Founder of StrategyBreakdowns.com

TLDR: Worked in strategy consulting → Joined strategy team at Atlassian → Started writing strategy case studies → People liked them, so I left my job and went full-time

Tom Alder

8 things I've learned while living in Valencia for the past month:

1/ The "slow" culture made me realise how much day-to-day urgency you experience everywhere else.

2/ Europe is the best timezone - 4 hours of deep work before US Eastern gets online.

3/ The city is easy-going and beautiful, but not efficient. Restaurants with lines out the door and empty tables, busses show up 15 mins late (or not at all), 'the system is down' is almost a daily occurence.

4/ I love a siesta but find it nearly impossible to refocus afterwards. Better for marking the transition from work → life.

5/ Meeting people as a digital nomad requires more intentionality than I thought. 

6/ Everywhere you look, you see someone's creative touch. Tiles, balconies, door handles. Everything is decorative, even if in a small way. 

7/ I didn't see a single person on a laptop in a cafe. 

8/ Paella is more than just a regional dish. Everyone is quick to recommend their favourite spot, share tips and rules for ordering it correctly, and tell their Paella-based memories. People worship it here (rightly so!)

—

👉 P.S. If you enjoyed this post, you'll love my newsletter - a 3-minute breakdown of the strategy playbooks and growth hacks behind the world’s greatest companies.

Join 100,000+ strategy nerds from companies like Google, Meta, Atlassian, and Netflix: https://lnkd.in/g2FWfXGR

The team at beehiiv just showed me what they're launching next week.

I've analysed hundreds of product releases.

This one I'm gonna join live.

Most companies make tweaks and add tiny features.

beehiiv have been quietly building something that got me absolutely hyped.

Tyler Denk 🐝 and team have cracked something fundamental about how creators grow and monetise.

I can't share specifics (NDA), but here's what I can say:
If you're building a creator/media business in 2025, you should join us at the launch event!

Register here → https://lnkd.in/gh3tKmCZ

People always ask "How did you decide when to quit your job and go all-in?"

3 months after launching Strategy Breakdowns I told my boss I was leaving.

This was my napkin math:

The business was making just under $3k/mo.
~$2.2k from newsletter sponsorship, rest from affiliate revenue.

→ I was publishing 1 newsletter every 2 weeks
→ If I ran them weekly, that'd 2x sponsorship + 1.5x affiliate revenue

→ I had 1 sponsor per newsletter
→ If I had 2, that'd 2x sponsorship revenue again

→ I had 20k subscribers
→ If I grew to 50k, that'd 2x sponsorship + 1.5x affiliate revenue again

Q: If I quit my job, would the extra 40hrs per week be enough to publish 1 extra newsletter every 2wks, sell 4x as many ads, and speed-run an extra 30k subs by reinvesting all revenue into subscriber growth?

Once I laid out all the inputs, it became an easy 'yes'.

I could probably hit $10k/mo within a month or 2, even factoring some contingency if I couldn't sell 100% of my ad inventory.

Then if I kept growing the newsletter, and added new ways to monetise, I figured it wouldn't be too much drama to get to $20k/mo.

Quitting a high-paying tech job for a $3k/mo newsletter = crazy, risky, scary
Quitting a high-paying tech job for a (soon-to-be) $20k/mo newsletter = makes sense

Same business. 
Different frame.

Don't be afraid to math it out.
Goes a long way in building up conviction.

—

👉 P.S. If you enjoyed this post, you'll love my newsletter - a 3-minute breakdown of the strategy playbooks and growth hacks behind the world’s greatest companies.

Join 100,000+ strategy nerds from companies like Google, Meta, Atlassian, and Netflix: https://lnkd.in/g2FWfXGR

Valve makes $50 million per employee.

Microsoft? $18 million.
Apple? $2.4 million.
Meta? $1.9 million.

How does a 350-person gaming company eclipse every tech giant on the planet?

→ They built a 30% tax on PC gaming.

Every game sold on Steam. Every microtransaction. Every indie hit and AAA blockbuster. If it's sold on their platform, Valve takes 30%.

They do develop games themselves, but vast majority of their revenue comes from infrastructure, maintenance, and collecting.

What makes it even more remarkable:

Zero traditional management mechanisms.

Valve operates with a completely flat hierarchy. No managers assigning work. No executives approving projects.

Instead they pioneered several radical workplace practices like choose-your-own team, and peer-reviewed bonuses.

Your colleagues (not your boss) determine your compensation based on your contributions. The entire company votes on your impact.

The result:
336 employees shared $444 million in total compensation in 2021. That's an average of $1.3 million per person.

And the company is on track for $17 billion in revenue in 2025.

They proved something most large corporations forget:
You don't need more people. You need the right structure (business model + organisational model).

—

📖 If you liked this post, you’ll definitely enjoy my newsletter article Why Valve has no managers!

Take a look here: https://lnkd.in/gyDPxJQ5

Imagine you are a marketing manager working for Coca Cola in 1971.

To make your most important decisions, you might have access to things like:
• Sales info
• Customer surveys
• Financial metrics

IF you spend a few days (possibly weeks) digging around the company for them. Remember, no computers back then.

Now, imagine you had instant access to:

→ The 5x highest performing newspaper/billboard/bus-stop ads out of the 10,000’s of ads Pepsi Co are running globally.

→ Real-time dashboards showing the number of daily, weekly, and monthly walk-ins for a McDonalds store that you’re doing a deal with.

→ A system that tracks every soft drink consumer in the world, showing you exactly what magazine they are most likely to get their beverage news from, and accurate trend data showing you a spike in conversations about “sugar-free”.

All entirely for free, fully self-serve, without ever needing to contact any Pepsi staff, McDonalds partners, or magazine analysts.

That is the world we live in.

But most people don't fully appreciate this. 

Every internet user and interaction leaves digital footprints. These footprints (if you know where to find them) reveal insights that make traditional ‘strategy theory’ feel like guesswork.

Not leveraging an 'information advantage' for your most important decisions, projects, products etc today is like voluntarily boxing yourself into a cubicle at Coca Cola HQ in 1971.

My vote: let’s use the tools available to us!

That's why I created 'Websites & Traffic' - a training that transforms you into a modern data-driven strategist.

If you want to skyrocket your persuasiveness, impact, and progression (but you’re looking for a modern-day approach that doesn’t involve slugging through more abstract ‘strategy theory’), this is for you! 

→ https://lnkd.in/gcWA7dyd

POV: You launched something and 1500+ people show up at once.

No paid ads. 
No viral post. 
Just an organic launch email.

Here's what the hype is all about:

Yesterday I launched 'Websites & Traffic'.

It's a training bundle for strategic professionals who need to back up their ideas with persuasive data. 

In just 5 days, you'll master 28 specific tactical skills that let you reverse-engineer any company's digital strategy - whether that's:
- Your #1 competitor
- A potential customer you're trying to close
- The market leader in your space
- Your highest-risk vendor
- Or simply a company whose strategy you want to learn from.

This isn't old school 'competitive analysis'.

These data-driven strategy skills are must-haves in today's age for just about any strategic use case:
- Preparing for customer interviews
- Increasing your own company's reach
- Analysing any player in your market
- Evaluating partnership opportunities
- Researching prospects before sales calls
- Investigating a trend you want to capitalise on

It works even if you've never heard of SimilarWeb, don't know what a UTM parameter is, and think "organic traffic" just means the line at the farmers market.

If you want to walk into your next big meeting as 'the person who always has the data', check it out → https://lnkd.in/gcWA7dyd

Why change fails. Brilliant. 

Source: Lippitt-Knoster Model - The 5 Components of Organisational Change.

Amazon website from every year since 1997, in chronological order.

—

👉 P.S. If you enjoyed this post, you'll love my newsletter - a 3-minute breakdown of the strategy playbooks and growth hacks behind the world’s greatest companies.

Join 100,000+ strategy nerds from companies like Google, Meta, Atlassian, and Netflix: https://lnkd.in/g2FWfXGR

The Amazon website every year since 1998

AI NEWS: Fyxer AI ($1→25m ARR in 12mo) just dropped the biggest upgrade to their core product since launch.

Here's everything you need to know:

Fyxer's core product "Drafts" lives inside Gmail/Outlook, and it auto-drafts email replies in your voice for you to review, edit (if needed), and send.

They just released "Drafts 2.0" with a wall-to-wall revamp of product improvements:
→ better context searching (remembers past conversations to reply how you would)
→ dynamic tone detection (adapts to who you're emailing - client, manager, colleague etc)
→ smarter call scheduling (handles time zones automatically and finds times that suit everyone)

The result: users are now sending *twice* as many email drafts without edits.

Check out the draft it wrote below.

For anyone spending an hour+ on email: this is one of the apps that actually saves me tangible time + focus on a daily basis. 


For the product-led-growth nerds - onboarding is slick too. Starts working in 30 seconds with Gmail or Outlook signup. Automatically learns your voice. Zero setup or learning curve.

I love startups like this - simple idea with perfect execution.


Oh and I convinced the Fyxer team to give my readers a special signup offer https://lnkd.in/gsuYEPQP (Partner link)

This is how you print $$$ by running ads in newsletters:

(And no, it's not generic copy + CTA to 'sign up now')

I've run 100s of ads in my 100k reader newsletter.

Worked with the best growth marketers in the world at companies like Atlassian, Clay, Vanta etc and I think I might have the highest renewal rate in the industry.

Here is the no-fluff playbook for getting results from newsletter ads:

1/ Less is more.
Longer ad copy (and longer sentences) ALWAYS perform worse. This may seem counterintuitive, I know it's tempting to write paragraphs about your product, but the quicker readers can internalise your message the more likely they'll read it in full. Aim for ~3 sentences / bullets total.

2/ Scannable format
Our best performing ads have the following characteristics:
- Start with a catchy, intriguing, spicy headline in *bold*
- Short punchy lines/lists with line breaks for breathing room
- Button with unique CTA ("Show me my security score", "I want the free playbook")

3/ Specific objectives.
Don't assume the newsletter knows what you want. People default to impressions/clicks, but every time I dig deeper there's a more important goal: "I want our founding story going viral", "I want a pretty report with data and community screenshots to share with my boss (my promotion is coming up)", "I want to run an isolated test to see if a waitlist/free trial/free plan works for us". 

4/ Don't just run 1 ad. 
I'm not saying this because more ads = more spend. There are 3 reasons you NEED to test with multiple ads: a) it takes multiple touchpoints for decision-makers to take action (when was the last time you saw a brand for the first time and 30s later you're on a $99/mo plan?), b) you test multiple angles to learn what resonates, c) most newsletters do bundle discounts so its cheaper per ad/open/click. 1 ad = throwing money away.

5/ Keep a swipe-file.
Seems obvious but not enough people do this. Collate your highest-performing social posts. Your competitors' best FB ads. Your best-converting landing page. Leverage these for your ad copy - don't ever start from scratch.

6/ You want partnership, not just sponsorship.
If your 'partner' isn't actively helping you tighten your copy, learn from the data, leverage their high-performing assets, investing their own money + time + resources into ensuring you win, you need to run.

7/ Backend funnels are magic.
This might be the most important alpha of all. The sponsors that are ripping right now do some variation of: run ads to a lead magnet/webinar → capture email → survey to segment (optional) → email nurture with education + social proof + objection-handling → sales handoff to book a demo/whiteglove/welcome offer. 1 person can build this in 1 day with AI, and it gets >10x better results per ad.

I have just 3 ad slots in my newsletter left this year, then I'm increasing prices for '26. 

If you're targeting strategy nerds (founders, PMs, devs), DM me!

5 unconventional tactics I learned at Atlassian (your company should copy these):

1. Everyone reads customer feedback (literally everyone)

Every week, every employee gets an automated email with 3 randomly selected verbatim quotes from customers. Bug reports, success stories, feature requests.

Over time you start spotting patterns. You develop intuition for customer sentiment. When you're proposing something, you can back it up with qualitative data you rememeber reading.

2. No PowerPoint allowed, only memos

Good writing is good thinking. You can disguise terrible ideas with pretty slides.

Every idea, every meeting, every project, every roadmap lives as a Confluence page. Writing out your ideas forces you to get specific about what you actually want to say (and why it matters). 

3. Every team has visible KPIs

Based on your team and role, you always knew exactly what metric mattered most. OKRs aren't perfect, but they create MASSIVE clarity of direction.

You also always knew what your KPI was driving at the division or company level (ie. what it "rolled up" to). Month commentary from owners explaining movements makes it easy to tell what matters to teams across the whole company. 

4. Open by default

Jira boards and Confluence pages have full organisational sharing permissions toggled on by default. This is a small but hugely significant product design choice.

Unless you actively close it off, everyone in the company can find, read, and comment on your work. Google Docs and Word don't do this – which means every new doc feels "yours" instead of "ours." 

5. Roll out to employees first

When I worked there, Atlassian had over 10,000 employees. That's a pretty sizable testing ground, and every mature product team would roll out changes to Atlassians first (who were using these tools every day).

This lets you catch bugs and bulletproofs ideas before paying customers see them, and creates a friendly space for candid feedback.

The pattern: make transparency and feedback the default (not the exception) for every product, decision, and idea.

Happy building.

—

👉 P.S. If you enjoyed this post, you'll love my newsletter - a 3-minute breakdown of the strategy playbooks and growth hacks behind the world’s greatest companies.

Join 100,000+ strategy nerds from companies like Google, Meta, Atlassian, and Netflix: https://lnkd.in/g2FWfXGR

Kevin Box🚀

Function4

Manager - Manage Print Services

Award winning Director for Function4 with over 15 years of experience helping customers save time, money, and becoming more sustainable with their printers and copiers.

2x Presidents Cub Winner:

🏆 2021
🏆 2022
🏆MPSA Leadership Award (Managed Print Services Association)

#printmanagement #managed Print Services #leadership #servantleader

Director - Managed Print Services

Fuel Your Growth 2.0

Social Media Growth Consultancy - I help founders 10x their LinkedIn Growth through my community, Ignite. Link in my featured section. 

Leadership and Personal Growth Newsletter. Link in my featured section as well.

#LinkedIngrowth # Socialmedia #leadership #personalgrowth

Founder

Ricoh USA, Inc.

As an award-winning business consultant, I specialize in putting clients first and addressing their unique challenges and needs. With a proven track record of increasing operational efficiency and improving ROI, I help make the complex simple while delivering excellence in customer service. I take pride in each client relationship and always prioritize their interests. Let's work together to achieve your business goals!

🏆 Bull Award - 196% of Quota - 2011
🏆 Million Dollar Club 2014 - 250+% of Quota
🏆 Million Dollar Club 2015 - 180+% of Quota
🏆 Million Dollar Club 2017 - 178+% of Quota

Major Account Executive

Pinnacle Financial Strategies

Outside Sales (Banking Software) - Managed the Western United States - Leadership, Sales, Technology, SaaS & Marketing.

Senior Account Executive

The Slayter Companies

The Slayter Companies specializes in recycling Grade 11 corrugated cardboard & plastics for companies in the retail and manufacturing sectors. My primary duties included managing the sales staff with the objective of increasing sales by more than 150 tons a month.  I was also tasked with creating customer service and marketing standards for all of The Slayter Companies and its subsidiaries. Finally, I  developed a Marketing Plan and and strategic structure to improve brand awareness and Corporate image. 

198% of quota 2008

Chief Marketing Officer

Bank of America

Countrywide Home Loans - A Division of Bank of America

Sales Manager

Merrill Lynch

Helped clients manage their retirement portfolios. Professional Licenses - Series 7, 63, 65, Group I & IV Insurance licenses. 2001 Graduate of the Merrill Lynch Professional Development Program.

Financial Advisor

Chase

Managed Select Relationships with a primary focus of increasing wallet share with my core clientele.

Relastionship Manager - Bank Officer

Army National Guard

Specialist E-4
Time Service Ribbon
National Defense Ribbon
Humanitarian Medal
La. Meritorious Service Medal
Airborne - Basic Parachutist Badge
Expert Rifleman 
Basic Combat Training - Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, 1992
Quartermaster School - Ft. Lee, VA., 1992 
Airborne School - Ft. Benning, GA., 1993

Logistics Specialist

Tower Loan

Completed the Management Training Program

Assistant Manager

Passionate about Personal Growth🔥Leadership | LinkedIn Top Voice | LinkedIn Creator Growth – ChatGPT Enthusiast⚡️Director of MPS + LinkedIn Engagement | Regis MBA

Most creators post without purpose—and wonder why nobody cares.

I know, because I was one of them.

♟️ No likes.
♟️ No reach.
♟️ No revenue.

I was stuck in a cycle of creating content that disappeared into the void.

Everything changed when I realized this:
Social media isn’t about shouting—it’s about building a brand that speaks for you.

Once I built a clear message and intentional strategy, everything accelerated:

1. +4,000 followers every week
2.  1.2M+ weekly impressions
3.  A growing community of creators, founders, and executives I now mentor

What I Do Now?

I help people like you:

✅ Establish thought leadership
✅ Grow on LinkedIn and X
✅ Turn content into community and revenue

My clients are thriving—many are now some of the most beloved and successful creators on these platforms.

What’s Next for You?

If your content feels invisible, I can help you fix that.
Check my Recommendations section—you’ll see exactly how I’ve helped others succeed.

Let’s connect and start building your influence.

#Fuelyourgrowth #linkedIn #business #Managed Print Services #leadership #DDChallenge #Art #sales, #ChatGPT #History #Artifical Intelligence, #fitness, health, certified trainer.

Director - MPS - Social Media Engagement - ChatGPT SME

Managed Print Services Specialist, Printers and copiers subject matter expert, leadership, sales, marketing, technology, ChatGPT Specialist, blogger, technical writing. 

Your boss will impact your mental health more than your therapist.


And no one warns you about that before your first job offer.

A 2023 study by the Workforce Institute found that 69% of employees say their manager has more impact on their mental health than their doctor or therapist. 

Let that sink in. 😯 

If you love your job but your boss is destroying your sanity, here’s how to protect yourself:

1/ Micromanagement
↳ Set boundaries. Request role clarity and define expectations on your terms.

2/ Blame-Shifting
↳ Document everything. Facts beat gaslighting.

3/ Dismissive Communication
↳ Push back. Ask directly for feedback and challenge vague criticism.

4/ Unrealistic Expectations
↳ Negotiate early. Define what’s possible—and what isn’t.

5/ Lack of Appreciation
↳ Celebrate yourself. Share wins with people who value you.

6/ Playing Favorites
↳ Expand your network. Build relationships with neutral mentors.

7/ Inconsistent Feedback
↳ Ask for specifics. Don’t settle for “just do better.”

8/ Mood Swings
↳ Stay grounded. Don’t absorb their chaos—master your own calm.

9/ Undermining Confidence
↳ Zoom out. Focus on your strengths and build external validation.

10/ Discouraging Growth
↳ Take the wheel. Invest in skills and opportunities they won’t give you.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not crazy. You’re just under poor leadership.

What’s one toxic behavior you’ve had to unlearn from a boss?

♻️ Repost to empower your network and follow me Kevin Box

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽

📌 I'm hosting a free 1.5-hour workshop on November 8th at 9:30 AM Central Standard Time on the 5 Secrets to Building Your Personal Brand.

Everyone who signs up and attends will receive my LinkedIn Growth Guide.

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽:

https://lnkd.in/eKBw3XTV

My AI tool called AskStan helped me write this post. Learn how at AskStan.io.

Check out my website - www.fuelyourgrowth.net

Kevin Box

I help creators grow & monetize on LinkedIn | 101M+ impressions in 2024 | DM me to scale your reach.

When praying for that job, also pray for a work environment that won't lead to depression, burnout, and regret.

Most people pray for the position.

Few pray for the culture that shapes it.

That’s how careers get destroyed from the inside.

"You cannot burn out until you catch on fire." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

A toxic workplace doesn’t just drain your day—it reshapes your mindset.

⚡ Your passion.
⚡ Your drive.
⚡ Your well-being.

When organizations put profits over people, they eventually lose both.

Yet many stay—not out of fulfillment, but familiarity.

Why people stay stuck:

 • Fear of change
 • Misplaced loyalty
 • Comfortable routine
 • Financial pressure
 • Benefits
 • False stability
 • Known discomfort

But here’s the truth:
No one protects your mental health but you.

10 ways to stop sacrificing yourself:

1/ Establish clear boundaries
→ Guard your energy with intention.

2/ Prioritize self-care
→ Treat your health like your most valuable asset.

3/ Stay present
→ Today is the only space you control.

4/ Delegate what drains you
→ If it exhausts you, it dictates you.

5/ Build in recovery time
→ Rest fuels performance.

6/ Set small, steady milestones
→ Progress creates momentum.

7/ Invest in trusted relationships
→ Healthy voices quiet toxic ones.

8/ Keep learning
→ Growth keeps your spirit engaged.

9/ Shape your workspace
→ Your environment influences your energy.

10/ Reach out for support
→ Asking for help is strength.

What’s one practice that protects your peace?

♻️ Repost to empower your network and follow me Kevin Box 🛡️for more stuff like this. 

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽

📌 I'm hosting a free 1.5-hour workshop on November 22nd at 9:00 AM Central Standard Time on the 5 Secrets to Growing Your Personal Brand and Monetizing your Digital Business.

Everyone who signs up and attends will receive my Visual Carousels Masterclass free for attending. 

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽:

https://lnkd.in/eiJMVp8b

My AI tool called AskStan helped me write this post. Learn how at AskStan.io.

Check out my website - www.fuelyourgrowth.net

Real leadership isn’t about being in control. It’s about being worth following.


The leadership move that feels wrong but works every time:

Give away your power. ⚡ 

It would've saved me years of confusion—and a few great employees.

Because people don't leave companies. They leave the way you make them feel.

Gallup's research backs it up: poor management is the #1 reason people quit.

Not salary. Not perks. Not titles.

Here's what changed everything for me:

10 uncommon leadership moves that build real trust, loyalty, and influence:

1/ Give Away Ownership of Ideas
↳ Let others take full credit. It builds confidence and sparks innovation.

2/ Send Unexpected Notes of Praise
↳ These moments linger longer than any formal award.

3/ Protect People Publicly
↳ Own the blame in public. Coach in private. Trust multiplies.

4/ Ask About Their Future, Not Just Performance
↳ "What's your dream role?" might be the most powerful 1:1 question.

5/ Let Them Teach
↳ Give them the mic. Confidence grows when they're trusted to lead.

6/ Create Personalized Growth Plans
↳ Cookie-cutter paths kill motivation. Tailor the roadmap.

7/ Acknowledge Emotional Labor
↳ Say, "I know how much effort this took." It matters more than you think.

8/ Celebrate Their Off-the-Clock Wins 
↳ Career isn't everything. Show them you see the whole person.

9/ Delegate Authority, Not Just Tasks
↳ Don't just assign work—grant decision power. That's leadership.

10/ Be the First to Admit You're Wrong
↳ Humility is strength. And it's contagious.

What kind of leader will they remember you as?

♻️ Repost to inspire your network and follow me Kevin Box

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 Personal Branding workshop!

📌 I'm hosting a free 1.5-hour workshop on November 22nd at 9:00 AM Central Standard Time on the 5 Secrets to Growing Your Personal Brand and Monetizing your Digital Business.

Everyone who signs up and attends will receive my Visual Carousels Masterclass free for attending. 

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽:

https://lnkd.in/eiJMVp8b

My AI tool called AskStan helped me write this post. Learn how at AskStan.io.

Check out my website - www.fuelyourgrowth.net

The fastest way to kill your career? Work for the wrong boss!


Most people wait years to realize this—by then, it’s already cost them their confidence, momentum, and growth.

The fastest way to accelerate it? 

Work for someone who brings out your best, every single day.

Gallup found that 70% of the variance in team engagement is directly tied to the manager.

That's more than a stat, It’s a warning sign.

Use these10 signs to know if you’re working for a great leader. 

1/ They Listen—Really Listen
↳ You’re not just heard. You’re understood.

2/ They Respect Boundaries
↳ Your time is protected, not penalized.

3/ They Appreciate the Work
↳ Recognition isn’t rare—it’s routine.

4/ They Invest in Your Growth
↳ Feedback, training, and stretch roles are part of the culture.

5/ They’re Transparent
↳ You’re never guessing where you stand.

6/ They Play to Your Strengths
↳ Your talents don’t go unnoticed—they’re leveraged.

7/ They Show Up in Hard Times
↳ You feel supported, not sidelined.


8/ They Build a Safe Culture
↳ Respect isn’t optional—it’s the norm.

9/ They Care About Your Well-being
↳ Stress isn’t ignored—it’s addressed.

10/ They Lead by Example
↳ Integrity isn’t preached—it’s practiced.

Which of these do you experience most—and which are missing?

Save this post to study later and repost to inspire your network. ♻️ 

Follow me Kevin Box for more stuff like this.

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽

📌 I'm hosting a free 1.5-hour workshop on December 6th at 9:30 AM Central Standard Time on the 5 Secrets to Growing Your Personal Brand and Monetizing your Digital Business.

Everyone who signs up and attends will receive my Visual Carousels Masterclass free for attending. 

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽:

https://lnkd.in/eU5bMy2M

My AI tool called AskStan helped me write this post. Learn how at AskStan.io. 

Check out my website - www.fuelyourgrowth.net

Your KPIs are killing your company. Here's what board members track instead.


Stop Acting Like a Boss. Start Thinking Like a Board Member.

Your team needs leadership. Your business needs stewardship.

Most execs are stuck managing KPIs. Board members are obsessed with future value.

"The job of a board isn’t to predict the future. It’s to ensure the company survives it." — Ben Horowitz

If you want to earn a seat at the table, start asking better questions.

Here are 10 questions board members obsess over that most bosses never even ask:

10 questions board members obsess over that most bosses never even ask:

1/ Is our mission still relevant in this market? 
↳ Mid-levels execute strategy. Board members question its purpose.

2/ What systemic risk are we blind to right now? 
↳ If you're only watching competitors, you're missing the landmines.

3/ What’s our burn rate for innovation? 
↳ You track revenue. A board tracks stagnation.

4/ Which key person could we lose tomorrow—and how would we survive it? 
↳ Succession isn't a plan. It's a lifeline.

5/ How are we protecting the brand when no one's watching? 
↳ Compliance won't save you. Culture will.

6/ What would destroy trust with our customers overnight? 
↳ Revenue follows relevance. Relevance follows trust.

7/ Are we too reliant on a single revenue stream? 
↳ If one domino falls, how many follow?

8/ What would this company look like with zero bureaucracy? 
↳ You manage the machine. The board asks if it's worth keeping.

9/ How are we building moats, not just walls? 
↳ Protection is temporary. Advantage compounds.

10/ If we keep doing what we’re doing, will we still be alive in 5 years? 
↳ The future doesn't care about your current success.

Bosses protect performance. Board members shape legacy.

♻️ Repost to inspire your network and follow me Kevin Box

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 Personal Branding workshop!

📌 I'm hosting a free 1.5-hour workshop on November 22nd at 9:00 AM Central Standard Time on the 5 Secrets to Growing Your Personal Brand and Monetizing your Digital Business.

Everyone who signs up and attends will receive my Visual Carousels Masterclass free for attending. 

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽:

https://lnkd.in/eiJMVp8b

My AI tool called AskStan helped me write this post. Learn how at AskStan.io.

Check out my website - www.fuelyourgrowth.net

The smartest way to beat a toxic personality?
Starve their ego. Don’t react. Don’t explain. Don’t engage.


The more you play, the more power they gain.
But the moment you stop feeding their need for control—you win.

A Harvard Business Review study confirms:
Disengaging from toxic dynamics not only protects your mental health—it dissolves their influence.

Here’s how to outmaneuver 10 toxic personalities without losing your cool:

1/ The Underminer
↳ Backhanded compliments, subtle digs.
Strategy: Stay factual. Let truth expose their games.

2/ The Narcissist
↳ It’s always about them.
Strategy: Stop chasing their approval. Anchor to your values.

3/ The Victim
↳ Drama magnet. Zero ownership.
Strategy: Push toward solutions. Empathize—don’t enable.

4/ The Gossip
↳ Half-truth dealer.
Strategy: Don’t react. Don’t respond. Silence kills momentum.

5/ The Credit Stealer
↳ Vanishes during losses. Shines during your wins.
Strategy: Document everything. Speak up—calmly and publicly.

6/ The Bulldozer
↳ Interrupts, dominates, steamrolls.
Strategy: Set firm boundaries. Reclaim space with clarity.

7/ The Passive-Aggressive
↳ Sarcasm, delay, indirect hits.
Strategy: Bring behavior into light. Ask direct questions.

8/ The Gatekeeper
↳ Hoards info to stay relevant.
Strategy: Build cross-team ties. Never rely on one channel.

9/ The Martyr
↳ Guilt trips masked as hard work.
Strategy: Define roles in writing. Don’t reward the drama.

10/ The Know-It-All
↳ Rejects feedback. Blocks innovation.
Strategy: Ask what they can’t deflect. Let ego do the unraveling.

Which of these personalities have you faced—and how did you outfox them?

♻️ Repost to inspire your network and follow me Kevin Box 🛡️

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽

📌 I'm hosting a free 1.5-hour workshop on December 6th at 9:30 AM Central Standard Time on the 5 Secrets to Growing Your Personal Brand and Monetizing your Digital Business.

Everyone who signs up and attends will receive my Visual Carousels Masterclass free for attending. 

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽:

https://lnkd.in/eU5bMy2M

My AI tool called AskStan helped me write this post. Learn how at AskStan.io. 

Check out my website - www.fuelyourgrowth.net

Great leaders build cultures. Good leaders build products. Poor leaders build chaos—and blame their teams for it.

Want to rise beyond management?

Think like a C-Level.

Here’s how they think differently:

1/ They think in outcomes
↳ Not tasks, not effort—impact.

2/ They ask what moves the company
↳ Not just what’s assigned.

3/ They speak in clarity, not comfort
↳ Hard truth over easy consensus.

4/ They define success
↳ Then hold people to it.

5/ They translate vision into targets
↳ Everyone knows the mission and the metric.

6/ They challenge bad ideas
↳ Even from senior voices.

7/ They take full ownership
↳ Results, risks, culture—it’s all on them.

8/ They simplify complexity
↳ Strategy over chaos.

9/ They multiply good people
↳ Great teams don’t happen by accident.

10/ They protect standards
↳ Culture decays when excellence isn’t enforced.

What would you add to this list?

♻️ Repost to empower your network and follow me Kevin Box 🛡️for more stuff like this. 

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽

📌 I'm hosting a free 1.5-hour workshop on November 22nd at 9:00 AM Central Standard Time on the 5 Secrets to Growing Your Personal Brand and Monetizing your Digital Business.

Everyone who signs up and attends will receive my Visual Carousels Masterclass free for attending. 

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽:

https://lnkd.in/eiJMVp8b

My AI tool called AskStan helped me write this post. Learn how at AskStan.io.

Check out my website - www.fuelyourgrowth.net

Your manager has more impact on your mental health than your therapist.


The wrong leader will drain your confidence, energy, and drive.

The right one will elevate all three.

According to DDI, employees with leaders who truly care are 3x more likely to be engaged.

The biggest difference?

It’s how they communicate.

Here’s how great leaders speak versus toxic bosses:

1/ Ownership
↳ Poor Boss: “Figure it out. Not my problem.”
↳ Great Leader: “Let’s work through this together.”

2/ Collaboration
↳ Poor Boss: “Do what I say. No questions.”
↳ Great Leader: “I value your input. Let’s discuss.”

3/ Support
↳ Poor Boss: “That’s a you problem, not a me problem.”
↳ Great Leader: “How can I support you?”

4/ Time Crunch
↳ Poor Boss: “I don’t have time for this.”
↳ Great Leader: “Let’s prioritize and find a solution.”

5/ Appreciation
↳ Poor Boss: “You’re lucky to have a job.”
↳ Great Leader: “I appreciate your contributions.”

6/ Problem-Solving
↳ Poor Boss: “Fix it, or I’ll find someone who can.”
↳ Great Leader: “Let’s troubleshoot this together.”

7/ Empathy
↳ Poor Boss: “I don’t care how you feel.”
↳ Great Leader: “Your well-being matters to me.”

8/ Accountability
↳ Poor Boss: “That’s not my fault. It’s yours.”
↳ Great Leader: “Let’s take ownership and learn from this.”

9/ Recognition
↳ Poor Boss: “You should just be grateful.”
↳ Great Leader: “I want you to feel valued here.”

10/ Innovation
↳ Poor Boss: “I don’t pay you to think.”
↳ Great Leader: “Your ideas are valuable.”

What would you add to this list?

♻️ Repost to empower your network and follow me Kevin Box 🛡️for more stuff like this. 

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽

📌 I'm hosting a free 1.5-hour workshop on November 22nd at 9:00 AM Central Standard Time on the 5 Secrets to Growing Your Personal Brand and Monetizing your Digital Business.

Everyone who signs up and attends will receive my Visual Carousels Masterclass free for attending. 

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽:

https://lnkd.in/eiJMVp8b

My AI tool called AskStan helped me write this post. Learn how at AskStan.io.

Check out my website - www.fuelyourgrowth.net

As a leader, you have two ears for a reason. You should listen twice more than you speak.


Harvard Business Review found that 74% of employees report feeling unheard at work (Salesforce Research).

Poor listening doesn't hurt morale only - it costs companies an average of $37 billion annually in lost productivity and turnover.

But here's the opportunity: Listening is the skill that unlocks insights, builds trust, and fosters exponential growth throughout your organization.

Here are 10 principles to master the art of listening as a leader:

1. Be Present
→ Remove distractions. Focus fully on the person in front of you.

2. Ask Open Questions
→ Use "How" or "What" to spark deeper conversations.

3. Embrace Pauses
→ Silence allows others to think and share more meaningfully.

4. Listen to Understand
→ Don't plan your response—absorb their perspective fully.

5. Validate Their View
→ Acknowledge their input with phrases like "That makes sense."

6. Take Notes
→ Jot down key points to show you value their input.

7. Notice Nonverbal Cues
→ Tone, expressions, and posture often reveal more than words.

8. Follow Up
→ Act on what you hear and revisit important topics.

9. Stay Curious
→ Enter every conversation ready to learn.

10. Create Safety
→ Foster an environment where people feel heard and respected.

What would you add to the list? 

♻️ Repost to inspire your network and follow me Kevin Box 🛡️

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽

📌 I'm hosting a free 1.5-hour workshop on December 6th at 9:30 AM Central Standard Time on the 5 Secrets to Growing Your Personal Brand and Monetizing your Digital Business.

Everyone who signs up and attends will receive my Visual Carousels Masterclass free for attending. 

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽:

https://lnkd.in/eU5bMy2M

My AI tool called AskStan helped me write this post. Learn how at AskStan.io.

Check out my website - www.fuelyourgrowth.net

“Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.”
 – John F. Kennedy


Strength isn’t found in comfort.
It’s forged in challenge, discipline, and decision.

You don’t get stronger by wishing life were easier—
You get stronger by choosing to rise anyway.

Study these 10 principles to be a stronger human:

1/ Do the hard thing first
↳ Strength is built when you stop negotiating with discomfort.

2/ Set standards—then stick to them
↳ You don’t rise to your goals. You fall to your systems.

3/ Say what needs to be said
↳ Silence might keep the peace—but it won’t build your spine.

4/ Train your body
↳ Physical strength reinforces mental toughness. Sweat is strategy.

5/ Own your mistakes
↳ Strength isn't pretending you're perfect. It's taking full responsibility.

6/ Delay gratification
↳ Weak people chase now. Strong people invest in later.

7/ Keep promises to yourself
↳ Confidence comes from self-trust. Build it with consistency.

8/ Seek discomfort daily
↳ Your edge lives just beyond convenience.

9/ Stand up for others
↳ Strength isn’t loud. It’s quietly doing what’s right—even when it’s costly.

10/ Lead yourself first
↳ You can’t lead a team, a business, or a family—until you lead your habits.

Don’t chase easy.
Chase growth.
That’s where the real strength lives.


♻️ Repost to inspire your network and follow me Kevin Box 🛡️

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽

📌 I'm hosting a free 1.5-hour workshop on December 6th at 9:30 AM Central Standard Time on the 5 Secrets to Growing Your Personal Brand and Monetizing your Digital Business.

Everyone who signs up and attends will receive my Visual Carousels Masterclass free for attending. 

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽:

https://lnkd.in/eU5bMy2M

My AI tool called AskStan helped me write this post. Learn how at AskStan.io.

Check out my website - www.fuelyourgrowth.net

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taplio

The Battle

Tom Alder

Kevin Box🚀

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

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