The Baton
I’m excited to launch the first edition of this newsletter, the inspiration for which started on a sunny midsummer day in 2019, when Steve Dapper, the celebrated founder of Dallas-based advertising agency Hawkeye, stood in front of his entire team, put his arm on my shoulders, and handed me a red baton with the words “To Joe From Steve” inscribed on the side. As he named me his successor, he said: “For as long as you hold this, your job is to run as fast and as far as you can, and to prepare the next generation of leaders to take it from you and do the same.”
While I learned many things from Steve, one of the most important lessons is that leadership isn’t a solo sprint — it’s a relay. The baton we carry represents our duty to prepare the next generation to take over and lead.
Today’s challenges — from geopolitical crises to environmental threats — demand fresh, bold leadership. History is filled with young leaders who stepped up when the world needed them most, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Greta Thunberg. Their youth wasn’t a disadvantage; in fact, it liberated them from the status quo and helped them identify solutions to challenges that stymied other leaders.
Younger leaders are uniquely equipped with access to technology and education, diverse backgrounds, and progressive mindsets. Now is the time to harness these strengths and tackle the most pressing issues of our era.
And so, through this newsletter and more content to come on my website, I’m excited to explore 12 leadership themes that I hope will inspire, provoke, and challenge you as you carry your leadership baton forward. Those 12 themes are:
Origin Stories: understand how the myths and facts of your past shape how you show up as a leader.
Becoming: becoming the best leader means becoming the best version of yourself.
Imposter Syndrome: overcome the fears and doubts that limit your potential.
World-Class Observers: learn to see opportunities where others see limitations.
Trust: build and rebuild trust to fuel action and connection.
Urgent vs. Important: master the balance between urgency and importance to prioritize what truly matters.
Decision Making: make better, faster decisions in a complex, rapidly changing world.
Direction & Feedback: provide clarity and actionable feedback to inspire and guide your team.
The Business of Leadership: gain command over financials and strategic levers to ensure sustainable growth.
Good in a Room: use storytelling and charisma to influence and unite stakeholders.
Growth Mindset: foster agility and a culture of learning to drive innovation and resilience.
Values & Integrity: lead with values and integrity as the foundation of all leadership decisions.
In leadership, the race is never finished. Each of us must run as fast and as far as we can before passing the baton to the next generation. The time for young leaders to rise is now. Are you ready to take the baton?
