Managing up—proactively cultivating a productive relationship with your boss or key stakeholders—is not just a skill reserved for those climbing the corporate ladder. For leaders, it is a critical practice that can drive alignment, foster trust, and optimize collaboration across an organization.

Recently, I heard the song “Perfect” from this album. And the lyrics hit me in a way I had not experienced before. There was a lot of resonance to my ahem mature ears that simply did not connect when I was 18. On the surface, the song portrays the pressure of parental or societal expectations.

Adventure is a core value for me personally and something I think should be included in any contemporary leadership development experience. The value of adventure in leadership development may not be obvious at first but hear me out.

I remember when I first learned about “toxic positivity.” I was preparing to host Dr. Susan David, author of Emotional Agility. Dr. David emphasizes that suppressing difficult emotions undermines resilience and well-being.

Ever thought you could get a professional life lesson from a rock band?

Recently, I heard the song “Perfect” from this album. And the lyrics hit me in a way I had not experienced before. There was a lot of resonance to my ahem mature ears that simply did not connect when I was 18. On the surface, the song portrays the pressure of parental or societal expectations.