Leaders LoopHow to close $100K+ enterprise deals, step by step | Jen Abel
Listen now | Jen Abel returns for a third time to walk us through every step of the enterprise sales cycle—from the first cold outreach to the final contract signature
Reading List
The Leadership Reading List
We don't write everything worth reading. This is where we collect the best leadership and business writing from other publications and blogs, so you don't have to go looking for it.
The Drucker drift
Peter Drucker argued that the purpose of a corporation is to serve the customer. It turns out that organizations that focus on this do well. Milton Friedman argued (mistakenly, in my view) that the corporation doesn’t need to care about customers, unless this helps increase the value of the company to shareholders. Corporations are a […]
🧠Community Wisdom: Favorite Lenny’s Product Pass tools, how AI is reshaping hiring, what to prioritize when you join a new company, and more
A roundup of community-submitted insights covering favorite product tools, how AI is reshaping recruitment and hiring, and strategic priorities for navigating a new role at a company.
Don’t eat if you’re not hungry
That’s not only good dieting advice. It works in just about every endeavor we sign up for. The system would like us to be insatiable on its behalf, but that’s not an invitation we’re required to accept.
When Food Safety Becomes the Family’s Responsibility
Corinne Low, Wharton associate professor of business economics and public policy, explains why food safety is a public good, and what happens when government oversight weakens and families are left to pick up the slack. … Read More
Mastering Uncertainty
WE all face uncertainty. The question is: how can we keep performing when faced with the disorder of uncertainty? Life will not happen according to our expectations. Peak performance at all times is not realistic. Instead, success is about optimal performance. Rich Diviney states in Masters of Uncertainty that “True success in life and business hinges instead on optimal performance, which means de
Assume misunderstanding
It’s possible that you were undermined, endangered, cut off or disrespected. But if we begin with that, then the relationship gets shaky. Perhaps the other person simply didn’t understand. It might be that they are focused on their issues, not yours. It could be that they’re dealing with something you don’t see. And most likely, […]
Leading Thoughts for August 20, 2026
IDEAS shared have the power to expand perspectives, change thinking, and move lives. Here are two ideas for the curious mind to engage with: I. Creator of the iPod, iPhone, Tony Fadell on building a company: “I needed to learn. And the best way to do that was to surround myself with people who knew exactly how hard it was to make something great—who had the scars to prove it. And if it turned out
Algorithms Trap Us in the Familiar. Can They Also Spark Breakthroughs?
Gary Waters/Ikon Images Algorithmic tools promise to democratize access to knowledge and thus spark creativity and innovation, but research we conducted revealed a hidden risk: Those tools may be silently narrowing organizations’ creative potential by suppressing the value of expertise. The fault lies not with the experts but with the hidden architecture of the tools […]
Exponential
Tic tac toe with a 3 x 3 board is trivial and not much fun. Tic tac toe tic tac (5 in a row) with a 15 x 15 board is endlessly fascinating. Simple doesn’t mean dumb. When we add layers and community and options, it can generate all sorts of possibilities. Connection is always […]
How Data Changed MLB Pitching
Adam Ottavino, former 15-year MLB reliever and current ESPN analyst, explains how data and technology transformed pitch design, scouting, and in-game strategy. … Read More
Should AI Companies Be Supervised Like Banks?
Peter Conti-Brown, professor at the Wharton School, explains how bank-style supervision and stress testing could help manage the risks of increasingly powerful AI companies. … Read More
The Five Inclusive Behaviors Board Chairs Overlook
Curt Merlo/theispot.com Many companies around the world have made significant progress in adding a higher proportion of board directors from traditionally underrepresented groups, such as women and people of color. But despite the increased diversity, many boards lag on inclusivity — that is, ensuring that diverse voices are actually heard and that all board members […]
Don’t steal the revelation
Teaching and learning aren’t always aligned. Sometimes organized teaching is defensive. “Here, take all this down in your notes, it will be on the test.” This gives the teacher deniability, but might not create the conditions for the student to actually learn. The alternative is to seek the “aha.” This is the autodidact moment, the […]
I tested Grok Bot, Grok 4.6, and Cursor Origin - here’s my honest take
Watch now | 🎙️ I tested Grok Bot, Cursor Origin, and Grok 4.6 head-to-head against my favorite models and ranked them on the Claire Index: here's what actually moved the needle
Quickpoint: The 3Cs of Self-Reflection
PROFESSOR of Management and Strategy at the Kellogg School of Management, Harry Kraemer, Jr., explains the 3Cs of self-reflection in Your Values-Based Legacy. He says we self-reflect to examine our pasts for clues about our future journeys. We are influenced by our connection, our community, and our choices. “When enhanced by self-reflection, these three Cs enable us to gain clarity about what we’
Announcing Lenny’s Jobs: The best place in the world to find, vet, and land your dream job
Where product managers, engineers, designers, and growth/marketing professionals discover high-quality open roles at tech companies
Want More Women Candidates? Ask Employees for More Referrals
A Wharton paper found that increasing referral targets prompted employees to look beyond their first choices, bringing more women into the recruitment pipeline. … Read More
The AI Boom Is Testing America’s Power Grid
Serguei Netessine, Wharton's senior vice dean for innovation and global initiatives, examines AI's growing electricity demand and the infrastructure needed to support it. … Read More
What Gets Your Best Employees to Stay
Chris Gash/theispot.com A recent battle for AI talent illustrates how difficult it is for companies to retain key employees. In 2025, OpenAI’s stock-based compensation averaged roughly $1.5 million per employee — unprecedented for a pre-IPO company — yet OpenAI still experienced high-profile defections. Rivals such as Meta were reportedly extending offers in the hundreds of […]