Be Well Lead Well® Newsletter

I often find myself returning to a question that feels increasingly urgent: What does it mean to thrive as a leader in a world that will not slow down or offer clear answers? Recently, I sat down with Andrew Hsu, President of the College of Charleston, to explore this question. His life journey, from growing up during the Cultural Revolution in China to leading a 250+ year-old U.S. institution, has given him a perspective on leadership that’s both hard-earned and deeply relevant. What he shared brought into sharp relief what thriving leadership looks like when it isn’t theoretical, but grounded, tested, and not dependent on things going well. THRIVING LEADERSHIP IS BUILT IN ADVERSITY, NOT DESPITE IT During the Cultural Revolution, Andrew grew up in a family that faced significant hardship. When I asked how that shaped him, he didn’t frame his experience as something to overcome or ignore. Instead, he spoke about three key qualities it cultivated within him: optimism, resilience, and humility—capacities that continue to serve him in life and leadership today. Many people equate the idea of thriving with ease—less stress, more balance between work and life, or a relaxing life at some indeterminate point in the future, such as retirement. But that’s not what I see in the leaders who are meeting this moment well. Thriving, at its essence, is an innate human capacity. And, as Andrew’s experience reflects, the internal resources that enable us to thrive are often forged in the very adversities we would not knowingly choose. For him, thriving is inseparable from learning and growth. And that begins with humility. He was clear: no one has the full answer. Yet, many leadership cultures still subtly reward the opposite—certainty, control, decisiveness, being the one who “knows.” That model may…

Most leadership conversations today focus on what leaders should do differently. Far fewer ask the more consequential question: Who do we need to become to lead in ways that truly enable people, organizations, and the world to thrive? What I find striking is this: No matter the sector—fast-moving consumer goods, healthcare, technology, education, hospitality—the answer is remarkably consistent. Because leadership is not industry-specific. It is a way of being and operating that shapes everything else. In fact, research from Wisdom Works’ leadership assessment platform shows that leader wellbeing alone accounts for approximately 34% of their reported impact, underscoring the profound connection between how leaders operate internally and the results they create externally. And in today’s environment of intense disruption and complexity, the differentiator is no longer just what we, as leaders, do or say. It’s where we operate from—the psychological and physiological states we bring into every interaction. SHIFTS TOWARD THRIVING LEADERSHIP Thriving organizations are built through a set of fundamental shifts in leadership mindset, behavior, and ultimately, consciousness. Here are seven shifts I believe matter most now: From transactional to transformational: Moving beyond short-term results alone to purpose-driven leadership that engages both hearts and minds. From individual control to collective empowerment: Letting go of command-and-control approaches to build trust, autonomy, and shared accountability, unlocking the intelligence of teams, collaborations, and the whole system….

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of talking with many leaders who have shaped systems far larger than themselves. What stays with me most is not their titles or accomplishments, but how they understand power and responsibility. In a conversation with my colleague and friend, Dr. Rich Carmona, former U.S. Surgeon General, he shared a story that touched me deeply. Long before his national roles when the scope and visibility of his leadership blossomed, Rich was a 12-year-old boy growing up in an impoverished neighborhood. His mother worked nights, and when she left the house, she placed responsibility for his younger siblings squarely on his shoulders. At the time, he didn’t think of this as leadership training. He was simply doing what needed to be done. Looking back, he sees it differently. Only later did he realize what that period had taught him: leadership is always about being responsible for the lives and futures of others. What changes over time is not the nature of leadership, but its scope and scale. This perspective feels especially relevant today, when leadership is often framed in terms of influence, authority, or outcomes. Rich’s reflection reminds us that leadership, at its core, is…

In today’s leadership landscape, disruption is no longer episodic. It is the constant hum of our lives and work. As leaders, we’re navigating an unprecedented convergence of forces: accelerating technological change, rising health and wellbeing concerns, geopolitical instability, climate pressures, and shifting expectations about what organizations and brands are responsible for in society. It’s no wonder we feel stretched, reactive, or unsure where to place our attention. Yet amid all this disruption, one thing remains quietly true: people are still looking for signals of stability, coherence, and care. And increasingly, they look for those signals not only from leaders, but from the brands that leaders steward. A THRIVING LEADER’S PERSPECTIVE FROM INSIDE GLOBAL BRANDS Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Konstantinos Delialis for a conversation about thriving leadership. Our dialogue wasn’t just about the breadth of his global management experience across categories, cultures, and continents, but the clarity he’s gained about the role of leadership and brands during times like these. Konstantinos’ career arc is familiar on the surface: senior roles in fast-moving consumer goods, leadership at scale, exposure to some of the world’s most influential brands, such as The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, and Kraft Heinz. But…