CEO Empathy Gyms at KKR: A Conversation with Pete Stavros
A year ago, I stumbled upon a video on YouTube that changed how I think about employee ownership. It wasn’t just another corporate success story—it was a moment of pure, raw emotion. Workers in a factory, some of whom had spent decades on the frontlines of their company, learned that their commitment had translated into real financial rewards. I saw men and women break into tears, hug each other, and celebrate a payout that, for many, would change their lives forever. At the heart of this moment was Pete Stavros, the Co-head of Global Private Equity at KKR and the chairman and founder of the nonprofit Ownership Works. His mission? To create a world where employees don’t just work for a...
PAST ISSUES
The “Outsider” Strategy: Amazon’s Delivery Dilemma and the Shifting Tides of Public Perception
Raise your hand if you’ve worked for a company that insisted on referring to employees as “partners” or “team members.” I’m looking at you,...
Et tu, Patagonia?
Change is inevitable, but resilience is a choice. Patagonia, once celebrated for seamlessly blending work, play, and purpose, now faces an identity...
My Predictions for the 2025 Workplace Trends
As 2025 approaches, the workplace is set to experience seismic shifts. From navigating political changes to embracing cutting-edge technology,...
AI-Powered Empathy: It’s like Auto-Tune for Management
As we head into the final weeks of the year, this newsletter kicks off a special series: 2025 Workplace Trends. These are the ideas shaping how...
An Accountability Mindset: The Competitive Edge That Sets You Apart
Guess what—skills and knowledge aren’t enough anymore. In a world where everyone has access to the same information and where technical expertise is...
The General Strike Call for 2028: A New Era for Labor in the U.S.?
Imagine this: It’s May 1, 2028, and across the country, industries grind to a halt. Not just one union, not just one company, but hundreds of...
I Told NBC: Forcing Your Team Back to the Office Won’t Fix Your Culture
As Amazon and Starbucks begin enforcing return-to-office policies, CEOs everywhere are asking if bringing employees back will save their company...
Started At The Bottom Now We’re Here
I’m working on a report that should be released by the end of the year on “CEO Chatter” (working title – if you have a better suggestion, send it to...
The Visibility Obsession: Why It’s Misguided and What CEOs Should Focus On Instead
Let’s talk about a common complaint I hear across companies: “You’re not visible enough.” Someone can be a top performer, hitting all their goals,...
Your business is being held hostage and it’s unacceptable
The port strike isn’t over; it’s on pause for the next few months. And the biggest sticking point which puts your business in danger has yet to be...
A Culture for All Generations
Disrupting the way we think about generations to attract, engage, and retain all employees
There’s a real benefit in dismantling the perceptions behind Gen Z or X, or whatever the next trendy label is! Citing extensive academic research from her book, Unfairly Labeled, Jessica provides a refreshingly enlightening and data-driven perspective on how multi-generational organizations can strip away stereotypes and and biases that hinder performance and prevent progress toward a common purpose.
