We see the abuse of power by leaders in many contexts today – government and political parties, aid and other charity organisations, corporations, sport administration, gangs, etc. – the list is seemingly endless. Those, who are in some way controlled by these selfish leaders, feel disempowered, helpless and disheartened. Work becomes a misery that has…
“If you want to see the true measure of a man, watch how he treats his employees, not his equals” (J K Rowling) The leaders of Korn Ferry, in their “Future of Work” study, suggest that two-thirds of senior leaders think technology will generate greater value for their business than human capital. They note…
The history of Coca-Cola began in 1886 when the curiosity of an Atlanta pharmacist, Dr John S Pemberton, led him to create a distinctive tasting soft drink that could be sold at soda fountains. He created a flavoured syrup, took it to his neighbourhood pharmacy, where it was mixed with carbonated water and deemed “excellent”…
“Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstance” (Bruce Barton) Most kids imagine becoming “super-heroes” – becoming invincible, being able to conquer evil, having the wit, wisdom and strength to outplay any adversary or the ability to overcome any obstacle that might…
“Winnie-the-Pooh,” as he was originally called, first appeared in a story written in 1926 by A.A. Milne, who based the characters on his young son, Christopher Robin, and the boy’s stuffed animals. The original toy bear was named after Winnie (short for “Winnipeg”), a bear that had been adopted as a cub by a Canadian…
Cockroaches are not my most favourite insects – these ‘bugs’ are considered repugnant by many folk, however, certain species are eaten in some parts of the world. These hardy insects are an ancient group, belonging to the order Blattodea, the Latin meaning ‘insects that shun light’. I say ‘hardy’ as many of them are able…
Much has been documented with respect to team success or failure. High-performance teams, upon evaluation of performance characteristics, seem to have that “special something” that drives their achievements. Their reputation grows and every success seems to inspire further greatness. They “win” nine times out of ten and use any failure as a springboard to learn,…
In the Arthurian legends, Sir Perceval, one of King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table, was raised by a mother who taught him the importance of asking questions. The instruction was proved invaluable during his youth when he escaped from a group of knights by asking questions rather than giving answers. By the time he…
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, an eminent Russian novelist, historian and tireless critic of Communist Totalitarianism, Nobel Prize in Literature (1970), when delivering a Harvard Commencement Address in June 1978, referred to the calamity of a de-spiritualised and irreligious humanistic consciousness and noted: “To such consciousness, man is the touchstone in judging and evaluating everything on earth –…
I travel to some countries where things don’t really work. The roads are sub-standard, the drainage is poor if it exists at all, the power supply is intermittent, sewerage systems are less than optimal, water supply is dubious in terms of quality and security is an issue. Huge amounts of money need to be invested…
I am sure that you have heard those words from people on countless occasions. Other forms of the same expression include “that is not my role”, “that’s not in my employment contract” or “I can’t do everything in this organisation, you know”. People that use expressions like the above tend to pass the buck, make…
