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Leader You’re Meant to Be

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Navigate the Complexity of Leadership

Tony’s blog dives into the messy, human, and transformative parts of leadership. These are real-time lessons from coaching sessions, keynote stages, and lived experience.
Don’t Leave The Wall Blank
Discover what it means to bring your whole self to work, express your...
  • 6 min read
What Happened to the Explorer in You
Curiosity in leadership can change how you face uncertainty. Rediscover your inner explorer...
  • 6 min read
The Slow Arc: Why Your Brilliance Is Still Becoming
An executive coach for leaders in transition on why the slow, layered path...
  • 7 min read
Co-Founder Breakups Rarely Start With Strategy. They Start With an Expired Deal Nobody Renewed
Learn how to strengthen a co-founder relationship as your company grows by renegotiating...
  • 8 min read
Why How You Work Matters More Than You Think
Discover how bringing your whole self to work can strengthen authentic leadership, creativity,...
  • 6 min read
The Ancient Path That Every Modern Leader Needs Right Now
Ancient wisdom, modern leadership. Discover how the Buddhist Eightfold Path offers a living...
  • 10 min read
The Greatest Innovation Hub in History Had a Secret. Most Companies Are Doing the Exact Opposite
Learn how Florence engineered creative collisions—and how founders can use designed friction to...
  • 8 min read
What the Pandemic Cracked Open (And Why AI Is Opening It Again)
Discover how the pandemic and AI are reshaping leadership, identity, and purpose—and why...
  • 6 min read
Why Structure Is the Key to Real Freedom
Discover why the most creative, authentic leaders rely on intentional structure to unlock...
  • 5 min read
The 1 Trait Founders Think Is Their Greatest Strength Is Actually a Major Valuation Killer
Founder dependency can reduce business value and complicate an exit. Learn how to...
  • 6 min read
Copenhagen Is More Than a Design Epicenter
Discover why play at work matters and what Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens can teach...
  • 6 min read
The Matrix Paradox: Why the Slowest Leaders Often Go the Farthest
Discover how slowing down your thinking unlocks multidimensional leadership, better decisions, and the...
  • 5 min read
Your Burn Rate Isn’t Just Financial. Here’s the 1 No Investor Tracks
Employee burnout can quietly damage startups through attrition, lost focus, and missed goals....
  • 6 min read
The Leadership Skill No One Teaches
Learn why tolerating uncertainty is a critical leadership skill and how thoughtful pauses...
  • 8 min read
The Buildings That Refused to Be One Thing
Discover how leadership reinvention can integrate past roles, skills, and identities into a...
  • 6 min read
3 Lies We’re Telling Ourselves About Work
Three workplace myths are distorting leadership decisions about scale, AI, and younger workers....
  • 7 min read
When ‘Bring Your Whole Self to Work’ Is Bad Advice for Your Startup
Authentic leadership isn't about sharing everything. Learn how founders can balance vulnerability, emotional...
  • 6 min read
Experience Design is about Shaping Identity
Explore how experience design shapes identity by creating intentional spaces where people can...
  • 6 min read
An Inspired Poem: Hope is a Fire
A powerful poem on hope and connection. Explore how presence, community, and shared...
  • 2 min read
An Inspired Poem: Messy Middle
A reflective poem about identity, growth, and self-discovery. Explore the messy middle and...
  • 2 min read
If Your Identity Were a City, What Would It Be?
Explore identity through the metaphor of a city and discover how your past...
  • 6 min read
Unreasonable Hospitality In A World of Efficiency
Discover how leaders create lasting impact by making people feel seen, valued, and...
  • 5 min read
An Inspired Poem: Art Is…
A reflective poem exploring what art truly is. Discover creativity, authenticity, and the...
  • 1 min read
Play Is How We Find Our Way Back to Ourselves
Discover why play is essential for creativity, leadership, and reconnecting with your authentic...
  • 6 min read
Integration Is the New Intelligence
As AI accelerates, the real leadership advantage may not be intelligence but integration—the...
  • 4 min read
Creative Destruction and the Courage to Stay Human
Discover how leaders can thrive amid AI disruption by embracing integration, multidimensional thinking,...
  • 5 min read
The Quiet Cost of Convenience: On AI Fatigue and the Choice We’re Quietly Making
Explore the rise of AI fatigue, why human creativity needs friction, and how...
  • 5 min read
What Neural Networks Reveal About Identity, Leadership, and the Future of Work
Discover how neural networks reveal powerful lessons about multidimensional leadership, identity integration, and...
  • 6 min read
Mystery, Meaning & Multiplicity: Unlearning Old Frameworks and Leading with Questions
Discover why leading with questions, not certainty, helps leaders navigate complexity, embrace ambiguity,...
  • 6 min read
Do You Really Want to Get Uncomfortable?
Learn how to get out of your comfort zone with practical strategies that...
  • 3 min read
Where Are the Leverage Points In a Poly-crisis World?
Learn how leaders can uncover leverage points, strengthen resilience, and transform interconnected challenges...
  • 5 min read
Embracing Diversity of Thought: Are You Truly Open-Minded?
Learn how to be more open-minded, challenge assumptions, embrace diverse perspectives, and strengthen...
  • 4 min read
From A Bad Idea to Breakthrough
Discover why breakthrough ideas often begin as bad ideas and how leaders can...
  • 5 min read
What Hidden Spaces Teach Us About Leadership, Creativity, and the Courage to Look Deeper
Explore how hidden spaces inspire leadership, creativity, curiosity, and innovation through deeper reflection...
  • 6 min read
An Inspired Poem: Hope For A Broken World
Explore an inspiring reflection on hope, resilience, and finding light amid uncertainty, division,...
  • 1 min read
From Accumulation to Stewardship: Why the Next Chapter ofLeadership Isn’t About More
Explore why stewardship leadership is replacing accumulation as the key to sustainable success,...
  • 6 min read
Who’s in the Room? Designing a Personal Board for Your Next Chapter
Learn how a personal board of directors helps leaders gain perspective, avoid blind...
  • 6 min read
An Inspired Poem: What’s So Urgent About Peace, Love, and Understanding?
Discover why peace, love, and understanding remain essential leadership practices in a divided...
  • 1 min read
What This Year Asked Me to Unlearn: A Year-End Reflection Through Books
A reflection on the books that shaped leadership, creativity, uncertainty, and human connection...
  • 6 min read
How Musical Evolution Reveals the Art of Personal Reinvention
Discover how musical evolution can inspire personal reinvention, helping you break old patterns,...
  • 4 min read
The Beauty of Reframing: How Shifting Your Perspective Can Unlock New Possibilities
Learn how reframing your perspective can break mental gridlock, challenge assumptions, and unlock...
  • 3 min read
The Art of Practice: What Are You Practicing?
Discover how intentional leadership practice shapes who you become, from cultivating presence and...
  • 5 min read
The Universal Dance: Conversations as Portals to New Worlds
Discover how meaningful conversations create deeper connection, spark new ideas, build trust, and...
  • 4 min read
Small Acts of Leadership
Discover how small acts of leadership build trust, psychological safety, connection, and meaningful...
  • 8 min read
The Paradox of Collective Genius
Explore how collective genius, collaboration, and diverse thinking help leaders unlock innovation, trust,...
  • 5 min read
We Are Complex Organisms Just Trying to Make Something Happen
Learn how leaders can navigate complexity, culture, and change by leading organizations as...
  • 4 min read
Create Your Manifesto: As You Speak, So You Create
Learn how to create a personal manifesto that clarifies what you believe, how...
  • 3 min read
Energy Leadership Is a Superpower
Discover how Energy Leadership helps leaders shift mindset, influence culture, and lead with...
  • 4 min read
Your Brilliance Is Not Fading – It’s Unfolding
A powerful reframe on late-blooming leadership, creative growth, and why meaningful brilliance often...
  • 4 min read
Be Disruptive… On Purpose
Discover how disruptive thinking helps leaders challenge assumptions, question the status quo, and...
  • 3 min read
From Collector to Curator: The Art of Turning Sparks Into Fire
Learn how creative curation helps leaders and creators transform scattered ideas into clarity,...
  • 4 min read
Learning to Lead Between What We Forget and What We Cannot See
Explore how reflective leadership helps leaders balance history, uncertainty, and wisdom to navigate...
  • 4 min read
Signal to Noise: Reclaiming the Frequency of Your Soul
In a world filled with noise, discover how to find your authentic voice,...
  • 4 min read
The Eightfold Path: The Way of the Buddhist Leader
Discover how Buddhist wisdom and mindful leadership practices help leaders create balance, clarity,...
  • 6 min read
The One I’ve Been Waiting For
A poetic reflection on self-empowerment, discovering your inner strength, and realizing that the...
  • 1 min read
Why Real Change Requires New Reward Systems
Learn how organizational reward systems influence behavior, leadership, culture, and sustainable transformation....
  • 4 min read
Be Ready to Adapt… But To What?
Discover why adaptability in leadership isn't just about surviving change, but choosing what...
  • 3 min read
The Beauty of Being Wrong
Discover why learning from mistakes helps leaders build trust, adapt faster, and create...
  • 3 min read
Imagine a Life in Technicolor
Learn how to design your life with intention, reclaim your imagination, and create...
  • 4 min read
Inspiration and Your Soul’s Purpose
Discover how inspiration can reveal your soul purpose, reconnect you with what makes...
  • 3 min read
The Hidden Cost of Holding It All Together
Learn why authentic leadership begins with wholeness, not perfection, and how showing your...
  • 5 min read
Stop Thinking, Start Sensing: Your Next Breakthrough Won’t Come from Brainstorming
Discover how embodied leadership can help you move beyond overthinking, access deeper awareness,...
  • 5 min read
An Inspired Poem: From Crisis to Chrysalis
Explore midlife transformation as a season of becoming, where uncertainty, identity shifts, and...
  • 1 min read
What I’ve Learned About People From 10,000+ Hours of Working with Leaders
Discover what 10,000+ hours of working with leaders taught me about identity, wholeness,...
  • 5 min read
Quieting the Noise: Finding Clarity Amid Chaos
Learn how to quiet mental noise, reclaim your attention, and create the space...
  • 4 min read
Glass Blowing and the Art of Leadership
Explore leadership as an art through glassblowing—and discover how presence, attunement, tension, and...
  • 4 min read
What’s Your Mission?
Learn how to find your life purpose by recognizing the patterns, passions, and...
  • 4 min read
Schedule A Discovery Call

Leaders Are Readers

Tony’s Book Shelf

your brain on art book
Your Brain on Art

Susan Magsamen & Ivy Ross
the power of wonder book
The Power of Wonder
Monica Parker
the bezos blueprint book
The Bezos Blueprint

Carmine Gallo
the creative act book
The Creative Act
Rick Rubin
real time leadership book
Real-Time Leadership
David Noble & Carol Kauffman
compassionate leadership book
Compassionate Leadership
Rasmus Hougaard & Jacqueline Carter
fixed book
Fixed
Amy Herman
principles ray dalio
Principles

Ray Dalio
the beautiful business book
The Beautiful Business
Steven Morris
thinking fast and slow book
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
See The Full Book List

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Leaders Are Readers

At Inspired Purpose Partners, we have always believed in transparency, so we want to disclose that we earn a small affiliate commission for any purchases you make through the links below. That being said, we only recommend books that we have read and truly believe in.
your brain on art book
Your Brain on Art
Susan Magsamen & Ivy Ross
the power of wonder book
The Power of Wonder
Monica Parker
the bezos blueprint book
The Bezos Blueprint
Carmine Gallo
The Creative Act
Rick Rubin
real time leadership book
Real-Time Leadership
David Noble & Carol Kauffman
Hidden Potential
Adam Grant
The Power of Moments
Chip Heath and Dan Heath
The Right Kind of Wrong
Amy Edmondson
Infectious Generosity
Chris Anderson
Longpath
Ari Wallach
Trillion Dollar Coach
Bill Campbell
Awe
Dacher Keltner
10% Happier
Dan Harris
Triumph of the City
Edward Glaeser
Humble Inquiry
Edgar Schein
compassionate leadership book
Compassionate Leadership
Rasmus Hougaard & Jacqueline Carter
fixed book
Fixed
Amy Herman
principles ray dalio
Principles
Ray Dalio
the beautiful business book
The Beautiful Business
Steven Morris
thinking fast and slow book
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
Antifragile
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Listful Thinking
Paula Rizzo
Conscience and Courage
John Hawkins
From Strength to Strength
Arthur Brooks
Quiet
Susan Cain
The Long Game
Dorie Clark
Flux
April Rinne
The 10% Entrepreneur
Patrick J. McGinnis
Unleashed
Rick Simmons & Amy Simmons
Advice Not Given
Mark Epstein
Building A Second Brain
Tiago Forte
VisuaLeadership
Todd Cherches
The Nexus
Julio Mario Ottino & Bruce Mau
Bittersweet
Susan Cain
The Power of Regret
Daniel Pink
The Infinite Game
Simon Sinek
Radical Candor
Kim Scott
Creative Calling
Chase Jarvis
Mindset
Carol Dweck
Alien Thinking
Cyril Bouquet, Jean-Louis Barsoux & Michael Wade
Visual Intelligence
Amy Herman
Think Again
Adam Grant
Die Empty
Todd Henry
The Start-Up of You
Reid Hoffman & Ben Casnocha
Travel as a Political Act
Rick Steves
The Obstacle Is the Way
Ryan Holiday
Rebel Talent
Francesca Gino
Creative Quest
Questlove
How Will You Measure Your Life?
Clayton Christensen
The Art of Possibility
Rosamund Stone Zander & Benjamin Zander
Discover Your Genius
Michael Gelb
Start With Why
Simon Sinek
Conversational Intelligence
Judith Glaser
Code Of The Extraordinary Mind
Vishen Lakhiani
The Four Agreements
Don Miguel Ruiz
Art Thinking
Amy Whitaker
Upstream
Dan Heath
The Big Leap
Gay Hendricks
Good to Great
Jim Collins
Wired to Create
Scott Barry Kaufman
Reinventing You
Dorie Clark
The Practice of Adaptive Leadership
Ronald Heifetz, Marty Linsky, & Alex Grashow
Measure What Matters
John Doerr
Questions Are the Answer
Hal Gregersen
Wisdom at Work
Chip Conley
Career Imprints
Monica Higgins
Big Potential
Shawn Achor
Outliers
Malcolm Gladwell
The 4 Disciplines of Execution
Chris McChesney
Full-Spectrum Thinking
Bob Johansen
Leading With Emotional Courage
Peter Bregman
Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps
Jennifer Garvey Berger
Disrupt Yourself
Whitney Johnson
The Fearless Organization
Amy Edmondson
Essentialism
Greg McKeown
The Warrior Within
John Little
The Pause Principle
Kevin Cashman
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Stephen Covey
A Curious Mind
Brian Grazer
The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team
Patrick Lencioni
Give and Take
Adam Grant
The Book Of Mistakes
Skip Prichard
The Inspiration  Code
Kristi Hedges
Illuminate
Nancy Duarte
Hit Refresh
Satya Nadella