We have been sold a version of leadership rooted in the architecture of control. It tells us that to lead is to have the answers, to move at speed, and to ensure everyone is aligned with a vision they had no part in creating. We often treat culture as if it were a software program, something designed at the top and [...]
Inspired by Peter Block’s Connecting for Common Good series, this blog explores the shift from leader to connector: building trust, belonging, and shared accountability through everyday habits, cultural practices, and real-world examples from around the globe.
Yesterday saw the fith and final session of the Connecting for the Common Good series by Peter Block and friends. Here is my summary of the session:
Flawless Consulting by Peter Block is a foundational work on building trust-based partnerships with clients. This practical summary highlights the key ideas, mindsets and behaviours that help consultants, facilitators and leaders create sustainable results through authentic partnership.
Yesterday I attended the second session by Peter Block on "Connecting for the common good". A great follow on session with new people to meet and exchange ideas with. There are three more in the series. See HERE to attend. Here is my sketchnote summary of the session:
The book in 3 sentences Peter Block challenges the dominant “business perspective”, built on scarcity, consumption, and institutional control, and offers a new story: the common good perspective, where citizens reclaim agency through trust, local action, and relational care. He argues that real change happens when neighbours gather, share power, and co-create community well-being, rather than waiting for systems to fix [...]
The full title is "The Answer to How is YES: Acting on what matters." The book in 3 sentences Peter Block argues that our obsession with asking “how?” masks a deeper avoidance of personal responsibility and purpose. Instead of chasing solutions, we should begin by saying “yes” to what truly matters and commit to it without waiting for permission or certainty. [...]
Stewardship by Peter Block is a foundational work on shifting leadership from control to service. This practical summary highlights the ideas that support trust-based partnership, shared accountability and long-term responsibility in organisations.
A practical summary of Peter Block’s Community: The Structure of Belonging, highlighting the key ideas that help leaders, facilitators and community builders create genuine belonging, trust and shared ownership.
The book in 3 sentences The Empowered Manager is a practical guide for managers who want to lead with integrity, not control. It shows how managers can choose partnership over hierarchy, service over self-interest, and accountability over compliance. By making these personal shifts, managers can foster trust, ownership, and meaningful change, regardless of the system they work in. Who should read [...]
