D. WRIGHT WISDOM

In Day 1 of Leading at 47, I'm kicking things off with a question I think every leader needs to sit with: are you gravitating toward the title, or are you earning your position through how you show up every single day? I believe a title gives you authority, but a position gives you influence and you can absolutely be a leader without the manager title. Over the next 47 days, I'm diving into the "in-between" moments of leadership, life, and everything in between.

In Day 3 of Leading at 47, I'm exploring the difference between influential leadership and purely authoritative leadership. I believe in the "Multiplier Effect", a leader's success isn't measured by their own output, but by how much they increase the output of those around them. To do that, I've had to trade delegation for development, leaning into empathy, understanding, and guiding principles when things get messy.

In Day 4 of Leading at 47, I'm diving into the core principles that keep me anchored whether I’m cruising through great times or navigating turbulent ones. From Radical Candor to the "Three T's" (Trust, Transparency, and Thoughtfulness), these are the non-negotiables that keep the needle moving forward for me. At the end of the day, I'm not solving for perfection; I'm solving for progress.

I made a $350,000 mistake — and I didn't get fired. In Episode 5 of Leading at 47, I'm getting honest about one of the biggest oversights of my career and what it taught me about leading with grace when your team needs it most.

In Episode 6 of Leading at 47, I'm diving into one of the most powerful — and often underutilized — tools in our leadership toolkit: feedback. I've found that the real magic happens when you build the muscle of giving and receiving it consistently, not just in the tough times, but in the good times too. When we stop being stingy with our insights, we build trust, foster candor, and elevate everyone around us.

In Episode 7 of Leading at 47, I'm diving into a topic that took me some time to get comfortable with: the difference between giving answers and giving perspective. I've learned that always having the solution is often the fastest way to become a bottleneck — when we're the single point of failure, we're actually getting in the way. Providing perspective instead is a true force multiplier, because it builds ownership, surfaces hidden context, and sends a clear message to your team that you trust their judgment.

Recognition shouldn't be a rarity in leadership. The higher we climb, the more intentional we need to be about making people feel seen and heard. In this episode of Leading at 47, I talk about why recognition is a powerful multiplier that builds trust and elevates the entire team, regardless of level.

Pivot, don't panic. In this episode of Leading at 47, I share a real, unplanned moment that became a lesson in adaptability and the 'Progress over Perfection' mindset. Leadership isn't about maintaining a perfect environment — it's about having the Day One mindset to adapt and deliver on your commitments, even when you're outside your comfort zone.

Life is a juggling act, but some balls are made of glass. In this episode of Leading at 47, I share a powerful framework I learned from my former CEO, Brad Smith, that changed how I prioritize my time: Rubber Moments vs. Crystal Moments. Leadership is about knowing which ball is which — and having the clarity to protect what truly matters before you let it go.

Your leadership isn't measured by your presence, it's measured by your absence. In this episode of Leading at 47, I share a hard lesson from early in my career as a General Manager that taught me culture is what happens when no one is watching. Effective leadership is about empowering others to make the right calls without you, so your team never has a single point of failure.

Transformation is a journey, not a destination. In this episode of Leading at 47, I get personal about inspiration and share the story of my close friend Wayne Thomas — who went from being a convicted felon at 17 to earning his doctorate in Health Sciences — as a testament to the power of Reset, Rehabilitate, and Reform. His commitment to accountability is a powerful reminder that owning where you are is the first step to becoming who you're meant to be.

In this episode of Leading at 47, I draw inspiration from Coach Doc Rivers and the five core leadership principles he shares in the Netflix documentary, The Playbook — from finishing what you start to embracing pressure as a privilege. The way Doc Rivers led the LA Clippers through a devastating organizational crisis is a masterclass in building a community that believes in the vision as much as the leader does.

When is it time to throw in the towel on coaching? In this episode of Leading at 47, I tackle the tough reality that every leader eventually faces — you can't want it more for someone than they want it for themselves. As leaders, our time and energy are limited, and knowing when to stop pushing water uphill is just as important as knowing how to coach someone up.

Leadership is serious business, but it doesn't always need a serious mood. In this episode of Leading at 47, I talk about humor as an often overlooked leadership tool — one that humanizes the room, bridges gaps, and resets the energy when high-pressure situations start building walls between you and your team. The goal isn't to be unprofessional; it's to make the human side of leadership more accessible.

Just stop. Seriously. In this episode of Leading at 47, I give you permission to do something many of us find incredibly difficult — nothing. To lead at your best, you have to know when to decompress, detach, and shut it down, because your performance as a leader depends on your ability to recharge.

Procrastination is sitting at your desk in a business suit, waiting for you. In this episode of Leading at 47, I tackle this silent momentum killer and break down why we really put things off — from fear of perfection to imposter syndrome — and share my go-to strategy, the 15-Minute Rule, for breaking the cycle and building momentum.

Diversity isn't a 'nice-to-have'_. It's a competitive advantage. In this episode of Leading at 47, I draw on 25 years in corporate America and data from McKinsey and BCG to make the case that diverse teams don't just feel better, they objectively outperform. As leaders, we have to actively check our own biases and be intentional about building teams that challenge our thinking and drive real results.

You don't coach results. You coach the behavior that creates them. In this episode of Leading at 47, I reflect on a lesson that took me 25 years in corporate America to fully appreciate: shifting the focus from outcomes to the behaviors that drive repeatable, sustainable success. When you coach the person instead of the metric, you stop burning people out and start building a high-performing, healthy team.

In this milestone Episode 20 of Leading at 47, I break down the practical playbook for getting work done through others — because leadership showing up in your absence isn't magic, it's about building trust, empowering over instructing, and creating space for your team to fail and grow. My best work as a leader isn't the work I do; it's building the foundation that allows my team to operate independently and successfully without me.

In this episode of Leading at 47, I get real about a career-limiting moment where I let my emotions take the driver's seat during a high-visibility project — and almost paid for it with my reputation. It taught me one of the most important lessons I carry to this day: don't crash out, focus on the work not the person, because leadership is about staying buttoned up when the heat is on.

When was the last time you did something for the first time? In this episode of Leading at 47, I challenge the trap of predictability expertise — where efficiency and experience can quietly put us on autopilot — and make the case for leaning back into a Beginner's Mindset. Whether it's a new hobby or a new experience, you deserve the mental reset that comes from being a novice again.

How many slices are in your life pizza? In this episode of Leading at 47, I share a quick but powerful exercise for becoming more intentional about where your energy actually goes — because to lead effectively, you have to decide how much of the pie each part of your life deserves. Our lives are rarely evenly distributed, and that's okay, as long as you're the one holding the cutter.

Habit-building is like a software update for your soul. In this episode of Leading at 47, I reflect on the Routine Trap — how easy it is to slip into maintenance mode and autopilot as we get further in our careers — and make the case for building new habits as a declaration that you're still under construction. Don't unintentionally inherit old habits; choose the ones that help you transform.

I wouldn't be sitting in this chair if it weren't for the women who built my career. In this episode of Leading at 47, I give flowers to the architects of my journey — from the women who raised me to the women leaders who have shaped my professional path — and share why the 'Executive Edge' women bring to leadership isn't just valuable, it's essential. When we're intentional about celebrating and elevating women in our networks, the entire business improves.

In a world of AI, your Human Intelligence is your unfair advantage. In this episode of Leading at 47, I explore the intersection of AI and HI (human intelligence) and why that remaining 20% of human-driven leadership is now worth 100% of our value. Machines can handle the data, but they can't feel the room, lead with empathy, or provide the purpose and people-centric focus that only you can bring to the captain's seat.

The self-made leader is a myth. In this episode of Leading at 47, I get real about why leadership isn't a solo sport — and share how leaning into your community, finding your 'Truth Tellers,' and being intentional about the five people closest to you can completely transform the way you lead. The power of those around you is always greater than yourself.

It's 2026 — why are we still leading like it's 1998? In this episode of Leading at 47, I challenge five outdated corporate norms that are long overdue for an 'uninstall,' from performative presence and chain-of-command gatekeeping to the annual performance surprise. True leadership is about being human enough to recognize that your team has lives, and celebrating that humanity rather than hiding it.

Your best ideas won't happen in a meeting room. In this episode of Leading at 47, I share why real strategic breakthroughs happen when you give your brain the space to wander — not when you're staring at a PowerPoint slide. As leaders, we can't cultivate a vision if we're always in the trenches, so this weekend I'm challenging you to stop leading for just a couple of hours and see what your creative mind has to say.

My 'Stop Doing' list is more important than my 'To-Do' list. In this milestone Episode 30 of Leading at 47, I make the case that true personal growth requires clearing space first — because we often fail to build new habits simply because we haven't hit 'uninstall' on the things that no longer serve us. Leadership is as much about what you stop doing as it is about what you start doing."

Music isn't just background noise — it's the ultimate leadership equalizer. In this episode of Leading at 47, I talk about how music has shaped my life, my style, and my thought process more than almost anything else, and why its power to connect, break down walls, and unite people is something every leader should understand. Sometimes the best synergy doesn't come from data and meetings — it comes from the things that fulfill our souls and connect us as humans.

Stop negotiating with your excuses. In this episode of Leading at 47, I get real about the 'Internal Lawyer' — that voice that tries to argue why you should take the easy path — and why developing the discipline to silence it is a leadership requirement, not just a personal one. Leadership starts with the person in the mirror, and how you show up for yourself directly impacts how you show up for everyone else.

Stop saying 'I don't have time' — start saying 'it's not a priority.' In this episode of Leading at 47, I share a piece of feedback I received eight years ago from an employee named Josh that completely reframed the way I view my schedule and my commitments. When we use 'busy' as a badge of honor, we're often lying to ourselves and devaluing the people around us.

The most dangerous place for a leader to live is in a room full of people who always agree with them. In this episode of Leading at 47, I dig into why finding and keeping 'Truth Tellers' in your inner circle only gets harder as you advance — and why, if everyone around you is silent, you don't have a perfect plan, you might just have a culture of fear. True growth happens when you give people permission to tell you when you're wrong."

Work-life balance is a myth — let's talk about integration. In this episode of Leading at 47, I share why trying to achieve a perfect 50/50 balance is like trying to stay still on a seesaw, and make the case for Work-Life Integration instead, where different parts of your life play louder at different times but are all part of the same song. Leadership is about meeting people where they are, and that starts with meeting yourself there first.

No one hands you a handbook on your first day of senior leadership. In this episode of Leading at 47, I unpack the 'Hidden Curriculum' of corporate life — the unwritten rules that actually determine your success, from always being on stage to understanding that decisions are made before the meeting even starts. Senior leadership is as much about emotional regulation and strategic presence as it is about the data.

When was the last time you did something that actually made your heart race? In this episode of Leading at 47, I reflect on a question sparked by Will Smith's Pole to Pole documentary — and explore why real growth often lives on the other side of the things we fear most. It takes a lot to move from maintenance mode to transformation, but the outcome is always worth the effort.

In this episode of Leading at 47, I talk about the true hallmark of a great leader: sending the elevator back down. Someone along the way invested in you not for a favor, but because they saw potential you might not have seen in yourself — and paying that forward with intentional, non-performative generosity is how we build legacy, not just title.

The generational divide isn't a conflict — it's a portfolio. In this episode of Leading at 47, I tackle the common office groans about generational differences and make the case that pairing the grit and deep experience of veterans with the technical aptitude and fresh perspectives of newer generations is how modern leaders start winning. The key is being the translator, not picking a side.

The best leaders don't have all the answers — they have the right questions. In this milestone Episode 40 of Leading at 47, I reflect on the shift from wanting to be the MVP to realizing that being a great coach is actually much harder than being a great player. A great coach doesn't just fix things; they build problem solvers by listening twice as much as they speak and seeing potential in others before they see it in themselves.

On Day 41 of "Leading at 47," I'm exploring why "this is the way we've always done it" may be the most expensive sentence in leadership — one that kills more ideas than a bad economy ever could. I've learned that true leadership isn't about defending the past or clinging to legacy systems we helped build; it's about protecting the future by intentionally challenging outdated processes. Ask yourself: if you started from scratch today, would you design it the same way?