The Leadership Manifesto and the CEO who dug out his kayak
An engineering CEO was in every meeting and every decision. What his firm changed, and the six lines of the Leadership Manifesto behind it.
Aaron Lee
Aaron Lee is CEO of Leaders Rising Network and is passionate about unlocking the true potential of leaders and teams. With experience in nonprofits and emergency management, Aaron has guided government, healthcare, nonprofit, and higher education organizations to navigate change and develop leaders who fight for each other. He is the author of The New Generation Leader and host of the podcast of the same name. Aaron holds a degree from the University of Richmond and a Master of Divinity. He lives in Richmond with his wife and two daughters.
3 Key Takeaways from Gallup’s 2026 Global Workplace Report
Gallup’s newest report shows the engagement decline is now a manager decline: manager engagement fell from 31% to 22% since 2022. Here is what that means for your Q2 and how the best organizations hold 79%.
Leadership That Heals and Multiplies: Meeting LRN Founder Dr. Tom Nebel
Dr. Tom Nebel built from drive and defiance, hit a wall, and rebuilt his leadership around presence and trust. The founder of Leaders Rising on the tools that gave him language for how others experience him.
Why Your Leadership Retreat Isn’t Working (And What to Do Instead)
A senior leader asked us to run his leadership retreat. We said no. Why one-off events don’t change culture, and the simple Time Audit that turns overwhelmed leaders into multipliers.
How Much Does People and Culture Development Cost?
The best organizations invest about 2% of their annual budget in their people. Here is what actually drives the price of leadership consulting, coaching, and people systems, and how to size the investment.
From Compliance to Culture: How a Bank Transformed Its Leadership DNA
National Exchange Bank & Trust had 30+ branches and a customer-first mindset, but leadership development was under-leveraged. How the 5 Voices and steady rhythms turned compliance into culture.
Clear Expectations for Leaders
Most leaders can’t articulate their expectations as clearly as they think. A three-part framework to define, communicate, and reinforce expectations your team can actually meet.
Set Leadership Goals That Survive Past February
Most annual goals are lost by February. A year-end rhythm of looking back, looking up, and looking forward, then working in 100 Day Sprints, keeps leaders and teams aligned all year.
How My Coach Saved Me: Working in Crisis
One late-night staffing crisis, three or four options, and no clear path. Here is how one question from my coach changed both the conversation and the outcome.