Holder of Stories of the Heart: On radical self-inquiry and being a good leader in unsettling times with Jerry Colonna
Poets & Thinkers
Suffering as Catalyst for Change
Jerry discusses suffering as the motivator for growth, citing Buddha and Siddhartha as models for transformation.
What if the most radical question you can ask yourself as a leader isn’t about strategy or growth – but simply “How am I actually feeling?”
In this very personal episode, Ben sits down with Jerry Colonna, legendary executive coach, former venture capitalist, and author of Reboot and Reunion. Speaking just days after becoming a grandfather, Jerry brings the full weight of his wisdom as “Holder of Stories of the Heart”—a name that came to him during a water-only fast in the desert—to explore what it means to lead with humanity in increasingly inhuman times.
Resources & References
Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up by Jerry Colonna
Reunion: Leadership and the Longing to Belong by Jerry Colonna
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Bell Hooks’ poems “When Angels Speak of Love”
REM’s “It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)”
Jerry’s essay on coaching from an elder's perspective
Connect with Jerry Colonna
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-colonna-reboot/
Bio:
Leadership through radical self-inquiry. This is the driving idea behind the work of Jerry Colonna. For over two decades, he has been dedicated to the proposition that work should be non-violent to the self, non-violent to the community, and non-violent to the planet.
Jerry is a coach, writer, and speaker who focuses on leadership, business, and the practice of radical self-inquiry. He is the Co-founder and CEO of Reboot.io, a company born from the rallying cry that work does not have to destroy us. Work can be the way in which we achieve our fullest self.
A graduate of Queens College, Jerry helps people lead with humanity and equanimity. His unique blend of Buddhism, Jungian therapy, and entrepreneurial know-how has made him a sought-after coach and leader, working with some of the largest firms in the country.
In his work as a coach, he draws on his experience in Venture Capital (VC) as Co-founder of Flatiron Partners, one of the most successful, early-stage investment programs. Later, he was a partner with J.P. Morgan Partners (JPMP), the private equity arm of J.P. Morgan Chase.
As a partner with J.P. Morgan Chase, Jerry launched the Financial Recovery Fund with The Partnership for the City of New York, a $10 million-plus program aimed at creating grants for small businesses impacted by the attacks on the World Trade Center.
Along with a strong commitment to the nonprofit sector, Jerry is the author of two books: REBOOT: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up (2019) and REUNION: Leadership an
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