Welcome to The New Leader, where I write without a filter about leadership, the broken hiring system, career reinvention, and what it actually costs to keep showing up.
I write about the part nobody briefs you on. The politics, the tradeoffs, the things leaders don't say out loud. Leadership isn't a gift or a title. It's just people trying to figure it out and not quitting when it gets hard.
That's the new leader. And it's all of us.
The hidden power of being new
While you're wrapped in imposter syndrome, wondering if you belong, the people around you are feeling relief. Help has arrived. Most people miss this window entirely. Here's how to use it—including a 30/60/90-day framework built from the interview answers that got you the job.
Your AI intern lies
I caught my AI intern in a lie last week. A company it described—specific funding round, CEO profile, everything—turned out not to exist. That's not a glitch. That's how large language models work. Here's what hallucinations are, why they happen, and how to catch them before they cost you.
The insider job market
The so-called top 1% isn't about performance. It's about pedigree—the right schools, the right logos, the right people who already vouched for you. I've been on both sides of this filter. Same skills. Different read. Here's what that looks like—and what to do if you're not an insider.
The junk food playbook
The best product doesn't always win. The best marketing does. This is a case study in two brands competing for the same customers—one selling emotion, one selling information. One is dominating. The reveal explains something most rational people keep getting wrong.
Job search red flags
After months of refining everything, I suddenly had six companies reaching out for VP and CMO roles. I thought I'd cracked the code. Then I realized: only one was legitimate. Here's how to recognize the red flags that waste your time—and your dignity.
Start standing out
If you don't know what makes you different, neither will they. Most job seekers don't have a branding problem—they have a visibility problem. They describe what they do instead of what they bring. Here's how to change that.
Fabricate, Fluff, Fudge, or Freak Out
There's a moment in every job application where you're hit with the question designed to calculate your age. Your palms sweat. Your cursor hovers. Welcome to the four responses every experienced professional knows: Fabricate, Fluff, Fudge, or Freak Out.
Why you’re not getting interviews
Everyone blames the algorithm. But the truth is messier than that. Ghost jobs, recruiter overwhelm, unconscious bias, and an obsession with perfect-fit candidates are all part of why strong people aren't getting called. Here's what actually moves the needle.