Idea Sharing Archive

Welcome to the Business of Shared Leadership blog! This weekly installment features thought-provoking posts and discussions about inspired leadership topics, authored by Kevin Hancock.

Dec 4 Post
Humans Fight Over the Stories We Tell Ourselves
“Why there are so many wars in the world? Many people tell you that people fight for the same reasons that other animals fight. It’s just natural. You fight…
MTL 2025
2026 Motivating Transformational Leaders Program
Kevin Hancock and DoorTwo are pleased to announce the fourth Motivating Transformational Leaders Program taking place in October 2026 at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, AZ. This…
Game of Thrones
Power Resides Where Men Believe It Resides
Game of Thrones “Three great men sit in a room. A king, a priest, and a rich man. Between them stands a common cell sword. Each great man bids…
What You're Not Changing, You're Choosing.
What You’re Not Changing, You’re Choosing
Hello! This 15 second video is one of my favorites. I’ve watched it now dozens of times and I think about it over and over again when I look…
Four Steps to Help People Feel Listened To
The following excerpts appeared in a syndicated column by Julia Minson in 2024 on the website Greater Good. Julia is a psychologist, negotiating scholar, and computational linguist who has…
Legacy: Navigating Family Business
Legacy: Navigating Family Business with Anne Bauer
I recently sat down with Anne Bauer, host of the Legacy: Navigating Family Business Podcast, certified coach, and 6th generation family business owner to discuss my journey on trust,…
Train Yourself to Always Show Up
The following excerpts are from a guest essay by Sharon Brous which appeared in the New York Times in January of 2024. Sharon is the founding and senior rabbi…
Black Elk on the Power of Circles
As discussed in my last two posts, Black Elk, or Hehaka Sapa, is the most famous Oglala holy man of the nineteenth century. He was born free in December…
Black Elk Speaks of the Making of Meat
As discussed in my last post, Black Elk, or Hehaka Sapa, is the most famous Oglala holy man of the nineteenth century. He was born free in December of…
Black Elk Speaks
Black Elk, or Hehaka Sapa, is the most famous Oglala holy man of the nineteenth century. He was born free in December of 1863, before the breaking of treaties….
Spirited Work
The following is an excerpt from my book The Seventh Power: One CEO’s Journey into the Business of Shared Leadership: Why not make the authentic self-expression of the human…
We’ve Never Cut the Same Tree Twice
Hancock Lumber has been harvesting and milling white pine logs into lumber since 1848. Across all of those years we have never processed the same log twice. Every pine…
Saco & Biddeford Savings Virtual Talk
In April I had a lovely opportunity to visit with my friend Mark Jones, CEO of Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution. This was a recorded conversation later shared with…
Kevin Hancock
Beating The Family Business Odds — Chief Executive Magazine
Earlier this month, Kevin Hancock was featured by Chief Executive Magazine in the article Beating The Family Business Odds by C.J. Prince. This article focuses on five strategies that…
Kevin Hancock Mission Trust Quote
Ours to Create
I was sitting in an employee huddle at our Saco store when I heard the statement The work culture here is ours to create. A relatively new member of…
The Grand Illusion
In 1972 six young guys from Chicago formed the American rock band Styx. Five years later they released their hugely successful album, The Grand Illusion. This first of four…
Sioux Medicine Wheel
Our Thoughts Matter
Our thoughts drive behavior, and behavior drives performance. What we see determines what we do, and what we do determines what we get. Therefore, if we want something different…
Perhaps Every Leader Should Lose Their Voice
The following is an excerpt from my first book, Not for Sale: Finding Center in the Land of Crazy Horse: In 2010 I lost the consistent and comfortable use…
Chin Up Chest Out Coaching
Chin Up, Chest Out. We All Make Mistakes!
People ask me what Shared Leadership looks like at work and my answer is simple: humans looking out for other humans while we work. This 30 second video mentors beautiful…
Custer Memorial
Not Listening Has Consequences
“My every thought was ambition—to be great.” —George Armstrong Custer What a sight it would have been to see the Indian encampment on the morning of June 25, 1876….