Hi, I’m Ben Sorensen.

I want to be a better leader.

But: it’s hard to know where to start and what path to take to become a better leader when there’s so much confusing and contradictory information out there.

This website is about me writing down and sharing what I’ve learned and continue to learn about how to lead, how to grow, and how to build teams and organisations that succeed.

I have leadership responsibility in teams, as a company executive and boards, and in my family. But like most people, I’m not a born leader. And leadership doesn’t come as easy to me as it does to others.

I’ve always tried to understand how things work, and human organisations are my big focus. I’ve worked inside more than a dozen companies (including some I’ve founded), and worked with hundreds of companies and thousands of people in those organisations. Like most of us, I’ve also been part of schools and community and sporting organisations outside of work.

Each of these organisations had leaders and they are responsible for strategy and ensuring the success of the organisations. Leaders exist at all levels, not just the top, and each fulfils their role uniquely. Some leaders are exceptional, most are average. A few are terrible. And only a handful are what we might call “born leaders”.

And it’s not all their fault. I ran a quick survey on LinkedIn and found 4 out of 5 leaders haven’t received formal leadership training before stepping up into a leadership role.

One thing is common: the experiences of the people involved in the organisations I’ve worked with and the success teams enjoyed together was a direct consequence of the leaders and the leadership they provided. Some places were a joy and people thrived. Other places felt like punishment, the atmosphere toxic to whoever it touched.

Leadership matters.

All progress on purpose is because of leadership.

As leaders, I think we have responsibility to others in our teams. People literally spend their lives in organisations, giving the best of their talents, time and attention. Organisations are how we organise ourselves to achieve meaningful progress in society. In some organisations like the military there are life or death consequences. Leaders are responsible to bring out the best in others and to enable their talents and success as teams. The leadership responsibility starts first with leading ourselves well, and then extends to leading others well.

How can I be a better leader?

Since I was a kid, I’ve been asking the same questions:

• What makes one leader good and another not-good?
• How can I learn to be a better leader?
• Where do I begin? What path should I take?

The answers are in an endless library of books and expensive training – if you can afford it. Most of what I found was muddled and contradictory and confusing. Books told me that to be a better leader I needed to “cultivate charisma”, and learn how to “grow your gravitas” – none of that seemed very easy to me. Others provided tips on leadership psychology and lionised examples such as Henry Ford, Steve Jobs and Winston Churchill. That seemed a bit Western-centric and lacking gender balance. It was a constrained reading list.

Fortunately, some leaders have generously indulged me with their insightful mentorship and advice. And other leaders have provided excellent examples – good and bad – of what to do and what not-to-do. All have been valuable.

DuxNotes is what I’ve learnt and continue to learn from others about how to lead, grow and succeed.

Maybe it will help you, too.

---