Literature Review

The hidden leadership threat draining workplace productivity Forbes; by Julian Hayes II; 7/27/25 If speed is a premium currency in modern business, friction is the hidden tax. It doesn't appear on your balance sheet or get highlighted on the org chart. Yet, it compounds daily through missed deadlines, disengaged employees, decision bottlenecks, various leadership issues, and a tech stack that overwhelms more than it empowers. ... Perhaps the most revealing (and to some surprising) insight: executives reported the highest levels of friction. The very individuals tasked with solving complexity are often the most affected by it. This discovery underscores a deeper truth: friction isn't merely an operational issue. It's also a leadership issue. ... [The] following four categories of friction offer a diagnostic window into the health of an organization's leadership infrastructure. ...

How to perform a Regret Audit: A simple question that can help you live with purpose and have fewer regrets. Psychology Today; by Jordan Grumet, MD; 7/20/25 As a hospice doctor, I’ve spent countless hours sitting at the bedsides of dying patients, listening to the echoes of lives well-lived and those haunted by regret. As Bronnie Ware described in The Five Regrets of the Dying, many end-of-life reflections center around missed chances to live more authentically, joyfully, and meaningfully. But we don’t have to wait until our final moments to face these truths. I’ve long advocated for the hospice life review as a proactive tool. It’s a structured set of questions used by hospice professionals to help patients process their lives and find peace. The questions are simple but profound:

Leaders shouldn't try to do it all - Many important tasks can be done by other people. Focus on what you can do a lot better than anyone else.Harvard Business Review; by A.G. Lafley, Roger L. Martin; Jan-Feb 2025Leaders shouldn't spend their scarce time on activities simply because they are very important. They should do only the things that nobody else in the organization can do nearly as well - if at all. And they should spend as much of their time as possible on them.Publisher's note: Accessing article may require subscription or purchasing the issue.

How to give physicians autonomy—and protect them from burnout American Medical Association (AMA); by Georgia Garvey; 7/1/25 Almost everyone appreciates having autonomy at work. But when physicians spend more than a decade in high-stakes and grueling medical training, only to enter practice with virtually no control over their work environment, schedule or day, it can lead to the kind of spiraling frustration that often turns into burnout or leaving the profession entirely. “It’s one of those things where the more you try to micromanage a physician’s schedule, the more a feeling of distrust you give to the physicians ...” said Jill Jin, MD, MPH, an internist and senior physician adviser for the AMA, one of the authors of the AMA STEPS Forward® “Value of Feeling Valued Playbook.” ... Though the percentages of those experiencing burnout have declined from the peak during the COVID-19 public health emergency, 43.2% of physicians still say they have at least one symptom of burnout.  ... When physicians feel valued—... as competent professionals who have devoted immense time and energy to becoming experts at their jobs—it is proven to be positively associated with lower levels of burnout.

I've managed 260 employees — Here's how to tell if your leadership style is actually workingEntrepreneur; by Amy M Chambers; 6/25/25These six clues always predict whether or not there's strong leadership nearby. If you don't see these six things, poor leadership isn't far. [Including:]

There’s a workplace leadership crisis. Here’s how to solve itForbes; by William Arruda; 6/22/25We’re living in a very different world. Just since Covid, many of the norms of business have evolved, making the workplace almost unrecognizable. AI is taking over (or at least it feels that way). There are more different generations working side-by-side, each with their own needs, expectations, and styles. Hybrid and remote work are making life more manageable for some, while at the same time reducing the sense of connection and belonging that many of us get from work. And we haven’t even touched on the geopolitical events that are impacting virtually every industry and role. All of these changes are having a major impact on leadership. [Key points include:]

The hidden skill that separates great leaders Forbes; by Cicely Simpson; 6/13/25 The most important communication lesson you’ll learn in your career is often overlooked. And it’s not what you think. Being in rooms with world leaders and hundreds of CEOs for the past 25 years has taught me one lesson about communication that stands out above all: Everything matters in context. Most people assume great communication is about being clear. And while clarity is crucial, it’s not enough. What truly elevates your leadership is your ability to communicate with context.

7 Brutal truths about leadership no one tells you at 29Forbes; by Nirmal Chhabria; 5/29/25At 29, I was handed my first leadership role. Six months later, I was drowning—my inbox was overflowing with problems, top performers were quitting and morale was plummeting. "What am I doing wrong?" I asked my mentor. "You're trying to be the hero instead of creating heroes," she replied. That conversation began my real leadership education—years of failures that revealed truths I wish I'd known from day one. Here are seven leadership insights that only experience taught me:

NorthStar Care Community launches 'Life's Big Moments' campaign to initiate nationwide conversation about end-of-life hospice care PR Newswire, Ann Arbor, MI; by NorthStar Care Community; 5/19/25 NorthStar Care Community has launched Life's Big Moments, a campaign that celebrates the beauty of life's journey from the big milestones to the small, everyday moments that leave the deepest impact on our well-being and purpose. The campaign aims to initiate conversation and awareness around end-of-life care while also raising money to benefit the members of NorthStar Care Community. Companies, organizations, and individuals are invited to support these efforts throughout the campaign, focusing on recognizing the needs of our Veterans.

Why did you choose to become a nurse?Yuma Sun, Yuma, AZ; by James Gilbert; 5/5/25 In honor of National Nurses Week, the Yuma Sun is proud to celebrate the dedicated nurses who serve our community with compassion, strength and resilience. ... To mark this special week, we asked nurses from across Yuma a simple but powerful question: Why did you choose to become a nurse? Their answers reflect the heart of the profession—stories of inspiration, personal sacrifice and a deep commitment to caring for others.

20 Effective strategies for building thought leadershipFast Company; by Fast Company Executive Board; 4/23/25Sharing your unique, informed perspective can influence and spark conversations within your industry. Here’s how to do it.

5 things every leader can learn from Pope Francis  Inc., by Suzanne Lucas; 4/21/25 He led the world’s largest organization with humility and a willingness to engage with different groups and hear different viewpoints. ...  [Pope Francis' death marks] the end of a papacy that influenced far more than just the Catholic Church. In his 12 years as pope, he led with a style that offers enduring leadership lessons for anyone in a position of authority, especially in business. ... While I’m not Catholic, I have followed his work in the 12 years he’s served as pope, and there are plenty of things you can learn about his leadership of the Catholic Church and apply in your life and business.

What’s driving health system investment in Gen Z leadership Becker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 4/15/25 With an aging workforce and looming executive retirements, building leadership pipelines early is more important than ever, Jason Gilbert, PhD, RN, chief nurse executive at Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health, told Becker’s. It is especially important given Generation Z’s strong interest in early career development. “Gen Z is actively seeking development, and if you do not provide them that opportunity, they are going to look for someone who is,” he said. While their ambitions may not be entirely different from those of earlier generations, their expectations of employers are, he added. ... “Feedback is very important to Gen Z employees,” she said. “They’re interested in personalized coaching and mentoring, and they want to be a part of the solution and have an expectation around communication and frequent, actionable feedback.”