-
1 month ago | 
medium.com | Eric J. McNulty
Funding cuts. Job losses. Persistent role vacancies. Unclear policies. Food, health, and income insecurity. Biodiversity collapse. It is easy to see this as a time of scarcity. Of damage. Of forfeiture. The feeling of lack is yawning. The holes undeniable. The pain is wrenching and deniable. So, too, are the frustration and concern.
-
2 months ago | 
medium.com | Eric J. McNulty
Risk. Resilience. Recovery. These three words have long been part of my world of crisis and change leadership. It is unfortunate that today they are also too common a part of everyone’s careers and lives. Each of these is, of course, part of life. No one gets through unscathed. Each is an opportunity to despair or grow. In our always-on, Insta-ready world, the pressure to hide any signs of difficulty is intense. Worry lines are brushed away in photos.
-
2 months ago | 
medium.com | Eric J. McNulty
I recently said goodbye to Cooper, my near constant companion for almost 17 years. He was thought partner, writing buddy, walking sidekick, expedition schemer, and even made it into a Harvard classroom or two (shhh!). Whenever I needed a reminder that there is good in the world, there was Cooper. He was a better person than any human I know (including me). I am in a truly liminal space. His presence and absence are overwhelming simultaneously. I laugh and cry at the same memories.
-
Mar 14, 2025 | 
medium.com | Eric J. McNulty
Eric McNulty·Follow3 min read·--Leading is always about harmonizing certainty and uncertainty. It requires bringing people into an ill-defined future with confidence and hope. Part of the secret sauce, beyond an inspiring vision and a compelling mission, is letting people know what will remain constant amidst disruption. People can lean into ambiguity when they have something steady to grasp.
-
Jan 15, 2025 | 
medium.com | Eric J. McNulty
Eric McNulty·Follow3 min read·--Photo: Filippos Sdralias on UnsplashThis week, I was going to write about AI and the possibility of a world without work — or at least a radically reimagined approach to work. However, the recent fires in Los Angeles reminded me that the most critical work will never be overtaken by AI: people helping each other and serving their communities in times good and bad.
-
Jan 14, 2025 | 
newbedfordlight.org | Eric J. McNulty
Massachusetts for Elephants (MFE) mourns the passing of Ruth, a 64-year-old Asian elephant housed at the Buttonwood Zoo in New Bedford. She was brought to the zoo in 1986. Her life there was marked by isolation, confinement, and increasingly debilitating medical issues. Over the years, multiple attempts have been made by animal advocates to have Ruth and Emily, the other Asian elephant at the Buttonwood Zoo, released to a sanctuary. None has been successful.
-
Dec 10, 2024 | 
medium.com | Eric J. McNulty
Eric McNulty·Follow3 min read·--Photo: Paolo Villanueva under a Creative Commons licenseCall me a Swiftie. It’s not that I am as bowled over by the music as some of her fans. It’s because I admire Taylor Swift as a leader and businessperson. Most recently, it was reported that she gave bonuses totaling $197 million to the people who supported the Eras tour: the dancers, drivers, riggers, sound and light technicians, and the rest. As a former roadie myself, it warms my heart.
-
Nov 25, 2024 | 
medium.com | Eric J. McNulty
Eric McNulty·Follow3 min read·--Photo: Marc Sendra Martorell on UnsplashI’m just back from leading a session on navigating turbulent times with a group of entertainment industry executives. I can’t share details as there was a cone of silence over the proceedings. However, I had one insight that’s safe to share. It’s drawn from the impressive inventiveness of the companies represented: the pace of change relative to the pace of experimentation.
-
Nov 24, 2024 | 
medium.com | Eric J. McNulty
Eric McNulty·Follow3 min read·--Given recent events, I think there will be reexamination of what it means — and takes — to lead. I know that I am reflecting on some of the assumptions I have had about organizations, what happens inside them, and who people want to follow. While it is always good to look for new voices, I also like to revisit classics that have informed my thinking. Here are three people whose work I have found provides enduring wisdom.
-
Nov 15, 2024 | 
medium.com | Eric J. McNulty
Eric McNulty·Follow3 min read·--We’re well into Q4 2024. While many are obsessed with the US election (me included), there are other things to think about. A good antidote may be to spend time thinking about your favorite topic: you. Where do you want to go as leader in 2025? It’s not too early to start planning. I’ve recently been experimenting with adapting a framework for organizational leadership that I think works well for personal development: Three Zone (now Four Zone) Meta-leadership.
