Most leadership advice stays at the surface. It gives you lists, formulas, and “three easy steps.” Those can be useful—but they don’t explain the deeper why behind what makes great leadership.

The Bottom 90 focuses on what’s beneath the surface—the principles, theories, and inner systems that make leadership work in the first place.

Think of leadership like an iceberg:

• The top 10% is what people see—confidence, communication, results.

• The bottom 90% is hidden—discipline, mindset, self-awareness, thinking patterns, and identity.

Here, we explore that unseen 90% of who leaders are.
Every article is research-backed and draws from psychology, behavioral science, neuroscience, philosophy, medical studies and primary sources from great leaders in our ancient history. We connect that research to real-world leadership so you can understand why something you learned in a book or framework works—not just copy what others do.

Examples of what you’ll learn:

• How emotional regulation shapes team trust

• Why managing mental energy matters more than just managing time

• How identity drives habits and actions

• The role of curiosity, clarity, and self-awareness in decision-making

• How physical and mental health impact leadership over the long term

• How to spot and challenge bias in yourself and your team

• How to use research to strengthen culture and performance

• and more.

Our belief is simple:

When you understand the principles, you don’t need formulas.
When you understand the why, the how comes naturally.

The Bottom 90 is here to guide you in collecting new knowledge and weaving it together into constellations that reveal the bigger story that will help you lead yourself, and the people around you better.