Keith Paul

The higher we rise, the more comfortable we must become with the truth that we are no longer the smartest person in every room—and that is exactly as it should be.

If we want to remain a society that values more than domination, we must learn to cheer differently. The spectacle is not inherently wrong. But what we demand of it—and how we reflect it—can be reimagined.

Somewhere along the way, I stopped expecting applause. I stopped expecting that doing the right thing would be rewarded, that advocating for others would earn loyalty, or that holding people accountable would inspire change. I learned that showing up with clarity, consistency, and compassion can make you a target just as quickly as it makes […]

And if you’re waiting for perfect clarity, or the perfect answer, or the perfect timing — you’re waiting for something that doesn’t exist.

First, a truth bomb: people who stir the pot are exhausting to manage. That’s not an excuse—it’s a reality.

For those experiencing the fatigue of being publicly “real” in professionally strategic ways, it may be time to embrace a quieter, less curated form of presence.

This was used by a beloved undergrad professor of mine at UMass. It’s a fun parable on leadership, lessons from which I think of often. This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. […]