Mike Figliuolo

Founder and managing director

Mike Figliuolo is the author of The Elegant Pitch (Weiser, 2016) and One Piece of Paper (Jossey-Bass, 2011), and co-author of Lead Inside the Box (Weiser, 2015). He’s also the managing director of thoughtLEADERS LLC, a leadership development training firm. He regularly writes about leadership in the thoughtLEADERS Brief on LinkedIn.

Wed, 10/15/2025 - 12:01
Taking a Ride on the Leadership Highway Do you lead like you drive?
Thu, 07/10/2014 - 13:16
As I was driving to the airport the other morning, I couldn’t help but notice that highway driving has a lot in common with leadership. I’d like to explore some leadership questions that come up when we think about driving on the highway and…
Overcoming Your Decision-Making Fears Don’t let fear delay your decision making, but be smart about it
Wed, 04/30/2014 - 09:38
A leader’s daily decision checklist is daunting: From hiring or firing to major business changes, every judgment call carries with it some level of risk. A bad choice could result in a toxic hire or a new product launch that crashes and burns.…
How to Drive Decisions Without Saying a Word People are more willing to support ideas when they have a chance to contribute to them
Mon, 03/31/2014 - 14:23
All too often, leaders seek to build support for an idea by talking—a lot. They go on and on about why the decision is a good one, detailing its benefits, the reasons others should support it, and the path forward. There’s passion and excitement…
How to Lead People Who Have Never Followed Transparency and keen discernment pave a clear path
Mon, 03/24/2014 - 15:32
What’s the biggest risk facing leaders of most entrepreneurial ventures? It’s not closing that first round of funding or landing a cornerstone customer. As with most things, it all comes back to people—and your ability to lead those who don’t have…
Three Things You Should Never Say When Presenting How to get the decision or outcome you want
Thu, 02/13/2014 - 11:29
PowerPoint is the devil’s instrument, and when you use it, you risk becoming a musician in his demonic orchestra. All of us are required to give presentations in some form or fashion at various points in our careers. If you’d like to succeed in…
Three Secret Phrases All Leaders Must Know Simple keys to enhance clarity and understanding
Mon, 01/20/2014 - 17:53
Leadership is inherently about communication. Your ability to communicate well with your team, your boss, your co-workers, and anyone else around you can make or break your career as a leader. Given the importance we place on communications, it…
Leadership Lessons from Han Solo Tell it like it is
Thu, 01/02/2014 - 11:55
You have to admit, Han Solo could definitely pull off that leather vest. On top of that, he can teach all of us a thing or three about informal leadership. We’ve all been in a role at one time or another where we weren’t the “formal” leader of the…
What a Heart Attack Taught Me About Balance Take it to heart before it’s too late
Mon, 12/02/2013 - 11:02
So I had a heart attack last month. No. Literally. And I’m using the word “literally” correctly here. I was just sitting there when out of nowhere I had a sharp pain in the right side of my chest (weird, right?). That pain started radiating out my…
Strategic Planning Hint: ‘Budget + 10%’ isn’t a strategy
Fri, 11/15/2013 - 10:01
Everyone wants a “strategy.” Everyone wants their stuff to be “strategic.” Strategic plan. Strategic facilities expansion. Strategic HR sourcing. Strategic restroom cleaning schedule. The word “strategy” is being abused so badly it needs counseling…