There are numerous stories of those who had to overcome difficulty, were resilient and triumphed, even in the face of criticism or extreme hardship – Ignace Paderewski, the great Polish pianist, was told by his first piano teacher that his hands were too small to master the keyboard; Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper…
“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…
I want to live this year – not just survive. The world’s population has just endured two really tough years – not just on account of the corona virus COVID-19 pandemic with all its variants, but also because of many other related ensuing trends. The virus has challenged major economies exposing their fragility. Some people…
The phrase ‘don’t be slothful’ is not a statement that one wants to receive nor is the phrase fair to the sloth. “Sloth”, commonly, is used to describe a person’s assumed laziness, inactivity, reluctance to work or make an effort, probably because the animal of the same name moves slowly. Although the sloth moves slowly,…
“Move out of your comfort zone. You only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new” (Brian Tracey) In an accelerating, disrupted and challenged world, change visions are becoming more stretched of necessity. More and more executives, in their ongoing quest to become industry leaders or having a…
“I will prepare and someday my chance will come” (Abraham Lincoln) It is not uncommon to come across a great little invention and think, I wish I had thought of that. But bringing even simple ideas to full fruition involves a process – one that is not always as easy as it may appear. Achieving…
“Workaholics are addicted to activity; super-achievers are committed to results. They work towards goals that contribute to their mission. In their mind’s eye, they see the end they want and the actions leading towards it” (Charles A Garfield, Peak Performer) Stephen R Covey, profoundly influential through his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is…
“The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach” (Benjamin Mays) Whomever I speak to of late, people seem to be tired and overwhelmed at best or have lost hope at worst. This listlessness, indifference or lethargy in part has its origins in the…
“Success is never owned. It’s rented and rent is due every day” (Anon) In 1947, the transistor was invented by Bell Laboratories, the research arm of AT&T. Almost immediately, it could be seen that the transistor would replace the bulkier, more expensive and less reliable vacuum tubes that, at that time, were the key components…
So much is being written about team collaboration and cohesiveness currently – perhaps more specifically, the electronic and digital tools associated with keeping team members in touch with each other and working towards the same goals. So Deloitte, The Digital Workplace, even notes this by means of a definition: “…to solve business problems and operate…
“The future belongs to people who see possibilities before they become obvious” (Ted Levitt) Curiosity is a leadership trait that can transform a business to achieve extraordinary results. While some leaders seem to think that when they have found a solution to a particular problem they can stop looking for new ideas, great leaders carry…
Steve Goodier, Methodist minister and author of “One Minute Can Change a Life” (and a number of other books), tells the story of one of the greatest of USA story-tellers, Abraham Lincoln, related by the president during the American Civil War. A delegation of well-meaning patriots tried to impress upon the president the gravity of…
