The Mammoth in the Room

Power is a multifaceted tool in leadership, not a single monolithic force. Join me as we kick off a brand new miniseries that will dissect the nuances of power, from its evolutionary origins to its modern-day application in leadership.

A selfish team member is a common yet tricky issue that every leader faces. When a colleague hoards resources, withholds vital information, and prioritizes personal success over collective progress, it can undermine trust, morale, and ultimately, productivity. How should you respond to such behavior and turn things around?

Anton opens up about the challenges of transitioning from peer to leader, where emotional responses like fear and overconfidence from others can feel like mammoths lurking in the room. He also shares the impact of trust-building as a key strategy for navigating such situations and explains how leadership isn’t just about solving problems but also about understanding the evolutionary forces that influence human behavior.

We’ve all been there. A team meeting is derailed by one person who can’t stop talking. The “gunner” who jumps in, interrupts others, and takes over the conversation. In this episode, we explore what’s really behind that behavior and how leaders can turn it from a frustration into a strength.

The Ultimate Guide to Designing Effective Leadership Hierarchy
Powerful leadership doesn’t have to mean rigid hierarchies. We wrap up our hierarchy miniseries with a practical playbook on how to design effective and scalable hierarchies that lead to success. We’ll explore lessons learned from our evolution and how to adapt traditional structures to modern leadership needs, ensuring clarity, fairness, and transparency.

Through an exploration of evolutionary biology and historical context, we examine how prestige evolved as a way to coordinate around competence, fairness, and shared knowledge. We’ll uncover how prestige fosters trust, learning, and collaboration in organizations.