Charles Lattimer

I coach very senior leaders. At that level, performance alone rarely determines outcomes. Board dynamics, investor sentiment, CEO transitions, and powerful stakeholder relationships all shape tenure. And the truth is: even extraordinary leaders can find themselves suddenly “out.” Sometimes with little warning. What continues to strike me is how differently many men and women process that moment. In my experience (and supported by research on attribution and confidence patterns): Many men tend to externalize the event: → The board shifted → The strategy changed → The timing wasn’t right Many women tend to internalize it: → What did I miss? → What should I have done differently? → Was I actually as good as they thought? This isn’t about capability or resilience.  It’s about socialization, narrative conditioning, and how success and failure are coded differently across gender over time. And here’s the part we don’t talk about enough. Job loss at senior levels is not just professional. It can trigger identity disruption, loss of community, loss of structure, and a very real grief cycle: shock, confusion, anger, meaning-making, rebuilding. Recently, a client shared a book she is working through: All the Cool Girls Get Fired by Laura Brown and Kristina O’Neill. What I appreciate about it is that it doesn’t sugarcoat the experience. It acknowledges the shock. The disorientation. The “who am I if I’m not this role?” moment. And, importantly, it offers practical ways to move forward and rebuild from a place of strength. Because here is what I know from watching leaders move through this moment: The leaders who ultimately come out stronger are not the ones who avoid disruption. They are the ones who use it. They get clearer about: • The environments where they actually thrive • The leadership problems they are uniquely wired to solve • The compromises they are no longer willing to make Losing a role can feel like a verdict. More often, it is a forcing function. And if you are in that moment right now: You are not the only one. You are not “done.” And this is very often the beginning of the most aligned chapter of your career.

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https://lnkd.in/eWC4SgN3 In Episode 5, I start a three-part series on corporate innovation by focusing on the foundation most companies miss: system design. Before org charts, roles, or pilots, innovation depends on clear authority, mandate, executive sponsorship, and the right success metrics. When those are vague, teams stay busy but impact stays limited. This episode sets the groundwork for the next two, where I’ll cover operating models and ecosystem design. #corporateinnovation #innovation

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I was honored to be a guest on the CEO Wisdom podcast this week. Charles and I explored timely issues in #technology, #culture and #mentalhealth. We discussed: 1️⃣ How to use the SuperBetter Mindset for #mentoring. SuperBetter's gameful methodology is a natural framework for #coaching that builds resilience and fosters a culture of safety, support and accountability. 2️⃣ Advances in #AI technology will make the mental health crisis among youth and young adults worse, not better. 3️⃣ The world needs scalable, evidence-based innovations that proactively empower youth (and adults!) with #CognitiveResilience, and an understanding of how technology is used to influence brains and beliefs in ways that serve the interests of others. The combination of awareness and a resilience mindset is the winning formula for empowerment in the digital age. 4️⃣ Hybrid Intelligence combines the strengths of natural intelligence and artificial intelligence to achieve better outcomes than either could alone, and with fewer negative consequences to human mental health and wellbeing. 5️⃣ SuperBetter’s approach of #GamefulDesign is different than #gamification. Gamification adds game techniques to non-game settings (e.g. badges, points, leaderboards). Gameful Design brings the psychological strengths naturally displayed in game play to real life. 6️⃣ Pendulum Theory is a model suggesting that culture reliably shifts from a ‘Me’ to a ‘We’ orientation in a predictable 80 year cycle. Historically, the 10 years before and after the peak of the ‘We’ is a time of division and tribalism (my tribe is ok, your tribe is not ok). 2023 marked the peak of the ‘We’. If the model holds, culture will continue to be divided for several more years, and start becoming less polarized as we approach 2033. 7️⃣ SuperBetter is mindset intervention. The easy-to-teach SuperBetter Mindset is a mental framework that uses the psychology of game play to overcome obstacles and achieve epic wins in all of life. Five published studies show its benefits for improving resilience, mental health, self-efficacy and recovery. 8️⃣ We partner with organizations globally to solve customer pain points in the #education, #healthcare, #sports, learning & development, and #cybersecurity industries. The SuperBetter Mindset can be used in training programs, curriculums and tech-enabled solutions. Find a link to the podcast in the comments.

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Leaders create a psychological atmosphere every time they communicate. People take cues from how a conversation begins, how transitions are handled and how leaders respond when the work becomes complex. These moments influence whether a team feels able to think openly or feels the need to manage risk. Sonic Stewardship asks leaders to take responsibility for this atmosphere. It is visible in the way they frame the purpose of a conversation, the steadiness they bring to disagreement and the way they close a discussion so people leave knowing what is expected of them. When leaders pay attention to these elements of communication, teams feel more able to participate honestly and work with greater confidence. If your senior team wants to develop a stronger communication practice, drop us a line at info@apsintel.com #SonicStewardship #LeadershipDevelopment #EffectiveCommunication #TeamDynamics #PsychologicalSafety #OrganisationalCulture #ActiveListening #TrustBuilding #CollaborativeLeadership

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Even the most resilient leaders can fall into negative patterns of thinking. The PPP to CCC mindset reset is a simple but effective way to reframe tough moments. Start by identifying the real challenge, then ground yourself in your ability to act, and finally, recommit to what matters most. When you master this for yourself, you’re better equipped to help others shift their mindset too. #MicroResilienceTips #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipTools

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🎸 What happens when a rockstar drummer teams up with a neuroscience coach? You get motivation that results in measurable impact. In my latest Forbes column, I spoke with MARK SCHULMAN CSP (longtime drummer for Pink, Cher, and Foreigner) and Heather J. Crider✨about their Everyday Rockstar® philosophy - a science-meets-performance experience that blends rock concert energy with neuroscience research from Harvard, Stanford, and Oxford. At its core is the C.R.E.D. framework: Clarity: radical self-awareness Resilience: harnessing adversity Effort, Energy & Empathy: fueling connection without burnout Delivery: taking action that creates real impact As Schulman put it: “Impact is not given. Personal impact is created, and you are responsible.” Their message: when you align motivation, momentum, and action, you don’t just perform better, you empower others to thrive. Read the full column here: https://lnkd.in/eSfQMpi9 #leadership #neuroscience #performance #employeeexperience #resilience #clarity #impact #corporateculture #everydayrockstar #leadershipstrategy #workplaceimpact #neuroscienceworkplaceimpact #rockstar Stevie Johns

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Customer needs shape strategy, and strategy determines the capabilities you should build. Without strategy, you risk building capabilities that don’t lead to differentiation. Please check out our recent article by Michelle A Rowe on this very topic. https://lnkd.in/dgRqAsaV

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Family business succession is never just a handoff. It’s a deeply complex process shaped by personal relationships, emotional stakes, and evolving governance needs. Jason Hecker and Phyllis Campbell offer a clear-eyed view of why so many transitions falter—and how families can plan with foresight, structure, and trust. This is essential reading for anyone navigating leadership change in a family-owned company. Read the full article: https://ego.nz/45CvIfj #SuccessionPlanning #FamilyBusiness #Governance

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When Kristin Cullen-Lester and I set out to find the ideal contributors to co-author the foundational chapter on organizational network analysis for Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP)'s latest book, The Social Capital Imperative, we were absolutely thrilled when Flavia Zexi Li accepted our invitation to join Cécile Emery, Ph.D., Dan Halgin, and Xiwen Zhao. Flavia brings a rare and powerful combination of psychological insight and network science expertise to her work. A Lecturer in Leadership and Management at Aston Business School and an award-winning PhD graduate from the University of Exeter, she applies social network methods and attachment theory to explore how professional relationships shape team dynamics, leadership effectiveness, and performance.   One of her standout contributions to this field is the research article, “That’s What Friends Are For: Anxious and Avoidant Attachment, Workplace Friendship and Job Performance”, which examines how attachment styles affect network formation and job performance. This work exemplifies her unique lens, blending deep psychological theory with rigorous network analysis to unlock practical, human-centered insights for today’s organizations.   In the book, Flavia co-authored the chapter “Essential Concepts and Measures in Organizational Network Analysis,” providing a clear and powerful foundation for understanding how invisible patterns of connection influence success. We are deeply grateful for her contributions and the fifty thought-leaders who collectively explore how networks can fuel performance, innovation, and well-being in the next world of work. Scott Hines, PhD, Nicolas Petit, Michelle Mahdon, Alexandra Gerbasi, Cody Martin, SPHR, Michael Hoffman, Ph.D., Clint Kofford, Caitlin Porter, Ashley Pearson, Ali O'Malley, PhD, PCC, Pat Downes, Phil Willburn, Curtis Hampton, Andras Vicsek, Travis Grosser, Michael Arena, Cynthia Maupin, Semin Park, Victor Bilgen, Lauren Blackwell Landon, Ph.D., SPHR, Katelyn Cavanaugh, Eric Middleton, Ph.D., Matt Berkheiser, DrPh, CIH, CSP, CEM, James Vardaman, Feigu Zhou, Hemerson Paes, Theresa Floyd, Giuseppe (Joe) Labianca, Dorothy Carter, Michael Campbell, Patrick Decker-Tonnesen, Ph.D., Andrew Parker, Julia Brennecke

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Change is one of the few constants in life and in business. But how we respond to it determines everything. In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Karen Jacobson — a high-performance strategist, speaker, and founder of the Aligned Leadership Academy. With a career journey spanning military service, chiropractic medicine, competitive ballroom dancing, and leadership coaching, Karen embodies what resilience, adaptability, and transformation really look like. "Leadership isn’t just about strategy — it’s about amplifying human potential." 🎙️Watch here: https://lnkd.in/gx8tEvZp 💡 Key takeaways:  📌Change can feel disruptive, but often it’s the doorway to growth.  📌Calm decision-making is one of a leader’s greatest assets.  📌Emotional intelligence is non-negotiable for cohesive teams.  📌Leadership shapes culture more than any initiative ever could.  This episode is a must-listen if you want to lead through change with intention, clarity, and courage. 🎧 Listen here: https://lnkd.in/g5Hiq8NZ #Leadership #ChangeManagement #Resilience #TeamDynamics #GrowthMindset 

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