John Baldoni's Blog

Work may not always be what you want it to be, but if you make the best of it and surround yourself with people you like, then it can be something special.

That is the message of a documentary called The Wrecking Crew, about a loosely-knit group of top-ranked session musicians – numbering as many as fifteen or more — who backed some of the greatest artists of their time, including Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, as well as backing for groups like the Beach Boys, The Byrds and the Monkees. 

The core of the group was Tommy Tedesco on guitar, Hal Blaine on drums and Carole Kaye on bass. At least two of the Crew became solo artists: guitarist Glen Campbell and pianist Leon Russell.

Music lessons

What we learn by watching the documentary produced by Denny Tedesco, Tommy’s son, is the commitment to craft that each musician brought to their gigs. Each was highly skilled on their instrument and talented at adding something special to what they played. Here’s what I gained from watching them.

Respect for craft. Know what you can do. Practice your “instrument.” And keep in tune with your colleagues, from whom you can learn.

Respect for process. Making music is a joy, but it is also hard work. It requires a blending of skills to meld with the other artists to produce the sound that is just right for the song you are creating.

Respect for the artists. Session musicians are paid by the gig. They are not the stars, but they support the stars. (Or if doing a jingle for a commercial, the product.) 

And lastly, there was a respect for one another. Because they played together on so many gigs, they became like family. They brought a sense of camaraderie to the sessions that not only enabled them to collaborate more fully with one another but also made it comfortable for the name artists they were backing.

Keep believing in yourself.

There was a downside to being a session guy. No publicity for what they did. Their names rarely appeared on the credits of the records they produced. Their recognition came from being recognized by the music producers and artists who hired them.

There is one story that deserves special mention. A young trumpet player was breaking into the business in the early Sixties. He had a good Latin sound and was trying to get his first record produced. So, breaking union rules, he hired a bunch of studio guys from the Wrecking Crew and paid them $15 for the session, a paltry sum. 

Lo and behold, the song they recorded was “Taste of Tijuana,” and it soared to number one. Herb Alpert was the trumpeter, and unlike so many in the entertainment industry, he did right by the musicians. He went to the union, paid a fine for not paying scale and sent each of the session musicians a check for their work. 

Sometimes artistry does pay.

Posted 6.07.2006

CPope Leo XIV has issued his first encyclical; it is titled “Magnifica Humanitas,” and it is a proclamation about the rights of man as they apply to artificial intelligence. In doing so, Pope Leo is following in the footsteps of a namesake Pope Leo XIII, who authored “Rarem Novarum.” Penned in 1891, it advocated for the dignity of labor and the rights of working people. In the time of Leo XIII, the Industrial Age was in full force, and workers were viewed as commodities rather than as human beings. 

AI, in its basic form, is used for automation and improving efficiency. Agentic AI, by integrating decision-making, builds on this. Already, it is used in design, law, science, and medicine, displacing highly trained and talented women and men who have devoted their lives to study and practice. What does the future hold for them?

The Pope’s call to action

Pope Leo XIV writes that “technology should not be considered, in itself, as a force antagonistic to humanity.” Yet, “the pursuit of greater profits cannot justify choices that systematically sacrifice jobs… A society that guarantees employment to only a small fraction of the population, despite having a high level of technical development, risks exposing many to forced inactivity.” 

Showing that he is cognizant and respectful of those who develop technology, Pope Leo released his encyclical alongside Christopher Olah, a co-founder of Anthropic, a major AI developer.

The challenge for governments, businesses and organizations is to use AI for the good. Its malign purpose is already here. As summarized in the New York Times, the encyclical suggests the following steps:

• Ask governments to regulate private companies involved in AI development.
• Provide workers displaced by AI with “protection and retraining”;
• Educate students to “think critically about technology”; and
• Protect children from “violent, hypersexualized or fake information… generated by AI.”

Pope Leo also urges countries to instill “safeguards to ensure that humans, not artificial intelligence, remain responsible for all decisions regarding the use of weapons.” Failure to do so threatens human life and civilization itself.

What leaders can do

For leaders the question arises how can you use AI to improve your organization while integrating solutions that reinforce social capital? This is the question of our times. There are no easy answers, but leaders can assert themselves by communicating what AI can do and what its impact on the organization will be.

Sometimes AI will displace employees so what can organizations to provide not merely a soft landing but, as the Pope advised, offer retraining so they can continue to learn and grow their skills and find new opportunities. Additionally leaders can use their platforms to focus on what humans do bring to their work – creativity, commitment and community.

Just as Leo XIII put the dignity of labor in the late 19th century, Leo XIV is affirming human dignity in the face of civilization-altering technology in the 21st century.

Special thanks to Mahesh Thakur and Scott Eblin for their thoughts on the AI challenges leaders face.

I have written many– some might say too many – columns about Tom Brady, and so when I wrote the last one about him after he had retired, I thought. That’s it.

But no!

The Back Story

Brady was the 2026 commencement speaker at my alma mater, Georgetown, a curious twist because I had come to know of Tommy (as he was called then) when he was quarterback – at times a struggling quarterback – at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, my hometown. 

I loved his underdog approach and persistent perseverance, which emerged in college and became his strength in the NFL as the 199th pick and 6th quarterback in the 2000 draft. An injury to starter Drew Bledsoe in Tom’s second season opened the door for him to start. He then led the New England Patriots to the 2002 Super Bowl title, the first of six more to come: five with New England and one with Tampa Bay.

What I was not prepared for was his sense of humor – an approach to public speaking that makes for an enjoyable talk and one likely to be remembered.

The Schtick

“Sitting here, looking out at this amazing crowd of business majors, getting ready to start your careers, I realized something: Sports was a very strange way to make a living.

People screamed at me all the time. They gambled on my performance, and they celebrated all my failures.

But here’s a number for you guys: 99.7. What’s that number make you think of? It’s an A+ — I didn’t get many of those. It’s a low-grade fever, maybe…

There are 6 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, and we’re losing 28 to 3, and it’s fourth down at midfield. And at that moment, the Falcons had a 99.7% chance of winning.

If there was a 99.7% chance at anything, it’s that I’d be behind the counter at Ben’s Chili Bowl before I was behind center in an NFL game.

The Message

Of course, Brady was not at Georgetown to tell jokes. 

His message to students was one that had guided him all his life: “You don’t quit and you don’t make excuses. Every hard choice is a brick in the path toward the life you want. Every excuse is a brick in the wall that will stand in your way.”

Good message, indeed.

So let me say Hoya Saxa for my alma mater and Go Blue for my hometown school.

Poetry is the art of getting to the heart of 

the matter.

It gives structure to ideas that are often overlooked or ignored, but nonetheless must 

be explored.

Poetry puts thoughts into verse in ways that make tough subjects approachable and accessible.

Leadership, too, is about reaching the heart. 

as well as the mind.

Leaders are called upon to address challenging issues and act with candor and courage to address them.

Poetry can be a siren song for action.

Leadership can be those songs put into action.

+++

What do you want people to get from reading your poems?

This question was posed to me by a colleague, and I will admit that it threw me. I can tell you what I hope people will learn from my nonfiction books and articles because, to quote Marshall McLuhan, “the medium is the message.” I write about leadership themes that are explicated with research, stories and prescriptions. My work provides the how in what it means to lead with purpose, communicate with conviction, and connect for community.

Not so with my poetry. Or so I thought. I know why I like writing poetry – writing concisely, using similes and metaphors, playing with language, and shining a light on everyday life. Poetry allows me to “cut to the quick” of an idea, a story or an image. I am an observational poet. I write about what I see.

Poetry spans that chasm between experience and understanding. And as such it becomes a medium to explore what it means to lead and by extension to live. Toward that end, I have put together a new collection of poems I call Leadership in Verse.

And being one who has spent over three decades writing about leadership—as well as teaching and coaching it—I know I still have some observations to share. 

What We See

These are observations of management that we see around us in good times and in bad. Leadership is about making a positive difference. The difference becomes obvious when we look around at the world as it is, rather than how we wish it to be. Too often, we see overlook – or turn the other way – when problems arise. It is important to take blinders off and examine what is truly happening.

Burnout[

Gnawing emptiness pervades.

Fatigue without perceived exertion

Endless hours of sameness.

Hour upon hour.

“It’s like being drunk,” they say.

If so, there’s no comfort. No high.

Just exhaustion.

What took an hour may take a half-day,

Including time spent staring.

Worse. A loss of what and why?

What am I doing,

And why am I doing it?

Motions for the sake of motion.

Burnout.

How We Act 

These are a set of leadership thoughts and actions that come in handy in times of stress.

Looking for ways to make a positive difference is the challenge everyone faces. 

It is easy to become discouraged when the change we seek meets resistance. 

But then, if it did, then perhaps it would not be worth our effort.

Resilience

Yes, I can.

So simple to say when things are going well.

Not so easy when…

Your project has been cancelled.

Your team has been disbanded.

Your boss, whom you like, has been transferred.

Your job has been eliminated.

So hard then when fortune turns to misfortune. 

But when you realize what happened to you,

It’s not you,

Then you can decide your next move.

Slowly. Deliberately. Carefully.

Maybe not as strong as before,

But adding muscle with every move you take.

How to Inspire

Poetry can open our minds and hearts to possibility. Here’sI where you cite the example of John O’Donohue, an Irish poet.[SM2] 

May the Blessing

Philosopher-poet John O’Donohue wrote reams of poems.

Many were blessings.

As befit his previous priestly calling.

Each line of his blessings begins with “May.”

May you think freely…

May you feel the ground…

May you know you are loved.

And so forth.

May is the intercession between

Mother and child. 

Pastor and parish.

Leader and follower.

May is a door opener.

Invoking it says, “Are you listening, Lord?”

Or to whomever you are addressing.

May is a kind word.

An invitation, as the French would say, to “parlez.”

To have a conversation with a Higher Power “up there.”

Or a “higher power” down here.

May is a good word.

One of full of grace.

Smiling as I write this.

As children, we asked for intercessions from

Mary, full of grace.

May we all find more mays.

May the light snuff out the dark.

May despair lose to hope.

May sorrow drown in joy.

May. May. May.

In this same vein of hope and grace, I include a poem about Frances Hesselbein, the founder of the Leader to Leader journal. Her life story exemplifies what it means to lead with strength, bravery, and heart. When she led the Girl Scouts of America as the greatest CEO he had ever met. Frances was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Here is my remembrance of her.

Life Lesson

“To serve is to live,” she taught us.

We listened.

And wondered how.

So,

She showed by example how to

Listen with an open heart.

Stand tall for what’s right.

Understand differences 

Seek common cause

Be grateful

Find joy in work and play.

In short,

To love.

Making Poetry Work for You

“Poetry is an echo asking a shadow to dance,” wrote Carl Sandburg. So, pick a poem or a series of poems and consider what they say to you. 

• What do these poems/stories say about us?

• What insights into yourself do they reveal?

• How might you change how you think and act when it comes to making the choices that matter most?

The answers you give are yours. You can share your thoughts with others who have read the same poems. It does not matter that you agree. What matters is that you express yourself and, in doing so, connect with others in ways that illuminate what makes us what and who we are. 

To sum up, what do I want people to get from reading my poems?

Insights into the human condition that may provoke you to second-guess your preconceptions. Doing so may make you think again, appreciate what you have, or laugh a bit more.

Simple really. But let’s not delve too deeply into the what’s, wherefores, and whys of poetry. Best to let it speak for itself.

First posted on Leader to Leader Insights 4.08.2026

A leadership thinker uses poetry, reflection, and inspiring real-life stories to explore the heart, courage, humility, and grace needed to lead well in difficult times.

In a leadership market saturated with data-driven frameworks and “hustle” culture, John Baldoni’s Leadership in Verse: Poems & Stories arrives as a necessary, soulful intervention. Baldoni, a veteran coach and author, pivots away from the cold mechanics of management to explore leadership as a fundamentally moral and relational practice. This is not a manual for performance; it is a meditation on the human spirit under the weight of responsibility.

The book’s distinctive strength lies in its tripartite structure, which guides the reader through a process of diagnosis, discipline, and demonstration.

In the first part, Baldoni strips away the corporate euphemisms that mask workplace rot. He addresses the “unspoken” realities of burnout; the corrosive nature of ego; and the hollowed-out isolation of virtual disconnection. By naming these shadows, Baldoni forces a confrontation with the truth: institutions fail when their leaders trade responsibility for moral evasion.

The second part offers the remedy. However, Baldoni’s “tools” are not KPIs or spreadsheets; they are virtues like grace, humility, and solitude. He argues that the integration of character and conduct is the only way to remain grounded under pressure. Through poetic compression, he makes abstract concepts like “blessing” and “resilience” feel like practical, daily disciplines. The use of verse here is a brilliant tactical choice; it slows the reader down, demanding the very reflection that modern corporate life often stifles.

The final part cements these ideals in personal and historical stories. Baldoni recounts lives of figures ranging from Robert Redford and James Lovell to Jimmy Carter and Abraham Lincoln. These are not idealized case studies but portraits of “character formed through suffering.” They illustrate that leadership is a habit of service, not a status of authority.

Baldoni’s central thesis is clear: effective leadership begins with self-leadership. One cannot enlarge others without first mastering the ego and confronting one’s own cowardice or pride.

Leadership in Verse is an essential read for executives, managers, and coaches who find themselves weary of abstract advice that ignores the emotional toll of the modern workplace. It is a rare book that offers both a “searching diagnosis” and a “humane perspective.” For those navigating the fog of organizational change or the exhaustion of burnout, Baldoni provides a mirror and a compass, urging us to lead with a depth that is as moral as it is imaginative.

Printed Word Reviews 5.02.2026

“Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.”

That comment comes from T.S. Eliot, the St. Louis-born banker turned poet. In his first career, he experienced the working life that so many of us labor in. In his second career, he discovered how to express what he observed in ways that challenged conventional thinking.

Writing about leadership in poetic form is hardly new. Homer told stories of hubris and lust, as well as of courage and patriotism, in his great works. Shakespeare, of course, wrote in verse. His histories profile the virtues and vices of kings and their struggles with power. More recently, David Whyte has created a genre of poetry about organizational life and leadership.

My new collection of poems – Leadership in Verse — is intended to provoke reflection about what leadership is and is not. Some poems and stories typify the ugliness we see around us. More, however, depict what it means to lead others in tough times. Leaders are those who apply what they know to help others succeed. They are not altruists per se; they are practical women and men who see their role as making a positive difference.

Here’s a poem that captures – sadly – the zeitgeist of our times.

Fire ‘em

“Now, they just fire ‘em,” he said.

“Used to provide severance. No more.

“They just cut ‘em, kinda like pro football.

“‘Cept they don’t get hurt at least on the outside.

“On the inside, it’s a different matter.

“Been working 10, 15 years, then out on their asses.

“That hurts. Some of them find work real fast.

“Others, not so fast. 

“Regardless, they don’t bounce back so easy.

“They feel left out. And they are.

“None of them did anything to deserve it.

“They were good workers. Some of the best.

“Yeah, it’s different now.

“They just fire ‘em.”

Another focuses on the challenge of change – and how we interpret for ourselves.

Transformation

So often in movies

There is that moment when the hero.

Facing impossible odds

Suddenly decides to take action.

The camera pulls back.

As the music crescendos

Revealing the hero standing tall.

Hurrah!

We smile

Secretly hoping to hear that same music.

Poetry, too, can sum up what we feel about those who have inspired us.

Pastor

That is what he saw himself as.

And how he wanted the world to see him.

Not as regal, not as exalted, but as a shepherd

Tending souls, not sheep.

Souls who wanted counsel and guidance.

Not sheep who would sit in silence.

He was a shepherd who would seek out those.

Whom so many shunned.

Because they were different and

“Not like us.”

Understanding was his hallmark, 

Mercy was his trademark.

He was one who ate in a dining hall.

Stood in line to get his own meals.

Sitting with others, not apart from them.

Sharing. Joking. Laughing.

His name was Francis.

Be specific

Poet Deborah Paredez, who teaches literature at Columbia, told me in an interview that “Poetry really does insist on the specificity even as it talks about grand themes, even though it might be about love or about disaster or something like that. The way it gets us to open our eyes to those things is by the very specific moment or the very sort of perfectly rendered metaphor.” 

Poetry, by nature, works to get at the essence of meaning. It does so quickly and efficiently in ways that connect us to who we are and what we wish to become. In that way, poetry becomes a metaphor for leadership, creating connections, furthering understanding, and showing us a path forward.

First posted on SmartBrief.com 4.01.2026

Ritual! It’s a word that we are familiar with but seldom take the time to define. To many, a ritual is a habit, something we do regularly, like exercising, meditating, or attending a concert. Regularity may be inherent, but rituals carry more significance.

“Ritual is a way of making invisible things visible,” says Casper ter Kuile. “I mean feelings like gratitude, hope and awe. It’s about embodying them —attaching a feeling to a practice.”

Ter Kuile, author of The Power of Ritual, told Lauren Jackson of the New York Times, that “Rituals often do three things. One, they tell a story. For example, religious rituals retell a mythic narrative, like the Exodus story for Passover and the Last Supper for the Eucharist. They embody stories that our ancestors wanted us to remember. Two, they can help with transitions — birth, death, marriage, divorce. Three, they change us in some way. They do so by interrupting us, whether from our incessant drive to productivity, or from the monotony of February.”

“Rituals are important for our mental and physical health,” says Ter Kuile. Participating in an activity, like singing, can lower cortisol levels and reduce stress. In turn, the ritual can improve how we feel about others and ourselves. 

Creating a ritual

How to create a ritual? According to ter Kuile, you consider what you want to do, how it affects you, and its impact on others. That said, rituals may be private activities for one’s own benefit, or they can be communal for the enrichment of all.

When selecting a ritual, think about what it means to you. 

• Does it remind you of what you hold significant in your life? 
• Does it resonate with memories in childhood or later? 
• How does it make you feel when you engage in the ritual? 
• How does it make you feel when you do not engage in the ritual?
• Is the ritual something you want to teach to others – friends, family or children?

On a personal note

Rituals have played a role in my life. For twenty-five years, I was a season ticket holder for Michigan football games. I enjoyed watching the game itself, yes, but more often I enjoyed getting together with friends at halftime and afterwards. These days I find ritual as a member of a band where most of us are north of 70. We practice weekly and have fun making music together. We have learned to listen to one another. 

In both instances, the rituals involved participation in a shared experience. Our reactions to what we had seen (the game) or heard (the music) deepened the experience with appreciation and joy.

Rituals are a matter of choice, but having them can be fulfilling. They add significance to our dailiness and depth to what we hold dear.

First posted on Smarbrief.com 3.04.2026n

Playing six or seven games a week

From late March to last day of September.

Omitting the exhibition season and possible playoffs

Including the World Series.

That few players, relatively, ever play in.

Major league baseball.

A dream of every kid who played it,

So they used to say.

(Maybe not so much now with so much else from which to choose.)

Life, goes the adage, is like baseball.

Day in, day out. You play to win.

To keep doing it.

Players and coaches together for months on end,

In clubhouse, on the plane, on the road,

And sometimes half the time.

They have been playing professionally this game

Since 1869. More than a century and a half.

Once the players were as White as their course woolen uniforms.

And not until 1947, 22 years short of the century of professionalism

Were players of color allowed.

No. 42 Jackie Robinson was the first

Today the league is as international with players from

Central and South America and the Caribbean as well as

Korea and Japan,

The game remains the same. Roughly.

One diamond. Four bases.

Nine innings. 27 outs per side.

One mound. One batter’s box.
Two dugouts.

Twenty-six players to begin the season.

Up to 40 after September, the pennant stretch you see.

15 position players.

Hitters. Fielders. And a couple of catchers.

10 or 11 pitchers – five starters, 

plus long relievers, set-up guys and of course the closers.

You can never have enough pitching.

So goes the saying.

Every ballpark is different.

No court or gridiron.

The outfield is as deep – or as shallow — as the owners want to make it.

Every park has its fans.

People with season ticket holders

And those watching their first major league game.

Bringing their glove along just in case a foul ball, 

Or better yet a homer is hit their way.

Major league baseball.

On television, yes.

On radio, sure – the best way to catch a game.

Baseball is pastoral. Its pace evokes its origins.

Suitable for storytelling. Between innings, between batters and 

pitching changes, of course.

Baseball is like life, or is it the other way, around?

Baseball is there.

162 games a year.

The challenge to lead is ever-present. Leadership in Verse by John Baldoni reveals how to lead in times of challenge and stress by providing courage, compassion and grace. 

“Poetry is a medium that appeals to leaders because it speaks to the heart as well as to the spirit,” says Baldoni who has authored 15 leadership books. “Leaders need time to reflect on what they are doing, why, and how they could be doing things differently. Poetry lends itself to asking such questions.”

The title — Leadership in Verse — could be interpreted in two ways. Leadership Inverse – when everything you do seems the opposite of what you should do. Or as written, Leadership in Verse – aspirations and behaviors put into meter.

The book contains three key sections:

What We See are observations of management that we see around us in good times and in bad. 

How We Act is a set of leadership thoughts and actions that come in handy in times of stress.

How We Act is a set of leadership thoughts and actions that come in handy in times of stress.

Poster graphics

Leadership in Verse contains a select group of poster graphics with words and images that provoke contemplation and reflection.

Leadership in Verse is Baldoni’s third published book of poetry. His recent book, Golf Lessons, was a No.1 Amazon release. Baldoni is the author of 15 books covering topics such as purpose, presence and grace. He is a globally recognized communications coach and keynote speaker. Leadership in Verse is published by Maison Vero.

Leaders looking for insights — and readers looking for inspiration — will find Leadership in Verse a worthy addition to their leadership library.

“I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor.”

These words are contained in a message from Pope Leo XIV about how to observe Lent, a Christian tradition marking 40 days before Easter. As a Catholic School kid, my friends and I marked the season by what we would give up – notably candy and maybe even a favorite television program. We were abstaining, that is, depriving ourselves of what we enjoyed.

Pope Leo inverts the concept of abstinence from deprivation into affirmation, namely, not speaking ill of one another. It is a more affirmative approach to marking the Lenten season. Doing so reminds me of Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address when hoped to avoid war by acting on “better angels of our nature.”

A century and a half later, American-born Pope Leo says, “Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgement, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves. Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities.”

Fasting may help focus.

Pope Leo does advocate fasting as a Lenten practice. Fasting is a tradition in the Abrahamic faiths and in other faith traditions. Depriving oneself of food can focus the mind on what is essential and what is spiritual. And it is the nod toward the spiritual that opens us to the possibilities of what it means to be more human, that is, more open to listening to others. [The title of his Lenten message is “Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion.”]

By focusing less on what we give up, the Pope is advising us to give more. Sharing with others goodness rather than bitterness. As our public discourse becomes more rancorous, we can become more generous. Very easy to say but hard to practice when we are constantly poked and prodded by messages rooted in difference and distraction rather than togetherness and attention.

Be positive

Johnny Mercer put similar thoughts into song with composer Howard Arlen, called “Accentuate the Positive.”

Gather ’round me, everybody/ Gather ’round me while I preach some

Feel a sermon coming on here…

You gotta ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive/ E-lim-i-nate the negative

And latch on to the affirmative/ Don’t mess with Mr. In-Between.

You got to spread joy up to the maximum/ Bring gloom down to the minimum.

If we can heed the good words of Johnny Mercer and Pope Leo during Lent, then maybe we might extend the practice for the entire year, without, of course, having to give up candy.