In Search of Inspiration
For the Pullman Drafts series, Tim captures an encounter with bestselling author and coach Michael Bungay Stanier, exploring how friction, risk, and creative tension ignite fresh ideas.
by Tim Leberecht
Here’s something that you might not know about Michael Bungay Stanier:
Whenever we open sales for our annual House of Beautiful Business festival, he is among the first to buy a pass. Always! A visionary coach, thinker, bestselling author (“The Coaching Habit,” “How to Begin”), podcast host, and founder (Box of Crayons), Michael (or MBS — “the other MBS,” as he puts it) has contributed to our events many times; he has given talks, hosted dinners, and facilitated workshops. Moreover, he’s a friend and advisor. He has earned himself, if you will, the status of “Lifetime Honorary Member of the House,” with a free seat in the first row at everything we’re doing. And yet, he always purchases a regular ticket.
It’s his humility, too, that makes me him want to break down complex matters—how to lead, how to live a meaningful life at work and beyond, how to start something, how to get shit done—into accessible, actionable pieces of advice that are actually for YOU.
MBS always blows your mind, and I haven’t met one person who heard him speak who was not gushing about the experience. He is not one who shies away from tackling hard issues and speaking the truth, but even if someone disagrees with him, they are *with* him.
In short, when it comes to leadership, creativity, and inspiration, I can’t think of a better person to hear from than MBS, and it is my great pleasure to kick off the Pullman Drafts thought leadership series we are producing in partnership with Pullman Hotels & Resorts with a thought leader who truly deserves this name.
Read my full piece about and with Michael Bungay Stanier here.
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A Pullman Draft is an idea. A provocation. A spark for conversation and an invitation to think differently. Welcome to Pullman Drafts, a series of personal reflections with the House of Beautiful Business, featuring bold voices from business, culture, media, and technology.