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Some Reflections On Good Strategy

What is Good Strategy? These points come from my notes from listening to a lecture by Prof. Pat Gibbon of UCD Smurfit Business School in Dublin during the Executive Edge day in May 2014. Good strategy begins with a clear diagnosis (widely accepted) of the real current condition of the business. If there is nothing … Read more

10 Personal Habits of Resilient People

Take a moment and think about the people you know well.   Who is the most psychologically resilient of your friends or family?   Who would cope the best with major setbacks?   Who would be able to keep their heads while all about them are losing theirs? Dealing with Failure: Resilience I was at … Read more

What does Leadership mean to you?

Nitin Nohria, Dean of Harvard Business School will be speaking at IESE Business School in Barcelona next Monday 13th. “It is my desire to inspire people of all ages and social demographics to think about leadership on a broad level, contemplate what it means to them and what individual impact they can have when it … Read more

Intentionality and Defiance

As I grow ever older, staying fit requires ever greater intention.  I sometimes wish to myself that it might be a little easier, but then quickly realise that this is my inner saboteur distracting me. If you are going uphill then you are going towards success.  I so often want writing to become easier.  I … Read more

The ability to turn back

A few weeks ago I was in the audience with my friend Manuel listening to Kilian Jornet share his life story.  At the age of 26, Kilian projects the profound wisdom of a Zen sage.  The mountains are a powerful teacher. Kilian will run up and down Everest in 2015.  Yep, run up it.  He … Read more

You cannot promote world peace when you are angry

Last week I taught a course on persuasive communication.  One individual was a charismatic speaker who repeatedly gave speeches that I would classify as “Rant”.  This is a passionate and initially engaging way of speaking, but it has no place in a Leader’s communication. To rant is to speak or shout at length in an … Read more

Become Indispensable: Solve Interesting Problems

Question for you: What do you have as your description line in your LinkedIn profile? Mine says “Moving People to Action”   What does your LinkedIn Description say? I see several varieties of description.  Some people just put their job title: “VP Marketing at Corporation Inc”.  Some people an abstraction of their past experience “Experienced … Read more

“Miracle”: Doesn’t Mean it Doesn’t Work

Miracle doesn’t mean it doesn’t work, it means we don’t understand how it works. There are plenty of things I don’t understand, but I know they work. Plant a seed, grow a tree.  I don’t understand all that happens in the growing of a tree, but I do know that planting an acorn, watering and … Read more