“Leadership is the art of making difficult judgments in the face of uncertainty, and it is about shaping a path for others to follow.” Prof. Julian Birkinshaw, London Business School. Professor Birkinshaw provides 7 lessons from the political turmoil of Brexit – about how to fail, and occasionally how to succeed as a leader. Business … Read more
I receive a couple of regular email newsletters. I am very strict about unsubscribing if the content is not worth the interruption to my day. Peter Diamandis sends out an excellent email newsletter called Abundance Insider, and it is full of ideas that make me sit back and reflect on the world. I originally met … Read more
The human condition: to be aware that we are free to take decisions and that these decisions can turn out to be poor choices. It is normal to suffer and regret decisions. Nobody has an anxiety-free life: not even in the movies, not even in romantic songs. Alain de Botton shares a wise insight into existential crises … Read more
I’ve just added another great Commencement speech to my youtube playlist: Commencement Speeches Emmanuel Faber gave the commencement address at HEC this year, 2016. The first half is in french, the last in english. Emmanuel tells a powerful personal story, describes 3 diseases, and asks us a question… This is a powerful speech. You’ve got to watch … Read more
This graphic captures it all… Thanks to XKCD for the original. “I take good decisions and then I work to make them great.” It reminds me of a story about one of the founders of Tata Industrial group. He was asked “How do you take good decisions?” He paused before answering: “I don’t do anything … Read more
Do you want to start something? Do you want to grow something? Do you want to make the world a better place? Rosabeth Moss Kanter is a Harvard Professor that has spent her life looking at what it takes for leaders to get things done. 6 Keys to Leading Positive Change Show up – if … Read more
One anecdote does not make a proof. The danger: humans are more easily persuaded by 1 clear and concrete anecdote than by big data and expert statistical analysis. “My friend’s brother bought a house in downtown Barcelona 2 years ago and is now selling it at twice the price!” This statement has far more impact … Read more
Yesterday, Boris Johnson was on a triumphal march to the leadership of the UK. Today, his career lies in ruins. What happened? Tragedy is “a form of drama based on human suffering that invokes an accompanying catharsis or pleasure in audiences” (from wikipedia). The essence of Tragedy is that the hero’s greatest strength will end up … Read more
“What ails you and me has nothing to do with being sick or being wrong. What ails us is that we are living our lives as amateurs” Steven Pressfield I have often reread the book The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. When you create real art, you will face “The Resistance“. Any creation of … Read more
Note: with a series of additions over the years, this post is now 11 Commencement speeches that I love. Commencement speeches… the final words of wisdom that almost-graduates receive before heading out into the big world. These are important speeches. I’ve seen a lot of them… I have had the privilege of attending 2 … Read more