Hugh Garry

“How does The Clown behave?” I said.

“The Clown is the part of the brain that just writes and writes and writes and doesn’t make any judgment about how terrible the writing is. In fact, The Clown embraces whatever it is, no matter how terrible.

“The Clown is like a child. It’s somebody who says whatever they’re thinking. They don’t edit before it... See more

No one is immune to burnout. Our biology makes us vulnerable to its formidable power.

On January 19, 2023, Jacinda Arden announced her resignation as New Zealand’s prime minister. In an emotional speech, she said she no longer had “enough in the tank” to lead her country. The world was shocked and struggled to comprehend why such a widely admired,... See more

Two things I keep coming back to:Instead of trying to be the “right kind” of leader, become the leader your system actually needs.Don’t fear power and don’t worship it. Work with it. Hold it lightly, pass it when needed, and let it teach you.

From what I’ve seen, the healthiest systems don’t treat power as a virtue or a sin. They treat it as work—something that must be held with care, shared with clarity, handed over when needed, carried by the person the system and moment requires. Not too much ego, not too little. Not leaderless, not leader-dominated. Just enough structure to hold the... See more