Introduction: Beyond the Buzzwords
What if the most popular leadership advice is actually a trap? We’ve all heard the buzzwords: "culture eats strategy for breakfast," "empower your teams." They sound great in meetings and look even better on a poster. But these slogans often fall flat, offering inspiration but no instruction, leaving leaders wondering why their well-intentioned mantras aren't translating into results.
A new playbook, Culture by Design, Power by Discipline by Lenier Johnson, Jr., challenges leaders to move beyond these buzzwords. It offers a surprising and insightful perspective by contrasting the disciplined, system-based approach of a Management Operating System (MOS) with the often-controversial principles from Robert Greene's The 48 Laws of Power. This article distills the most impactful takeaways from this unique comparison, showing how to lead with systems, not just slogans.