I love art – sketching, drawing or painting. I don’t spend enough time practising, but when I get a moment to relax, I retrieve the pad, eraser, pencil and the watercolours. I find a quiet spot, shake off the accumulated stress from the week’s events and begin planning the next piece. On a particular Sunday…
International sport is fascinating, especially to note the trends, changes in approach, and changes to the rules of whichever game is being played, and the dominance of certain countries in the respective sport expressions that are national favourites. In soccer, Brazil, France, England, Italy, Germany, and Spain have all had their moments. With cricket, Australia…
The current world economic context is dismal, to say the least – financial analysts and the World Bank continue to predict slow growth, volatile markets and the possibility of ongoing disruptive wars and global climate disaster events. Governments are attempting to send the “right messages” internationally to continue attracting investment, and fiscal efficiencies, disciplined spending…
“Every gathering is a chance to renew commitment” (Kouzes & Posner) The HR Council defines recognition as follows: “Employee recognition is the acknowledgement of an individual’s or team’s behaviour, effort and accomplishments that support the organisation’s goals and values”. The key in this definition, of course, is for managers to draw the dotted line between…
“The key to business success is duck-like – smooth and unruffled on the top but paddling furiously below” The expression ‘in the same boat’ is typically construed as a negative idiom – “you say that you have run out of money – well, I am in the same boat”, meaning that I have run out…
Some teams feel uncomfortable making important decisions. The team members rely on the wisdom of the manager to direct them, their goals, and their targets. They wait to be told what to do and don’t plan their approach to tasks that need to be accomplished. The resultant dysfunctionality leads to necessary micro-management from the leader…
“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…
“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did” (Newt Gingrich) Failure and fatigue are characteristic of the lives of everyone. Life is not “plain sailing” – yes, there are successes and great moments of joy, satisfaction, and happiness, but these are often fleeting, temporary,…
“She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her away, she adjusted her sails” (Elizabeth Edwards) Music is filled with themes…and variations on themes. Most importantly, the variation on the theme still carries the theme. There may have been creative adjustment of some kind, but the basic melody continues to emerge…
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…
“The first step toward creating an improved future is developing the ability to envision it. Vision will ignite the fire of passion that fuels our commitment to do whatever it takes to achieve excellence. Only vision allows us to transform dreams of greatness into the reality of achievement through human action. Vision has no boundaries…
“People can attach themselves to something – an idea, another person, a desire – with an impossibly strong grip, and in the case of restless ghosts, a grip stronger than death. Will is a powerful thing. Will – it’s supposed to be a good treat, a more determined and persistent version of determination and persistence….
