Next Generation Leadership

The Power of Intentional Practice for Leaders I first heard the phrase many years ago when I began taking Pilates: “Shoulders away from your ears, DeEtta.” All these years later, I still get that gentle prompt from my instructors. It seems so small. But every time I hear it, I’m reminded of how many things we do automatically—unnoticed and untended—that become deeply embedded patterns.

Years ago, I spent five days at the University of California, Berkeley, immersed in scenario analysis. I had been a strategist for a long time, and while I saw the value in strategic planning, I also knew its limits. Traditional strategic planning often assumes we can predict the future, then align our resources and goals accordingly. But the world doesn't work that way. Still, humans need...