What if the place where you’re least free became the place where you felt most connected?
That’s the remarkable paradox at the center of a recent New York Times essay by P.G. Sittenfeld, a Princeton-educated former city council member who served 16 months in federal prison — and emerged with a profound lesson about human belonging.
A recent article in The New York Times highlights the impactful leadership of Nike CEO Elliott Hill.
What stands out about Elliott is his passion for excellence and his ability to connect with people, reflecting the culture of Texas Christian University, his alma mater. The article points out that under the previous CEO, Nike had become disconnected from its star athletes and leaders in various leagues. Upon returning from retirement at the request of Nike founder Phil Knight, Elliott made it a priority to travel globally to reconnect with these key figures.
The author notes that when Elliott enters a room, he greets everyone, regardless of their status, demonstrating his respect for individuals. This approach fosters human connection, which is crucial for building trust. As Michael Jordan remarked, Elliott Hill embodies what Nike needed, emphasizing his unique ability to establish trust with athletes, partners, and individuals worldwide.
For more insights, check out the full article here.
“A company is stronger if it is bound by love rather than by fear,” the late Herb Kelleher, co-founder, CEO, and Chairman of Southwest Airlines, once said.
When Kip Tindell, retired co-founder and Chairman of The Container Store, first heard Kelleher’s declaration more than 40 years ago, he was, in his own words, “completely taken by it.” In Uncontainable, Tindell explains how he and his leadership team intentionally built an “employee-first” culture that reflected love—and he credits that culture as a major source of the company’s success.
This morning, I had a Zoom meeting with Jeff Moore of Moore Leadership. He was the longtime coach of the University of Texas men’s tennis team. Now Jeff is writing about leadership and he’s teaching and coaching leaders.
I’m impressed with Jeff and his work, and thought I’d share a great article he wrote that I especially enjoyed. It’s about how J. Robert Oppenheimer led the team of scientists and engineers of The Manhattan Project to make the atomic bomb before the Nazi’s did. Here’s the link to Jeff’s article, “Leadership Lessons from Oppie.”
Photo of J. Robert Oppenheimer, Enrico Fermi, and Ernest Lawrence (courtesy the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) via the U.S. Department of Energy – Office of History and Heritage Resources
I have a film recommendation for you: the beautiful and timely award-winning documentary Defining Moments: The Life and Leadership of Quiet Revolutionary Frances Hesselbein. I attended a screening in New York City in May and it deeply resonated with me. If you are not yet familiar with Frances Hesselbein, I can tell you she was a positive, connection-minded leader and one to emulate.
The month of May marks a time of transition across college campuses in the U.S. as students who have completed their degrees celebrate graduation and prepare to embark on their next chapter.
On the campus of TCU (Texas Christian University), Victor Boschini recently handed out diplomas and paused to pose for photographs for the final time as the school’s chancellor. Thankfully for the TCU Horned Frog family, the transition for this “super connector” has him remaining on campus in his new role as chancellor emeritus.
As many organizations move away from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, they are left asking, “what’s next?”
Organizations with supervisors who connect with, encourage, and coach their employees often outperform those that do not. Years ago, Southwest Airlines discovered that reducing the ratio of frontline employees to supervisors enabled supervisors to build stronger relationships, provide better support, and ultimately improve employee performance. As a result, Southwest Airlines maintained a frontline employee-to-supervisor ratio of 10:1, whereas some airlines have ratios as high as 40:1.
Connection-minded leaders, you are important and very much needed! Your team needs you—and not just to talk about connection but to keep modeling what it looks like so your colleagues are inspired to follow your example.
I write and speak about leadership, advocating for a group culture rich with the kind of positive social connection that brings out the best in individuals and thus the collective group. My focus is on what leaders should do to connect people: inspire and unite them around a shared vision and mission, value each individual, and give them a voice.