“Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision. Their goals differed, but they all had this in common: that the step was first, the road new, the vision unborrowed, and the response they received — hatred. The great creators — the thinkers, the…
“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit” (Albert Schweitzer) Very few people seem to have “found their voice”. By this I mean: knowing and living…
“For too long managers have seen emotions at work as noise cluttering the rational operation of organisations. But the time for ignoring emotions as irrelevant to business has passed” (Daniel Goleman) Our world has changed irrevocably in the past few decades – not just from continual increases in computing power, the spread of e-commerce, the…
“If you are entrusted with bringing about change, you likely possess the knowledge needed to advance the organisation, and you might have a plan—but knowledge is not enough. You have to bring yourself to each interaction in a deeply authentic way. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”…
“We are the competition” (Ferrari) Brands are typically aspirational – they motivate and draw you to the product or service. This is certainly the case with Ferrari, an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer founded in 1939 by Enzo Ferrari from the Alfa Romeo racing division. Throughout its history, the company has been noted for its…
When my son was in his early teenage years, he didn’t really manage to keep his room clean, especially when it came to dirty washing which just formed a pile of clothes in the middle of the floor. No amount of “laying down the law” saw any improvement – the pile just grew daily, so…
When presidents play God, one is reminded of Martin Luther King’s words: “Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.” At his recent visit to Westminster Hall, London, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine purposefully addressed British members of parliament, not only to thank them for their ongoing support…
“One doesn’t have to operate with great malice to do great harm. The absence of empathy and understanding are sufficient” (Charles M Blow) Don’t we all love ‘position’ – a title, a promotion, status? Yes, even neuroscience affirms that status is a need that we all have, not in the sense of greedy ambition, but…
“Leaders who win the respect of others are the ones who deliver more than they promise, not the ones who promise more than they can deliver” (Mark A Clement) Frequently, promises are made glibly, with little thought given to delivery. Often motivated from good intent, promises are designed to give people hope – the promise…
“Just because no-one else can heal or do your inner work for you does not mean you can, should, or need to do it alone” (Lisa Olivera) Managers should spot signs of depreciating employee mental health and follow up with mental health conversations. Declining mental health impacts focus and energy negatively – and ultimately productivity…
“Sadly, too often, the stigma around mental health prevents people who need help from seeking it” (Michelle Obama) Mental illness is of such significant concern that the World Health Organization (WHO) has implemented a global Special Initiative for mental health. While mental health conditions are on the rise, research indicates that most people who have…
“A microscope of faith is far better than a telescope of criticism” (Anon) While helpful feedback is aimed at improving or enhancing the performance of an employee or team and accelerating business results as a whole, such manager conversations often deteriorate into criticism, which is loosely defined as “the expression of disapproval of someone or…
