You need a vision to start with There’s a parable of sorts attributed to Michelangelo who, when asked how he was able to so beautifully carve the statue of David, responded that he merely cut away everything that wasn’t David. That’s a wonderful depiction of focus that we can all take with us. If we […]
I just saw one of the most brilliant, toughest son of a bitches I know get teary-eyed while giving a speech. I’ve known him for years; I have a great deal of respect for him and have learned an enormous amount from him. Now 70 years old, he told a childhood story about witnessing something […]
No Executive is Perfect There’s a relatively bright line between two types of leaders that I look for when I consider new clients: those concerned primarily with their vanity versus those concerned with developing a vision. Those who think it’s primarily about what the company can do for them and the benefits that they receive […]
My friend Dave and I have something in common: We’ll both die at least twice. Each of us had medical occurrences that caused breath and blood to stop flowing — his very recently, mine when I was a young man. I’d like to keep it to two; the first occurrence wasn’t so fun. Unlike physical […]
It’s vital to get input from the outside The rarefied air of the C-suite is a wonderful and challenging place. Although there are certainly some narcissistic, power-hungry folks there, many in the executive ranks are bright, talented people who bring high value to the organizations they serve and the people they work with. I spend […]
One of my favorite authors, Jon Meacham, relays the story in “Destiny and Power” of former President Lyndon Johnson advising George H.W. Bush to run for the senate rather than the house. “Son,” Johnson said, “I’ve served in the House. And I’ve been privileged to serve in the Senate, too. And they’re both good places […]
Can “average” CEOs become indispensable? In Charles Krauthammer’s book “Things That Matter: Three Decades of Passions, Pastimes and Politics,” he argues that when the folks at Time magazine chose Albert Einstein as Person of the Century in 1999, they erred. He argues that it should’ve been Winston Churchill. While singing Einstein’s praises, Krauthammer points out […]
I recently wrote about the challenge of not being able to answer the question, “Who’s in charge here?” (Click here to read.) I often write my blogs after encountering something in the business world that causes me to think about a topic. It might be a client problem, something from the headlines or an issue […]
Sayings for a successful life in business Some time ago, I wrote a piece on cowboy wisdom for the business world. I recently stumbled on some additional Will Rogers quotes that are wonderful observations about a successful life in business. See if you agree with me. “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run […]
I wish that I had a dollar for every story that I have heard of lack of clarity around responsibility causing poor company performance. When I hear of a poor performing region, product, division, or business process I always start by asking, “Who owns this?” If there is no clear answer, that—in and of itself—is […]