Today host Peter Winick welcomes Jason Silver, author of the new book "Your Grass is Greener: Use What You Have. Get What You Want. At Work and In Life." Jason, an engineer turned entrepreneur, shares his journey from tech to business and how a personal tragedy led him to reevaluate his approach to work and life. While building a company in the AI space and pushing himself to the limit, a phone call changed everything—his sister was diagnosed with late-stage cancer and passed away nine months later. This profound loss forced Jason to rethink his priorities and laid the foundation for his book.

Jason’s mission with Your Grass is Greener is clear: to help high-achievers realize they don't need to sacrifice joy for success and to empower those stuck in unfulfilling jobs to see they have the
power to change their circumstances without changing careers. He believes that passion and performance can coexist, creating a positive cycle where enjoyment leads to better performance and vice versa.

Although Jason didn’t write the book as a business venture, it
naturally led to opportunities where he now works with executive
teams, leaders, and founders to build high-performing, happy teams. His insights on decision-making—highlighted in two key chapters of his book—have resonated widely, uncovering a common challenge in many organizations: decision paralysis. He’s showing leaders how to make faster, more effective decisions by applying practical science, transforming how businesses operate.

Writing the book taught Jason more than just communication skills; it taught him the art of engaging storytelling. He learned from his editor, who also worked on Atomic Habits, that effective communication isn’t always about brevity but about connecting deeply with your audience. Jason now sees storytelling as a vital tool for leadership and decision-making.

Jason’s vision for the book is ambitious. He sees Your Grass is
Greener as a catalyst for change in the workplace. He believes many are approaching work with a broken mindset, and the solutions we’re currently trying aren’t solving the deeper issues. Instead of job-hopping or pulling back at work, Jason advocates for a different approach: rethinking how we work to unlock massive improvements in both satisfaction and performance.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Balance Ambition with Well-being: Jason Silver’s book, Your Grass is Greener, highlights the importance of finding a balance between achieving professional success and maintaining personal joy. High-achievers don’t need to sacrifice happiness for their goals; it’s possible to enjoy the journey and achieve success simultaneously.

• Empowerment and Agency in Your Career: Many people feel stuck in unfulfilling jobs, but Jason argues that you have more control than you think. By leveraging your existing skills and shifting your mindset, you can transform your current job experience without changing careers. This approach can lead to greater job satisfaction and improved performance.

• Effective Decision-Making through Storytelling: Writing the book taught Jason the power of storytelling in leadership and
decision-making. Clear and engaging communication, rather than mere brevity, can drive deeper understanding and better decisions within organizations. This insight has proven essential in helping businesses overcome decision paralysis and improve overall effectiveness.

Jason shared the very personal origin story of how his book was born. Are you sharing your thought leadership origin story? Check out this short video by Peter Winick on the power of having an origin story.

They discuss the findings of their recent research into the Return on Investment of publishing a business book.

In today's presentation we will have a first look at the data that was gathered from hundreds of authors about their experiences getting published, the expenses incurred, and the results the book had on their business. These authors were reached through not only the friends and colleagues at Thought Leadership Leverage but those from many supporting sponsors such as Greenleaf Book Group, Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches, Page Two Books, and Zilker Media to name a few.

Before the research could even begin we had to ask the questions "What is ROI? How can you measure it? How much does an author spend? What is the effect of different publishing models? And what type of returns do authors see?

In answering these questions we explore what the data tells us about the three different publishing models (Traditional, Hybrid, and Self Publishing), the role RP and Ghostwriters can play in the success of each.

We also investigate the hard and soft costs involved in writing a book and what the returns could look like. While many expect the sales of the book to account for much of their profit, we learn how using the book as a key part of a platform and gateway to other parts of the business is where real impact can be found.

More questions will be asked and answered in the white paper that will be released in September as we continue to pour over the data.

To get a copy of the paper when it's released e-mail info@authorroi.com

In this episode of Thought Leadership Leverage, host Bill Sherman sits down with Constance Scharff, PhD, a trailblazer in the field of mental health research. Constance is the founder of the Institute for Complementary and Indigenous Mental Health Research and author of an upcoming book on "Everyday Bravery."

Everyday bravery isn't about heroic acts like running into burning buildings. Constance redefines it as the courage found in everyday life—like battling addiction, where survival alone is an act of immense bravery. Having been sober for 26 years herself, Constance knows this firsthand. Her research reveals the quiet yet powerful ways people confront challenges and carry themselves with dignity, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

Constance aims to make her research accessible to everyone, choosing to write books instead of academic papers. She believes mental health research should be available to the public, especially in the U.S., where affordable care is scarce. By blending memoir with academic research, she offers a personal and relatable perspective on the complex issues she studies.

Her journey into the field started 15 years ago at the intersection of addiction and trauma. A tragic loss drove her to explore the courage it takes to keep fighting against addiction. Her research took her across the globe—from New York's Stonewall Inn to the jungles of Ecuador—uncovering stories of resilience and bravery in unexpected places.

Constance hopes her work will inspire others to see that recovery and resilience are possible, even against all odds. She challenges the over-pathologization of mental health in Western culture and advocates for a broader, more inclusive approach to mental well-being.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Redefining Everyday Bravery: Everyday bravery isn't about grand heroic acts but the quiet courage found in overcoming daily challenges, like battling addiction or navigating trauma with dignity.

• Making Mental Health Research Accessible: Constance Scharff prioritizes writing books over academic papers to make complex mental health research accessible to the public, especially in a landscape where affordable care is limited.

• Global Perspective on Mental Health: Her research highlights the resilience found in diverse cultures worldwide, challenging the Western focus on pharmaceuticals and advocating for a more inclusive approach to mental health treatment.

Constance has an impactful blend of research and storytelling that she uses to spread her thought leadership. If you'd like to understand how Academic Research can be used to build your thought leadership platform be sure to watch this short video with Peter Winick.

In this episode of Thought Leadership Leverage, host Bill Sherman sits down with Yosi Amram, a political psychologist, CEO, leadership coach, and the award-winning author of Spiritually Intelligent Leadership: How to Inspire by Being Inspired. Yosi delves into the concept of Spiritually Intelligent Leadership, a fresh take on leadership that integrates spiritual qualities like passionate purpose, compassionate service, trust, gratitude, integrity, and humility into daily life and work.

Yosi’s journey began in Israel, where he was drafted into the military at 18, despite his pacifist leanings. The rigid military structure fueled his desire to create a leadership model built on humane values that support individual growth. This desire led him to the U.S., where he studied at MIT, launched companies, and ultimately burned out from trying to maintain control and inspire simultaneously. His burnout sparked a deep interest in psychology and leadership, which introduced him to the idea of spiritual intelligence through Dana Zohar's book "SQ: Connecting With Our Spiritual Intelligence" which was about rewiring the corporate brain.

Determined to explore this concept, Yosi interviewed 71 spiritual leaders from various traditions to uncover universal themes of spiritual intelligence. He developed the first academically validated measure of spiritual intelligence and discovered that it accounts for 46% of leadership effectiveness. Now, Yosi's mission is to elevate Spiritual Intelligence to the same level of recognition and understanding as Emotional Intelligence.

Looking forward, Yosi is exploring the intersection of spirituality and science, faith and reason, and the evolving role of historical religious traditions in our modern world. His quest is personal as much as it is professional, as he navigates his own Jewish heritage and its relevance in contemporary leadership.


Three Key Takeaways:

• Spiritually Intelligent Leadership: Yosi Amram introduces Spiritually Intelligent Leadership as a new leadership model that integrates spiritual qualities such as purpose, compassion, trust, and integrity into everyday decision-making and leadership practices.

• Universal Spiritual Themes: Through extensive research with spiritual leaders across various traditions, Yosi found that spiritual intelligence is a universal concept, with common virtues that transcend individual beliefs and contribute significantly to effective leadership.

• Validated Impact: Yosi's studies show that spiritual intelligence accounts for 46% of leadership effectiveness, highlighting its critical role in both leadership success and overall quality of life, much like the established concept of Emotional Intelligence.

Yosi has found a section of thought leadership that is both interesting and impactful. Is your thought leadership hitting the same mark? If you are unsure this article by Peter Winick might help answer that question.

In the latest episode of Thought Leadership Leverage, Peter Winick chats with Julie Williamson, CEO of The Karrikins Group. Julie is a trailblazer in connecting communication, design, strategy, sales, marketing, and service to drive sustainable growth.

Julie shares her unconventional journey into thought leadership.
Despite her passion for writing and English, she opted for a degree in Information Systems during the 80s, a time when women in tech were rare. This path gave her a unique vantage point, blending technical, business, and social insights, which she now leverages to help organizations grow and innovate.

Julie describes her ideal client as a "frustrated leader." She excels
in enhancing team performance, combining business acumen, tech background, and social science to foster organizational communication and cohesion. Her focus is on "Leadership Alignment," ensuring teams outperform individually.

Julie’s approach involves both publications and hands-on consulting, emphasizing that true transformation requires sustained engagement, not just quick fixes. Her team typically works with clients for 3 to 12 months to catalyze real change.

To develop and deploy thought leadership, Julie regularly creates
short-form content on platforms like LinkedIn and Forbes Expert
Panels. She believes in the discipline of consistent content creation to hone her voice and impact.

Addressing the challenges of linking thought leadership to business results, Julie acknowledges the difficulty in measuring the direct impact of her work. Her strategy focuses on continuous contribution to leadership effectiveness, ensuring her insights make a tangible difference.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Leadership Alignment: Julie Williamson emphasizes the importance of aligning leadership to enhance team performance. By fostering strong organizational communication and cohesion, aligned teams can achieve greater results than individuals working alone.

• Sustained Engagement for Transformation: True change within
organizations requires sustained effort. Julie's approach involves
long-term engagements (3 to 12 months) rather than one-off workshops, ensuring lasting transformation and meaningful impact.

• Consistent Content Creation: To develop and deploy effective thought leadership, Julie advocates for regular content creation. She underscores the necessity of disciplined, consistent efforts in
writing and sharing insights, which helps in refining one's voice and maximizing impact.

Julie understands what it takes to bring teams into alignment for better success. When it comes to Thought Leadership Peter Winick knows how to bring Strategy, Tactics and Goals into alignment. To supercharge your thought leadership check out this video!

In this episode of Thought Leadership Leverage, host Peter Winick
chats with Netanel Baruch, Founder and CEO of Queue, an AI-driven platform designed to amplify your online presence by transforming everyday conversations into thought leadership content 60% faster. Imagine having a 10-minute conversation and walking away with ready-to-post content. That's Queue. As a marketer, Netanel saw potential in every client conversation but noticed experts struggled to convert these insights into content due to time constraints and writing skills.

Queue's AI, "Jessica," conducts natural, engaging interviews, creating tailored content that mirrors the expert’s unique voice. Consultants, regardless of their industry, can consistently generate high-quality content, showcasing their expertise and providing value to their audience. The main challenge? Perfecting the tone of voice to ensure the content feels authentically personal. Netanel emphasizes their ongoing commitment to refining this feature, making sure the content truly represents the expert's unique style.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Efficient Content Creation: Queue's AI, "Jessica," transforms short conversations into ready-to-post content, saving time and making it easier for experts to maintain a consistent online presence.

• Authentic Voice Representation: Queue focuses on creating content that mirrors the expert’s unique voice, ensuring the material feels personal and genuine, which is crucial for engaging audiences.

• Broad Applicability for Consultants: The platform is versatile and
benefits consultants across various industries, helping them regularly produce high-quality content that highlights their expertise and provides value to their audience.

Amy Shoenthal, USA Today bestselling author of "The Setback Cycle: How Defining Moments Can Move Us Forward," joins Bill Sherman on the Thought Leadership Leverage podcast. Amy is a seasoned journalist and marketing executive with 20 years of investigative reporting. Her passion for profiling founders, executives, and leaders who take risks and create something new began at the University of Maryland, where she reported on student entrepreneurs.

Amy’s book, "The Setback Cycle," explores how setbacks can lead to success. She discovered a pattern: significant achievements often follow major setbacks. In numerous interviews, she noticed that transformative ideas often arose after overcoming significant challenges. She researched extensively, consulting psychologists, neuroscientists, and executive coaches to develop a step-by-step framework for overcoming setbacks.

One surprising finding? Many people fail to recognize when they're experiencing a setback, making it harder to recover. Amy's framework helps identify setbacks early and provides tools to rebuild. She emphasizes that acknowledging a setback is the first crucial step towards recovery. Ignoring or denying a setback can make it more difficult to move forward and find new opportunities.

Amy was driven to create not just a narrative but a practical guide. She wanted to understand the common threads that enable individuals to rebuild and succeed after setbacks. Her book offers a playbook for anyone facing life's inevitable challenges, providing both inspiration and actionable steps.

Her goal? To make the concept of the "Setback Cycle" part of our cultural lexicon. Amy hopes people will see setbacks through the lens of her framework, allowing them to emerge stronger and more resilient. She envisions a world where setbacks are viewed as opportunities for growth and innovation, and where everyone has the tools and resources to navigate adversity.

In this episode of the Thought Leadership Leverage podcast, host Peter Winick chats with Minette Norman, an author, keynote speaker, and leadership consultant with decades of experience leading global technical teams in the software industry.

Minette shares her journey from a stellar tech career to becoming an influential voice in inclusive leadership, psychological safety, and collaborative teams. Despite her success in tech, she realized many leaders were ill-prepared for their roles. As she advanced, the lack of proper leadership training became evident, and she often found herself and others navigating leadership by trial and error. When faced with a manager who didn’t appreciate her contributions, she chose to leave and focus on helping others become better leaders through her books, speaking engagements, and consulting.

Minette emphasizes the need for better leadership training and creating pathways for individual contributors to advance without necessarily moving into leadership roles. She discusses the importance of learning from poor leadership examples and using those experiences as lessons on what not to do.

Minette’s consulting work often begins with addressing issues of inclusivity within companies. She recalls working with a company where women felt they lacked opportunities for advancement and were often relegated to note-taking roles in meetings. By promoting inclusive meeting practices, she helped shift the company culture.

Her approach to consulting varies but always centers around inclusion, psychological safety, and creating environments where diverse teams can thrive. She notes that while psychological safety is now a buzzword, understanding its importance isn’t enough. There’s a need for practical guidance, which led her and Karolin Helbig to write "The Psychological Safety Playbook," providing actionable steps to foster safe spaces at work.

Minette’s latest book, "The Boldly Inclusive Leader," serves as both a resource and a calling card, drawing new clients who want to bring her expertise into their organizations.