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So much has been written about the passing of Dolly Parton – her talents as a songwriter and singer and her philanthropy. Her legacy lives on in her music and her philanthropy – much of it given anonymously.

 One aspect, perhaps, that may be slightly overlooked is her keen sense of working people. She came from poverty but never lost her sense of what it takes to make a living. Her song “9 to 5” captures the essence of working hard without feeling like you are getting ahead or being appreciated.

 Lyrical power

Dolly had a gift for metaphor and similes that imbued her lyrics with a resonance that revealed what it means to live, to learn and to love. The words to “9 to 5” underscore the disaffection so many feel at work, and for that reason it is worthy of examination for those who lead others.

Tumble out of bed, and I stumble to the kitchen.

Pour myself a cup of ambition.

And yawn and stretch and try to come to life.

Using coffee as a metaphor for ambition is a plain-speaking way of addressing the agency you have as you apply it to your work.

 No recognition

And, of course, the chorus casts the whole story into sharp relief.

Pushing hard, getting no recognition and being shunted aside for advancement.

Workin’ 9 to 5, what a way to make a livin’

Barely gettin’ by, it’s all takin’ and no givin’

They use your mind, and they never give you credit.

It’s enough to drive you crazy if you let it.

9 to 5, for service and devotion

You would think that I would deserve a fair promotion.

Want to move ahead, but the boss won’t seem to let me.

I swear sometimes that man is out to get me.

The sense of being used “as a step on the bossman’s ladder,” leveraging “your mind and you never get credit” because “you spend your life puttin’ money in his wallet.”

 All is not lost

But all in the song is not all for naught. The tempo is upbeat and the tune irresistible, and these lines emphasize that all is not lost.

But you’ve got dreams he’ll never take away.

In the same boat with a lot of your friends

Waitin’ for the day your ship’ll come in

And the tide’s gonna turn, and it’s all gonna roll your way.

When you listen to “9 to 5,” you can sense the frustration that so many feel at work. If you are in management, understand these concerns and do what you can to acknowledge and recognize the contributions employees make to your organization.

In an interview with Josh Johnson on the Daily Show, Colin Kaepernick presented a construct that seeks to frame risk as both individual and collective. When individuals take risks, they may put themselves in jeopardy of losing what they have. Certainly, that is what happened with Kaepernick as quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers when he took a knee during the playing of the National Anthem as a protest to Blacks dying at the hands of the police.

Kaepernick was excoriated publicly and cut from the team the next year. He has not played down since despite having the skills to do so. Kaepernick posits that the risk was worth it not for self but because it raised awareness of racial disparities particularly in the treatment of Blacks in the justice and judicial systems. As Kaepernick says, taking risk for the collective is necessary to achieve social justice and equality. 

Such a stand is fundamental to the American way of life. Our Founders risked life and limb and property by breaking from Britain. Martin Luther King – and so many of the civil rights pioneers – did the same, and as in the case of King, losing their lives.

Once it was a day to recognize the working man

Raw strength. Long hours. Physically exhausting.

Now it is a day to mark the end of a season

And the launch into the last quarter.

Projecting. Planning. Preparing.

Labor Day!

When I was a kid — decades ago — it was a day of foreboding

School the next day.

Nowadays kids are well into the Fall term

Much to parents’ relief.

But something has been lost.

A recognition of labor — manual and mental.

For men and women.

Labor Day was once a celebration of effort,

Putting in the hours and days to make something

Or serve someone.

We wish for labor to be love but we know that it seldom is.

It is the discipline to “show up for work” every day.

Labor Day!

Once it was a day to recognize the working man

Raw strength. Long hours. Physically exhausting.

Now it is a day to mark the end of a season

And the launch into the last quarter.

Projecting. Planning. Preparing.

Labor Day!

For kids my age it was a day of foreboding

School the next day.

Nowadays kids are well into the Fall term

Much to parents’ relief.

But something has been lost.

A recognition of labor — manual and mental.

For men and women.

Labor Day was once a celebration of effort,

Putting in the hours and days to make something

Or serve someone.

We wish for labor to be love but we know that it seldom is.

It is the discipline to “show up for work” every day.

Labor Day!

Tim Hughes                 9.10.2026

In a business landscape saturated with clinical, data-driven frameworks and exhausting “hustle” culture, John Baldoni’s Leadership in Verse: Poems & Stories arrives as a deeply necessary, soulful intervention. Moving away from the cold mechanics of traditional management books, Baldoni explores leadership as a fundamentally moral, relational, and deeply human practice. 

The book’s brilliant tactical choice is its use of poetic compression and short stories, which deliberately forces hyper-busy managers to slow down and reflect. By replacing traditional KPIs and spreadsheets with core virtues like grace, humility, and solitude, Baldoni offers a practical roadmap for maintaining character and conduct under the heavy emotional toll of corporate pressure.

What makes this collection so impactful is its raw, balancing perspective on the realities of organizational life. Baldoni doesn’t shy away from the ugly, unspoken shadows of the modern workplace, such as the psychological trauma of sudden downsizing exposed in his poem “Fire ’em”, but he beautifully balances these hardships with aspirational, historical portraits of character formed through suffering. 

From the timeless leadership lessons of Homer and Shakespeare to the real-life humility of figures like Jimmy Carter, Abraham Lincoln, and Pope Francis, this book proves that leadership is a habit of service rather than a status of authority. For any executive, manager, or coach navigating the fog of burnout and organizational change, Leadership in Verse serves as an essential mirror and compass. 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/executive-bookshelf-critical-reviews-todays-top-business-john-baldoni-mbsbc

Decency is having a moment.

Politicians and government officials – many of whom have made hay by doing the opposite – are calling for decency in how we speak about and treat one another.

In truth, decency – as a form of grace – has never been out of favor. “Each person has inside a basic decency and goodness,” said renowned cellist Pablo Casals. “If he listens to it and acts on it, he is giving a great deal of what the world needs most.”

Enabling decency

Today, decency – as a measure of the respect for others — has been pushed aside by the torrent of anti-social media, where individuals can make names for themselves (not to mention income) by promoting rhetoric rooted in grievance. So how do we act on the better angels of our nature? Again, Pablo Casals. “It is not complicated but it takes courage. It takes courage for a person to listen to his own goodness and act on it.”

Courage – also a component of grace – gives us the strength to hold ourselves to values we hold dear – against the tide of indecency – the idea that one person is inferior to another and therefore not worthy of our attention. We know better.

Yet as Samuel Johnson opined, “When once the forms of civility are violated. There remains little hope of return to kindness or decency.” Getting back to basic civility becomes a challenge when parties are wronged. The aggrieved retaliate, in turn provoking even greater levels of incivility. 

How courage supports decency

And so to return to decency, we need to act with courage. We need to remember what Gandhi preached: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Senator Joseph McCarthy made it his calling to root out communists he claimed had infiltrated the government. What he lacked in facts, he made up for in screed and in the process ruined the lives of a great many honorable individuals. 

One of his targets was George C. Marshall, the Army Chief of Staff during World War II and later serving as Secretary of State and still later Secretary of Defense during the Truman administration. McCarthy labeled him a tool of the Soviets and impugned his honor. Marshall, who had served his nation for a half-century, preferred to let his record as a soldier and statesman stand as his witness. So he did not engage, preferring to let McCarthy’s slander speak for itself. 

In defense of decency

How Marshall responded is antithetical to our times, and while Marshall’s stoicism may seem outdated, his example is very much alive. Silence in the face of slime isolates the perpetrator by draining their vitriol. Their words ring hollow because there is no echo.

That said, when impugned, others can arise to your defense. Dwight Eisenhower, who had reported to Marshall during the War, came to Marshall’s defense, albeit belatedly – that is, after he had been elected president in 1952. In doing so, it buttressed the arguments against McCarthy’s tactics, eventually leading to his downfall at the Army McCarthyhearings, which were live on television, revealing the Senator’s utter lack of decency.

Act, not react!

So how can we stand up for decency in our own lives? Follow this mantra: Act, not react.

One, when you are disappointed by others’ actions, do not fly off the handle. Keep your cool. 

Two, when you become irritated by the behavior of another, adopt the Abraham Lincoln-Harry Truman approach. Write a draft email to the person. Vent your spleen. Do not send. Read it the next day. Then delete it.

Three, when you see others wronged, exert your courage. Speak out on their behalf. Point out the virtues of those who have been wronged.

Four, avoid toxic social media. Delete messages that echo grievance and hate. Such messages are intended to play on your emotions, so disengage.

Keep trying

These steps are easy to itemize, but when the heat is on and you feel wronged, they can be hard to put into practice. Keep trying. Decency is having a moment. Our challenge is to keep it going.

And as a final thought, I love what Martha Ackmann said about Dolly Parton, the subject of her new biography. Speaking on NPR, the author said, “If I had to choose one word to describe Dolly Parton as a human being… not as a singer/songwriter, I would use the word decency. That hard core decency. That respects other people and treats other people with compassion and openness.”

First posted on Smartbrief.com 2.08.2026

NNathan Lane had been performing on Broadway for decades and had starring roles in many films, including his most famous, The Birdcage. Charles Isherwood then at the New York Times wrote a favorable portrait of Lane, calling him one of the stage’s “great entertainers.” Lane was flattered, of course, but as he told Sam Fragoso on Fresh Air, he can find a “dark cloud in any silver lining.”

Lane’s discomfort was that he was proud of his work, but he viewed himself less as an entertainer and more as an actor. His friend and mentor, Brian Dennehy, was considering staging a revival of Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh. Lane approached the producer and said that if such a revival were to occur, he would love to be considered for the role of Hickey. Lane got the role and, more recently, is starring on Broadway in a revival of Death of a Salesman.

Ask for help

What is fascinating about this anecdote is that Lane, as big a star as he is and an eight-time Tony nominee – three time winner, was not afraid to ask for a role. Some actors would consider the asking beneath them. Nathan realized that if he wanted to stretch himself as an actor, he would have to put himself out there and, yes, ask to be considered.

Wayne Baker, professor emeritus at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, wrote a book about this topic, called – you can guess it – All You Have to Do is Ask. Baker’s precise that when you ask for help, people will respond, not always, but surprisingly often. The obstacle so often is not others; it lies within us. Our ego holds us back from asking for help.

There is an interesting dynamic that occurs when you ask for help. You are putting yourself out there to make a connection. Yes, you are asking for something, but in doing so, you are creating a framework for something positive to occur.

Fostering community

For years, I have belonged to an association of professionals, begun by Marshall Goldsmith, whose mantra is to share what you know. When meeting a new colleague – or connecting with one – we make a habit of asking, “How can I help you?” This statement may be considered altruistic, and to a degree it is, but in reality, it fosters what so many of us are looking for – community.

“Arthur Miller really tapped into something in this play,” Lane said. “And it’s the last bastion of community. It’s people gathering around the campfire. It’s the human connection.” Making such a connection would never have happened if Lane had not asked and been willing to challenge himself to broaden his skills and fulfill his dream.

First posted on Smarbrief.com 08.05.2026

Haley Stevens lost her primary race to become the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan. It was a very close race, and she lost by a percentage point, a mere 15,000 votes. It was a bitterly fought race with the eventual winner, Dr. Abdul El-Sayeed. 

Haley Stevens may have lost, but she is not a loser. Two days after her defeat, she was on CBS News endorsing El-Sayeed and urging her supporters to support him and the Democratic ticket.

Stevens, who represents a swing district in Michigan, will forfeit her seat, but she has given us a good lesson in democracy. In our contentious times, contested election results have become more common. The concept of acknowledging a loss too often is forgotten in favor of disputing results. Doing this erodes the heart of democracy. Winners win, and losers admit defeat. That is the American way.

So Stevens’ concession and her willingness to endorse her opponent is welcome. It is a lesson in grace. When you lose fairly, you admit it and move on. Stevens is taking it one step further by working to elect her rival. 

What we can take from Stevens’ approach are four things:

One, when you lose, admit it. 

Two, thank those who support you and be gracious to those who did not.

Three, heed your purpose and continue to stand tall for your values.

Four, stay positive.

Politics is a mean business, and more and more it has become an arena where personal and family safety can be at risk. So when we see candidates admit defeat and move toward unity, they demonstrate that partisanship has its limits, but the greater good knows no bounds.

… I would be remiss if I left unsaid the one thing to say about him –

There is no greener laurel to lay on a leader this,

that he did right so we could do without him.

That is how poet Miller Williams ended a tribute to a colleague upon his retirement. The line resonates with the truth of a leader’s role. 

The leader’s role

Upon taking charge, the leader needs to provide direction and resources to enable the team to execute. And importantly, elevate us to our better selves. And when all that happens – over time, and never perfectly or even always on time – it is necessary for the leader to make way for a successor, one who can carry on – not as the leader has – but as is necessary for the organization to succeed.

When to step down is a question that every leader faces. For some, it is not their choice due to age or performance, for others, it is a matter of when. Some look forward to shedding “the harness of responsibility,” others do not and wonder what will happen when they leave. The question is both organizational and personal.

The organization lives on

On the organizational side, the quote from Miller Williams hits the nail on the head. When people no longer need you, it is an affirmation that you have done a good job, even a great one. It means that your efforts have prepared the organization to move forward without you. That is a sign that you have a strong bench and a viable successor, one who will take the organization forward. Not necessarily as you have done, but as the organization needs to meet rising issues, some of which are wholly unknown at the moment.

What about you?

On the personal side, a leader may wonder what’s next, how will he or she occupy themselves when they are no longer in charge? That’s a human reaction and one that is only solved by exploration and self-discovery. When you close the door on one career, it does not mean “the end.” 

Take good care of yourself. You have earned it. Pursue what engages your mind and your heart. Fulfillment awaits those who seek it.

Note: The poem cited above is “Talking about the Retirement of Not Soon Forgotten,” and is contained in Time and the Tilting Earth by Miller Williams.

“This is a book about courage, faith, and hope. It is a book about what we ought to be, what we can be, and what we will be. This is a book about the American spirit.”

This paragraph is from the introduction of William McRaven’s newest book, Duty, Honor, Country & Life: A Tribute to the American Spirit. Admiral McRaven served for 37 years as a Navy SEAL, including his final assignment as Commander of all U.S. Special Operations Forces. When McRaven retired from the Navy, he became the Chancellor of the University of Texas from 2015 to 2018. Since then, he has become a highly in-demand speaker and best-selling author, most notably for his book,Make Your Bed.

The title of this book is derived from the title of General Douglas MacArthur’s speech given at West Point, his alma mater, in 1962. As McRaven notes, the old man spoke without “his soaring ego” about the “courage, sacrifice and patriotism” of average Americans and with “a deep sense of reverence for his country and for those who fought so valiantly to defend its principles.”

Who We Are

Reverence for those who have built our nation and who sustain it today is a central theme of this book, which is a richly eloquent collection of McRaven’s reflections, speeches, and poems. It also is an apt tribute to our nation as it marks its 250th anniversary. Throughout, there are stories about the service and sacrifice of those under his command. McRaven also lauds families of service personnel who, in a very real sense, serve alongside their loved ones.

In a reflection about heroes, McRaven cites the courage of Medal of Honor recipients as well as being “inspired by diplomats, those U.S. ambassadors who carried the might of America in their words and their actions.” He closes his essay with a shoutout to “the teachers, coaches, parents, and guardians who raised us to adulthood, taught us right from wrong, motivated us through the pain and disappointments, and encouraged us to follow our dreams.”

For me, this paragraph sums up what I have observed from so many veterans with whom I have come to know, either personally or through story. Service men and women volunteer for us. And while their military service is rightly recognized, it is built upon a foundation of national ideals and values. That foundation, however, rests upon the willingness of citizens who are willing to — as another veteran, President John F. Kennedy, put it – “Ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country.” Patriotism is service. It is reserved for those in uniform, but it is an invitation to serve, collectively and individually,

Poem for action

McCraven, who has written poetry throughout his life, closes with a poem, “Sitting on the Porch.” In his introduction to it, he notes that the poem’s genesis was hearing sirens as he was seated in his rocker on the porch. “I knew that somewhere, someone was in trouble…. There is always someone in trouble… and while I couldn’t solve every problem, maybe I could still make a difference.” And so here’s a portion of this poem.

But the longer I rock/the more it seems,

that sitting on the porch/is only for dreams…

But now I know/that the answer lies

in getting off the porch/before I die.

Consider this poem as a call to action that each of us can answer in our own way and in our own communities, doing what we can to make a difference.

First posted on SmartBrief.com 7.02.2026

Is power based on influence, or is influence based on power?

 The answer is both. The challenge is to decide how to employ each. Do you lead with power, or lead with influence?

 The answer is it depends upon the situation.

 Corporate influence

When my generation (Okay, Boomer) first entered the work force, we were expected to follow orders or else. And we did or found another job. Over the decades, there was a subtle shift toward greater delegation, allowing employees to exercise more autonomy and decide how to work more effectively.

One of the influences was the Toyota Production System, in which authority resided more with workers than with bosses. It was said that the most powerful people in manufacturing at Toyota were the vehicle program chiefs. Same in the U.S., but there was a difference. Toyota chiefs had no direct reports; American chiefs had many. The former relied upon influence based on experience. The Americans relied upon command and control.

The operative principle is trust. In the first instance, trust is secondary. You do what the boss says because you want to keep your job. In the second instance, you want to follow the boss because you trust their know-how. Therefore, the optimal use of power should be based upon trust.

Individual influence

Power within an organizational context rests on a foundation of authority, e.g., the boss. Influence within the same organizational context is derived from example and experience. In the first instance, the boss tells you to do something, and you do it because failure to do so may result in your being fired. In the second instance, the boss asks you to do something, and you do it because experience has taught you that the boss knows what’s best.

Executives have power over others because of the authority inherent in their positions. They are the boss, and bosses have the responsibility to get things done and the authority to do so. They accomplish their goals through others.

Peers have no authority over their colleagues. But they can exert influence based on their experience and example. Their peers trust them because they have proven themselves able to accomplish what needs to be done.

 At the same time, executives can operate as peers insofar as they seek input and encourage individuals and teams to make the best decisions for how to accomplish the workflow. Doing so enables workers to exercise autonomy and, over time, take ownership of their jobs and their outcomes.

 Each form of power is valid, but when it comes to building trust, we gravitate toward those who enable us to make decisions – within the context of the job – to get things done. That behavior enables us to exert ownership. If we are only told what to do, we will do it, but seldom with the same enthusiasm. We lack autonomy.

 Our challenge is to understand our own influence – our sense of agency. We can make the choices that affirm our values and enable us to commit to helping the organization succeed.

First posted on LinkedIn 00.00.2026