When Be Bad First came out in 2016, I often noted in interviews (and in the book itself) my belief…
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Resources for Supporting Your Hoped-For Future
Erika shares her business thinking to help you create the life you truly want
Erika’s Personal, Business and Leadership Blog
Erika Andersen started her blog in 2007, just after her first book was published. Over the years, it’s become a place to share her more personal thoughts about life, relationships, our planet, the future, and having a positive impact in the world.
A Very Old Thing That Now Seems Precious
Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone… — Joni Mitchell, Big…
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Change Really Has Changed
It’s been almost 6 months since Change From the Inside Out was published. And it feels very different than 6…
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The Confluence of Passions
I love it when different parts of my life intersect. It’s like a double helping of goodness. Those of you…
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The Birth of a Book: Lots of Work, Kind of a Mess, Joy at the End
There are ways in which publishing a book is like having a baby. It’s a spark of creation leading…
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“It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times…
…it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was…
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How to Change a Mind
I read an article last week noting that COVID vaccination is up in some of the states with the lowest…
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The New Book — Two Years Later
It’s been an unimaginably changed two years since I wrote that last post. The world has altered in ways that…
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A New Book
Starting a new book is a little like the first few months of pregnancy. (Gentlemen, you’re going to have to…
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In Praise of Siblings
I’m so glad to be a member of my family.
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Let’s Get Better At Changing
We can’t stop change. Let’s get better at it.
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Marjory Stoneman Douglas Would Be Proud
As my husband and I were driving to our local #marchforourlives rally last Saturday, we were talking about the Parkland…
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Mandela and the Power of Learning
Nelson Mandela is a hero to me. He embodied core qualities of a beautifully, fully-lived life: courage, hope, compassion, and…
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Practical Magic
Sometimes, believing in magic is the most practical way forward.
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Should You Retire Or Keep Working? Do Both
Struggling with society’s expectations for “older workers”? Make your later years work for you…
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Going Off-Road — Mentally
You know those TV ads that feature rugged guys and pretty women exploring the wilderness in their shiny new Jeep Grand…
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Practical Activism
This is the time to be relentless in standing up for what you believe, to protect our rights, our freedoms,…
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Cutting Back to Fulltime
Learning to give yourself more of what you need is a fascinating journey at any age.
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Building On What Came Before Us, Part II
Building upon what’s best from the past takes time and care — but it’s worth the investment
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Pain for a Purpose
Some people leave jobs that aren’t comfortable for them. That can be a good thing — or not so good.
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Just The Facts, Ma’am
Especially these day, facts are a very valuable (and under-utilized) commodity…
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Building On What Came Before Us
Even when everything is changing, we can draw strength, skills and wisdom from the past…
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The Power of Words…Especially For Leaders
Are you being dismissive or belittling without even knowing it? As leaders, we need to be conscious of how we…
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Watching Business Evolve: The Craft Beer Revolution
I spent the weekend participating in TAP NY — billed as both the largest craft beer festival in New York…
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Spreading Good Ideas…Person-to-Person
Want to have a positive impact on the world? Share a useful idea.
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Navigating The New World of Publishing
If you’re interested, you can help my new book, Be Bad First, thrive in the new world of publishing…
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Underneath the Holiday Bustle…
Merry everything, by the grace of gratitude…
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Keep Being Bad First…
A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to be a part of a really profound learning experience. I was…
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Impressive Nature, Impressive Human
When I visited Grand Canyon, I found an unexpected bonus…
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Why Millenials Are Great
Tired of all the millenial-bashing? Here’s an alternative view.
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Lights, Camera, Action!
Watching a great team in action is cool — getting to work with them is even better…
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New Ways to Get Better
Coming soon — ProteusLeader.com. Your online/mobile resource for leader readiness…
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So Much We Don’t Know…
Sometimes I can’t decide whether to be more fascinated or more embarrassed by all that I don’t know…
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Signposts on the Leader’s Journey
Mental and emotional trail mix for your leader’s journey — this is good stuff.
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Step Aside For The New
If you think something simply isn’t possible, don’t get in the way of someone who thinks it is. You might…
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Award-Winning Beer: An Entrepreneur’s Handbook
If you’re thinking about starting a business — here are five key areas that need your attention.
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Getting Older and Better
Aging is an inevitable result of staying alive. But you can have tremendous control over how you do it.
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Present Happiness
Feeling down? There’s an app for that — and it’s built-in.
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A Baker’s Dozen of Holiday Inspirations
To get you into the best spirit of the season.…
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If Change Is a Wave, Here’s a Surfboard
Tools for surfing the waves of change, in one fun, high-energy, practical day…
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Are You Really Delegating?
Having a hard time delegating? Some things to think about…
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Can You Make Yourself Want Something?
Want to do the things you say you want to do, but don’t? Try this.…
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Staying Amazed
We’re living in a world that people 100 years ago couldn’t have imagined. It seem goofy to be bored.
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Too Much Of A Good Thing
Too much work, even work that you love, is no fun. Some ideas for keeping it good -
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The Same Thing, Different
Bored? You have the ability to see the day-to-day with new eyes.
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Sharing The Planet
Are we really the smartest creatures on earth?
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The Seduction of Incrementalism
Doing things ‘a little bit better’ can be a cop-out.…
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Thank you, St. Valentine
Make Valentine’s Day whatever you want it to be.
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Sharpening My Ax: the Joy of Mastery
Mastery doesn’t have an endpoint — the most joy comes when you keep going.
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Why We Think Learning Is Boring
To succeed in disruptive times, re-connect with your 4‑year-old self.…
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Caught By The Wind: When The Familiar Changes
Your job may not have changed on paper, but is it really the same as it was a few years…
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You Had It Right When You Were Two Years Old…
Re-discovering something we may have lost along the way.
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Farewell (For Now) To The Insider List — 08/26/13
When I started writing the Insider List 3 years ago, in September of 2010, Proteus was a very different company.…
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How Does Stuff Get Done Around Here?
Just as we all thought…who’s connected to whom and how they interact is key to an organizations success.
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Giving a Hand Up To The Next Generation — 08/19/13
OK, I am now officially tired of listening to baby-boomers and gen-Xers trash talk about Millenials. The complaints I hear…
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Unleash The Genius In You
We all have some genius in us. Here’s how to find it.
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Learning in the Digital World — 08/06/13
As some of you may know, our mission at Proteus is: We help clients clarify and move toward their hoped-for future.…
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Why We Hate Strategy
We tend to think strategy is boring, complicated, impractical, unnecessary. What if it’s actually useful?
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Entrepreneurs Come In Two Flavors
If you’re an entrepreneur, which flavor are you?
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100% Commitment — 07/17/13
Some of you may have noticed that there was no Insider List at the end of June- and for those…
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Miracles with a Twist — 06/18/13
So, as is usually the case, the baby watch yielded a baby: Charlotte Autumn Van Carpels, born June 5th at 11:50am. …
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Listen to Erika’s Leadership Podcast
At first, Erika didn’t want to have a business podcast. But a publicist pointed out it could be useful and fun for the people who followed her work — and that convinced her. Since 2016, Erika has been “asking three questions” of her guests, and the result is a quick, practical offering that is now in the top 10% of most-listened-to podcasts worldwide.
#71: Leadership Vertigo
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February 16, 2023
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January 25, 2023
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December 16, 2022
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Erika’s Forbes Blog
Since 2010, Erika Andersen has also been a popular leadership blogger at Forbes.com, where she shares her thinking and provides practical guidance.
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When I was faced with integrating 3,000 employees after our merger, my first call was to Erika and Proteus, to help me and my senior management team create a vibrant, impactful and implementable vision for the future. We have realized our vision and three different cultures have become one. I’m thankful for all Erika and her colleagues have done for us—I know we would not have gotten so far, so fast without them.
David Kline, President Spectrum Reach, EVP Charter
In my years of working with Erika and Proteus they have been a great partner. Their approach includes a robust set of tools and frameworks, a hands-on approach, and a commitment to developing a deep understanding of the key stakeholders around me – all of which have contributed to helping our teams and me be the best we can be. They consistently get what we’re trying to do and they support us to make our dreams a reality.
Detavio Samuels, CEO Revolt Media and TV
Calling Erika was one of the first things I did after becoming the CEO of National Geographic channels. She worked with me and my team to craft a clear vision for a new future for our networks, and a plan for achieving it—while at the same time helping me transition into the CEO role. Working with Proteus is illuminating and strengthening; they always see and support the best in me.
Courteney Monroe, CEO National Geographic Global Networks