I Want Less
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

I Want Less

We’re taught to chase more, more projects, more goals, more success. But what if the real breakthrough comes from less? Less stress. Less complexity. Less noise. By subtracting, we create space for clarity, focus, and true significance.

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A New Olympic Sport
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

A New Olympic Sport

When my six-year-old asked, “Why isn’t kindness an Olympic sport?” it stopped me in my tracks. In a world driven by KPIs and dashboards, maybe the real test of success is learning to value what can’t be measured.

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The Number that Actually Matters
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

The Number that Actually Matters

Most organizations drown in metrics. Dashboards light up with data, but without clarity on the one number that drives results, teams spin in circles. Confusion creates motion, but clarity creates momentum.

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WAR. What is it Good For?
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

WAR. What is it Good For?

We measure wins in baseball with WAR - Wins Above Replacement. But how do we measure our true value in business and leadership? This piece challenges you to rethink impact, contribution, and what would truly be missed if you weren’t in the game.

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What’s the Real Goal?
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

What’s the Real Goal?

Too often, we confuse tactics for goals. A new system or process feels like progress, but those are just tools. Not the destination. True success comes from clarity: knowing what bigger mission those tactics are meant to serve. Before you get lost in the mechanics, ask yourself - What’s the real goal?

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Why Your Team Won’t Make Decisions
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

Why Your Team Won’t Make Decisions

Three different leaders told me the exact same thing: “My people won’t make decisions.” The real issue isn’t the people. It’s the system they’re operating in.

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"How you do anything is how you do everything."
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

"How you do anything is how you do everything."

“How you do anything is how you do everything” sounds inspiring, but in reality, it’s unsustainable. The key isn’t doing everything perfectly. It’s deciding what deserves your best and letting the rest be “good enough.”

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The Beauty of Bourbon
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

The Beauty of Bourbon

What began as a conversation over a bottle of bourbon turned into something much deeper, a quiet lesson about the value of stillness in a life lived at full speed.

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Where the Truth Lives: Listening Before Leading
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

Where the Truth Lives: Listening Before Leading

After a decade of growth, a successful firm paused to ask the deeper questions: Who are we now? What do we stand for? And where are we going next? The answer didn’t come from the top, it came from the front lines.

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Who is Really the Most Trusted Profession?
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

Who is Really the Most Trusted Profession?

We say trust is earned in hospitals and boardrooms, but maybe it’s really built in a barber’s chair. This piece explores why the person who cuts your hair might be the best listener you know, and what leaders can learn from that 30 minutes of judgment-free honesty.

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Where Your Energy Goes, Your Life Flows
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

Where Your Energy Goes, Your Life Flows

What you focus on is what you get, good, bad, or somewhere in between. This short reflection explores why our thoughts and energy shape our reality, and how you can steer your life toward what you truly want instead of what you’re trying to avoid.

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Halfway There: Now What?
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

Halfway There: Now What?

The fireworks are over, the grill is cold, and the year is halfway done. Plans shift, life surprises us, but there’s still time to shape the rest of 2025 into a year you’ll be proud of. Here’s how I’m thinking about it, and a simple nudge to help you reset and move forward.

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Own Your Bad Rounds
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

Own Your Bad Rounds

We all have bad rounds, in golf, work, and life. The difference is, you can’t fix a golf swing on the spot, but you can own your mistakes with people. That’s how you build trust, get better, and keep getting invited back to play.

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Wandering In the Woods
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

Wandering In the Woods

Sometimes the only way forward is to step off the path. In the wake of a career shift, I found myself wandering, uncertain, uncomfortable, and unsure of what came next. But in that stillness, something powerful emerged: clarity. Not all at once, but step by step, swing by swing.

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Make It Right
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

Make It Right

A spilled drink. A broken frame. A moment of truth. When things go wrong, leadership isn’t measured by who’s to blame — it’s measured by who steps up and makes it right. But making it right isn’t just about fixing what’s broken. It’s about reinforcing trust when it matters most. And in leadership, that trust is everything.

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On the Road to…
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

On the Road to…

A client once asked, “How will you help us get there?”

I replied, “Get where, exactly?”

Before we chase answers or strategies, we need clarity on the destination. Whether you’re headed to Austin or Albany, the direction matters. Here’s why defining where you’re going is the first step to getting anywhere meaningful.

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Show Up Like Mom Did
Rob Speciale Rob Speciale

Show Up Like Mom Did

A Mother’s Day reflection on the quiet power of presence and how the example set at home shapes the way we lead.

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