Estimated read time: 5 minutes Rethinking Power in Leadership When people think of leadership power, they often imagine the spotlight:...

November 3, 2025 For more than a decade and a half, my work has revolved around one enduring question: How can public systems serve people better?  That question has guided every policy initiative, evaluation, audit, and reform effort I’ve touched. Yet, over the past year, I’ve taken time to pause, not out of fatigue, but to recalibrate how that mission takes shape. Public service isn’t static. The world that local and state leaders navigate today bears little resemblance to

Estimated read time: 5 minutes The Temptation of Resume Moves Every leader faces the temptation to build their résumé instead of their...

Estimated read time: 5 minutes The Seduction of Charisma Charisma has long been seen as a hallmark of leadership. The ability to command...

Estimated read time: 5 minutes Joy as a Leadership Strategy When most leaders talk about strategy, they mean profits, efficiency, or...

Estimated read time: 5 minutes The Calendar Tells the Truth If you want to know what a leader really values, don’t read the mission...

Estimated read time: 5 minutes Trust Breaks in Inches, Not in Earthquakes Most leaders imagine that trust collapses in dramatic moments:...

Estimated read time: 5 minutes When Integrity Gets Reduced to Policing Every leader says they value integrity. But too often,...

Estimated read time: 5 minutes The End of the Command-and-Control Era For most of the last century, leadership was defined by control....

Estimated read time: 5 minutes The Future Isn’t Built on Old Playbooks The world leaders are stepping into today doesn’t look like the...

Estimated read time: 5 minutes Why We Can’t Lead Tomorrow with Yesterday’s Playbook Leadership has always evolved, but the pace of change...

Let’s be clear. When people lose trust in public institutions, they’re not overreacting. They’re responding, often with restraint, to...

Organizations often pride themselves on having strong values. But values aren’t what you print in annual reports. They’re what you choose...

When organizations fail, we often trace the collapse back to a person. A scandal. A single event. But most breakdowns don’t begin with...

In a world that rewards loud exits, dramatic comebacks, and perfectly packaged redemption arcs, I’ve chosen something quieter. I’ve...

In a world where perception often outweighs principle, telling the truth has become one of the boldest professional acts. Not...

Estimated Read Time:  6 minutes June 30, 2025 Some chapters end with a slammed door. Others with a slow, aching drift. But regardless of...

Estimated Read Time:  5 minutes July 23, 2025 We live in a world that romanticizes hustle and often confuses busyness with value. Many of...

By Justine Jones 🕒 Read Time: ~3 minutes There comes a season when reclaiming your power isn’t about standing taller, it’s about...

You made it to the other side, not just of this series, but of experiences that could have made you bitter, silent, or small. You’ve...