAwarenessAug 28The Hero’s Journeylife planningAug 21Transitionslife planningAug 21On HiringManagementAug 7Managing ManagersManagementJul 31What AI Can Teach Us About NINeuroscienceJul 24Clearing the FogHealthJul 17Flashlights and FloodlightsAwarenessJul 10Productivity AnthologyProductivityJul 3This Space Intentionally Left BlankHealthJun 26Embodying Your Valueslife planningJun 20Magical MeetingsManagement · ProductivityJun 12Meditation Has Gone MainstreamMindfulnessJun 5You’re Not The Leader You Think You AreCoaching · ManagementMay 30Building ResilienceMindfulnessMay 22Living Heroicallylife planningMay 15Expanding AwarenessAwarenessMay 8Brain EnergyHealthMay 1Raising AwarenessGrowth · MindfulnessApr 24Let’s MoveCoaching · SomaticsApr 17Remembering Jack (2023)GratitudeApr 10Desktop DetoxManagement · ProductivityApr 5Focus PocusManagement · ProductivityMar 27Coaching OntologicallyCoaching · EmotionsMar 20Listening to the UniverseLearning · MindfulnessMar 13TeliodosisGrowthMar 6Conquering Your CalendarManagement · ProductivityFeb 27Building BridgesDelegation · ManagementFeb 21A Tale of Two PathsManagementFeb 13Valuing Every VoiceManagement · TeamsFeb 6So EmotionalEmotionsJan 30Promote YourselfExecutive PresenceJan 23To Do, Or Not To DoProductivityJan 16Carpe SeptimanaProductivityJan 9Carpe DiemProductivityJan 2It’s Called Breakfast for a ReasonHealth

202252 posts

Dec 26Top Ten Blog Posts of 2022Dec 19All You Need Is LoveGratitude · MindfulnessDec 12Gooooooooooooooooooooooals!Goals · life planningDec 5Promises, PromisesDelegation · ManagementNov 28I Do DeclareManagement · PerspectivesNov 21Just The FactsManagement · PerspectivesNov 14We Can Do Hard ThingsLearningNov 7Who Are Your Heroes?GratitudeOct 31Face-to-FaceManagement · TeamsOct 24Your Personal Board of DirectorsGoals · life planningOct 17My First YearCoaching · GratitudeOct 10More of What You Lovelife planningOct 3Your 360 FeedbackManagement · TeamsSep 26Zen and the Art of FeedbackCoaching · ManagementSep 19Feedback is a GiftCoaching · ManagementSep 12Life is Callinglife planningSep 6Taking InitiativeDelegation · ManagementAug 29Cut Me Some SlackProductivityAug 22Onstage and BackstageManagementAug 15On the PathCoaching · GratitudeAug 8Go on TourManagement · TeamsAug 11:1 101ManagementJul 25Decisions, DecisionsManagementJul 18Shifting PerspectivesCoaching · PerspectivesJul 11Do As I Say, Not As I DoManagementJul 5Take a BreakProductivity · HealthJun 27Overcoming ProcrastinationProductivityJun 20Overcoming OverwhelmProductivityJun 13Father’s Day GratitudeGratitudeJun 6Running with the BunniesHealthMay 30How Are You?Gratitude · MindfulnessMay 23The Rider and the ElephantManagement · TeamsMay 16Strengthening ConnectionsManagement · TeamsMay 9Please Shorten Your MeetingsProductivityApr 25Paying AttentionMindfulnessApr 18Remembering JackHealthApr 11Discovering Our StrengthsManagement · TeamsApr 4Delegation 102Delegation · ManagementMar 28Delegation 101Delegation · ManagementMar 21The Enemies of DelegationDelegation · ManagementMar 14Unexpected SuccessCareer · GratitudeMar 7I Don’t Know How to Put This…HealthMar 2Mother’s Day GratitudeGratitudeFeb 28Unplug YourselfMindfulnessFeb 21The Best Technology AvailableLearningFeb 7Finding FocusMindfulness · ProductivityFeb 4Put On Your White BeltLearningJan 31Meeting MaximizationProductivityJan 24Calendar ConstructionProductivityJan 17The Week AheadProductivityJan 10What’s Your Plan for Today?ProductivityJan 3Rome Wasn’t Built in a DayGoals