Insightful Ideas: 2023 Flashes of Understanding

A few weeks ago, a colleague sent me this (delightfully) cryptic message via Slack: "Today's NYT crossword 63A!"

I had missed the crossword, so I asked about it the following morning. It turns out that the answer to 63-across of that day's puzzle was "INSIGHTS." And the clue was: "Flashes of understanding."

She thought this would make a spectacular title for either an Insight Experience social media or blog post. 

So ... here you go, Kristin! Today we look at our top-read 2023 posts here at our blog, Insightful Ideas, and it is subtitled "2023 Flashes of Understanding."

Kristin is right, by all means: The phrase is a fitting way to describe what we provide in our simulation-based leadership development programs. Participants, according to the surveys we receive as well as feedback from our clients, experience meaningful flashes of understanding. Whether they are improving their business acumen, learning to execute strategy or lead organizations, or developing themselves as new leaders, they have many aha! moments in their learning. And they are the kind of aha! moments that stick.

Here at our blog, Insightful Ideas, we like to contemplate these moments and how we can faciltitate them. It is a sheer pleasure for us to present thought leadership here throughout the year. This blog is a place for us to share valuable insights; think about what is possible in our industry and drive positive change; and make connections with our readers. And it is a privilege for us to do so. 

We kicked off 2023 with a post in which members of our faciltiation team shared what they learned in the field during 2022 and, most recently, Katelyn Watkins shared her thoughts on leadership development during the winter months. In between those two posts, we explored tips for networking; decision-making "on the cusp"; how to know when you need an executive coach; our Leadership Express simulations; why Giving Tuesday matters; agile leadership; which books we read this year that prompted us to examine aspects of leadership; psychological safety; the cost of capital; and much more. 

We are immensely grateful to the team members here at Insight Experience who share their own flashes of understanding here at our blog. In the spirit of the year-end posts that are prevalent this time every year, we present our own: Our Best of 2023, the blog posts that were the most read. They provide an intriguing snapshot of leadership development over the past 12 months. 

1. "Your Guide to Bringing Strategic Leadership to Life" — In September, Karen Maxwell Powell shared her recipe for successful executive sessions, highly customized ones that are linked to strategic initiatives for senior leaders. Stay tuned: Early next year she will share a part-two post in this series. 
2. "Understanding Leadership Mindset: What Would Ted Lasso Do?" — After fans said goodbye to Ted Lasso in late May, Krista Campbell explored how the titular character exemplies the four core dimensions of our Leadership Mindset model that can help leaders think about how they lead. Come for Krista's wisdom; stay for a photo of Dani Rojas exuding joy. 
3. "Leadership Communications in the Age of ChatGPT" — Early in the year, Krista also wrote about ChatGPT, which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, was the topic of countless conversations in 2023, and has revolutionized the way many people write. Krista explored what this means for leadership communications.
4. "Stepping Onto the Balcony to Align Priorities" — Why is it important for leaders to know when to step onto the balcony? What are some practical ways to realign priorities? Bethany Bremer shared some grounded, valuable tips in this June 2023 post. 
5. A two-way tie: "When Is the Right Time for Leadership Development?" and "How Not to Be the Subject of a Leadership Horror Story" — It looks like our blog readers equally loved two more posts written by Krista. In May, she posed the question: When is the right time for leadership development? (Hint: There is no one "best" time, but there are, as she writes, "critical points in a person’s leadership journey that provide natural opportunities for upskilling.") And early in the year, Krista shared some tips for how to avoid becoming the subject of an employee's tale of woe at their next cocktail party. (She followed that the next month with tips on becoming the subject of your employees' tales of well-being.) 

Which topics will be top of mind in 2024? We do hope you stick around to find out. We'll be here, pondering newfound flashes of understanding.