Featured Posts
In praise of praise
One of the secrets to human performance is hidden in plain sight. That is, most don’t see it or they ignore it. The amazing part is that it’s free and it works. Here’s the secret:[...]
So, what else have you got?
Of course I remember you! You were that wunderkind in your early work days who plowed through tasks and got things done at an amazing pace. As an individual producer, you stood out among your[...]
Do you really know how to “think out of the box?” – Part 3, How can I escape the box?
The previous post, and the one before that, demonstrated that the unrealized act of self-deception is one of the largest factors undermining relationships, teamwork, and performance. Self-deception puts us in a box that blinds us[...]
Do you really know how to “think out of the box?” – Part 2, How bad could it be?
In my last post we looked at how self-deception can put us “in a box” and literally keep us from “thinking outside the box.” When we betray ourselves we seek to justify ourselves. We tell[...]
Do you really know how to think “out of the box?” – Part 1
Most don’t. Oh, it's not because they’re not smart or that opportunities don’t abound. It’s not even because teachers, consultants and the like aren’t overflowing with lists, how-to’s, and tricks designed to “expand” our thinking beyond[...]
Wrong place. Now what?
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. was the eldest son of President Teddy Roosevelt and Edith Roosevelt. Ted, as he was often called, had served in WWI on the front lines and again in WWII as Brigadier General.[...]
Your scary future, Part 7; how do you find comfort in an uncomfortable world?
Every generation seems to feel that it has the most complex and challenging of times. They’re no more or less right than we are. We observe, and believe, that our connected and digital world moves[...]
Your scary future, Part 6; flexing and all that jazz
V.U.C.A. world or not, we still have to make a difference. We still have to contribute. We still have to deliver value. And that means taking action and getting results. Yet, action unfolds and results[...]
Your scary future, Part 5; the necessity of a prepared mind
The future is about change; both dangerous discontinuity and positive permutation. The future is very complicated. The whole of it is greater than the sum of the parts – you can’t really understand it by[...]
Your scary future, Part 4: the lady or the tiger?
How would you decide? “The Lady, or the Tiger?” begins with a description of a “semi-barbaric” king who rules his kingdom with a heavy hand. For punishing criminals, he has built an arena featuring two[...]
Your scary future, Part 3: sense and sensibility
Listen for a word: absolutely (and its kin: exactly, precisely, of course, no doubt, without question, totally, undoubtedly, clearly, utterly). How often do you hear it used in daily speech? Probably more than in the[...]
Your scary future, Part 2: what kind of problem do you have?
You have had problems. You currently have problems and you will have problems. Our world has always been characterized by some degree of uncertainty and complexity, highlighted by encounters with volatility and ambiguity (VUCA). Today[...]