About

Certain jobs are difficult to start and grow into. For example, leading others. You are expected to know different aspects of the tasks done in your team, demonstrate confidence, know the answers, but not necessary voice them, coach, mentor, support, push back, complete administrative tasks, prioritize effectively, set the direction, track progress, gather the team and grow it, drive change, sell new ideas… the list continues.

There is no lack of books about leadership. Most companies have some kind of training for their staff that is – or wants to – lead others. I have been to a few such trainings. I have even designed and delivered such ones. Got plenty of feedback, which agrees with my own feelings and experience. While the books, trainings, mentors, and tools are there, few of them answer the burning question “what exactly to do?“.

Inspirational quotes do indeed inspire, but do they lead to action and results? Good intentions to coach or set direction are not enough if the leader has little idea how and when to coach or what is direction and how to communicate it.

That is the reason for the site. I hope it will become the place for myself and others to find detailed, actionable, and research-backed knowledge on leadership. What can you expect to find here?

• Overview of models and tools: leading others is complicated. That’s why we need models that simplify the world and help us make sense of it.
• Summary of relevant research: research does not always link directly to reality. Sometimes it is so distant that most people cannot make use of it. Leadership is one of the areas where this distance is most obvious, which is sad: bridging research and practitioners could really help to improve the lives of both leaders and their teams.
• Ideas and food for thought: because I believe that leaders must be inherently curious and always up for a though challenge.

Welcome to the Leaders’ Playbook.