Bite-sized insights for curious leaders & learners every other Sunday.

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🗣️ "As long as you live, keep learning how to live." -Seneca

🗣️ "A student in a hurry learns the slowest." -Samurai teacher, to Banzo

🗣️ "Anyone who isn't embarrassed of who they were last year probably isn't learning enough." -Alain de Botton

🗣️ "At the highest levels, learning isn't something you do to prepare for your work. Learning is the most important work. It is the core competency to build. It's the thing you never delegate. And it's one of the ultimate drivers of long term performance and success." -Michael Simmons

The best quotes I found this past month in books, articles, newsletters, podcasts, etc. ​Read more​

Many of the most creative people in the world (including Lin-Manuel Miranda and Malcolm Gladwell) do this for inspiration. Follow their advice to become more creative. ​Read more​

​Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks​ ​Nonfiction: Communication, Storytelling Hands-down, the best book on storytelling I've ever read. Dicks explains not only how to tell great tales but also how to recognize and capture ones from your life to use later. I wish I discovered this book years ago. ​See takeaways​

​It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work by Fried & Hansson​ ​Nonfiction: Business, Company Culture The co-founders of Basecamp have built an incredible company by instituting a very non-bureaucratic culture. This is a quick read and a great source of ideas for how to improve any company. ​See takeaways​

​Enshittification by Cory Doctorow ​Nonfiction: Technology, Social Media Ever wonder why platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google get worse over time? Tech writer Cory Doctorow calls it "enshittification. He explains why and how it happens in this insightful, humorous, and angering book.

🗣️ "When you defend those who are absent, you retain the trust of those present." -Stephen R. Covey

Some of the leaders I respect most are the ones who speak up on behalf of those who aren't in the room.

Anytime a group of people begins bad-mouthing someone, it's tempting to jump in and agree. In those situations, it often feels like you're sticking your own neck out if you defend the person or say something nice about them.

Speaking up in those situations requires courage, and I'm always impressed when I hear someone do that. I look for opportunities to do the same because that's exactly what I'd want someone to do for me.

True leadership demands candor to someone's face, not behind their back. If you consider saying something negative about someone, ask yourself, "Have I told them this to their face?" If no, don't say it. (And even if yes, maybe don't say it!)

Candor to their face. Kindness behind their back.

That's a great recipe for living with character.

My wife Kaylyn and I are in Victoria, British Columbia this weekend.

If you've never been, it's a cute city that feels very British indeed.

A few highlights so far: walking around the residential neighborhood of Rockland (and seeing the Craigdarroch Castle), eating incredible biscuits and gravy at Shanzee's Old Town, and having high tea at The Empress.

It's been a very relaxed trip with lots of downtime, which I love because it means rest and reading time rather than being go-go-go all the time.

Visit me at BobbyPowers.com for more articles and book reviews about leadership, communication, and personal development.

You can also access high-res PDFs of my 1-pagers and cheat sheets here.

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