I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about AI and our future, and I’m still left with more questions than answers. In fact, I have almost nothing but questions—but at least they keep evolving, so I count that as progress! Some of my questions are big-picture, like: How does an economy function in a world that may […]
When you were a kid, did your parents ever look at you—maybe after some “creative” decision—and say, “That was good judgement!” or “You did not use good judgement!”? Be honest: at that point in your life, did you actually know what they meant? Or were you just guessing, chalking it up to luck or their […]
Yesterday, as I looked out my home office window, I spotted a young, energetic black Labrador zigzagging across my neighbor’s yard. Nose to the ground, she was clearly on a mission. Ten minutes later, my wife came upstairs and asked me to check out a different window. There, perched 15 feet in the air, was […]
“Random activity hoping for an above-average return on assets.” You’ve likely never read that in a finance or business class, yet it describes the so-called “strategy” employed by too many leaders. Successful organizations thrive when guided by well-thought-out ideas. The two key reasons for having these ideas embedded throughout your organization are alignment and resource allocation (both financial and […]
I need a two-week vacation with frozen libations And flip-flops propped up and a view Of a wide-open ocean where the world’s in slow motion An umbrella, two blue chairs, and you —Zac Brown Band, Two Blue Chairs and You Many of my clients over the years have sucked at vacations. Some didn’t take them […]
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” —Turkish proverb Well, the Turks might know.… We deserve better than clowns, yet that’s what we have in many candidates for the halls of government. An understanding of economics, leadership, the constitution, and international relations with a big […]
A recent trip to Cuba left me speechless for three reasons: beauty, fishing, and dysfunction. Twelve of us were on a live-aboard boat several hours off the coast for most of the week fishing for bonefish, tarpon, and permit. It was brilliant fishing, and the pristine waters (protected in part by dysfunctional policy) were superlative! […]
People fly for several reasons but most often to get from point A to point B with little energy. To accomplish this, the pilot undergoes a formal trip planning process; a climb up to a turbulence-free, energy-efficient altitude (considering engine efficiency, headwinds, drag, etc.); autopilot activation; and a relatively straight-line cruise until it’s time to […]
Some clients don’t agree with me using the word conflict in a positive light. I tell them why I disagree, which I guess is an example of healthy conflict. Addressing conflict requires consideration of two precursors. Let’s deal with semantics first. You might prefer the word disagree, oppose, disharmony, fight, strife, struggle, or ruckus. Great, […]
Narcissistic CEOs are an unfortunate, though sometimes very successful, feature of the business landscape. While approximately 6% of us suffer from this disorder, it’s more prevalent in males than females (though some believe females are catching up) and more common on mahogany row—some think 40% of CEOs exhibit significant symptoms. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual […]