Blog
Take a look at recent insights in leadership, strategy and more.
The difference between dialogue and discussion
Reading David Bohm's book "On Dialogue," which, not surprisingly, has a particularly helpful exposition of the difference between dialogue and discussion... (David Bohm was a renowned physicist of...
How much does it take to “be there” for someone?
We appreciate the value of knowing we can contact someone when things are difficult; knowing that that person will “be there” for us. What does it really take to do this? We might imagine it...
Did Andy Murray struggle with tears because he lost or because we cared?
Wimbledon... Andy Murray is expected to speak on live TV to millions of people having just lost to Roger Federer in the final, and struggles to compose himself as you can see here if you missed it...
The power of exploring what they like
He says that type of equipment “doesn’t cut it.” So we ask “what’s wrong with that type of equipment?” The open question prompts him to expand on the problems. (Notice we didn’t ask why. More on...
Change yourself, change your company
If you don’t have authority to instruct change (do you ever?), here’s a way to look at what needs to happen... 1. Build rapport with a larger and larger set of people within the entity you hope to...
Just because it’s a snappy phrase doesn’t mean it’s true
We love sayings like these... “Many hands make light work” “The more you tell the more you sell.” “What gets measured gets done.” They certainly sound convincing. But are they true? In most cases,...
Vulnerability or openness? And why it matters
If we show vulnerability, we will attract other people and they will respond to our leadership, or so it is often said. I think it’s better to use another word: Openness. Being open is the key. Yes,...
Is slow adaptation the price we pay for democracy?
In the West in particular, we believe in democracy, almost without thinking, but is it being abused? You see... When we elect a leader, we need them to lead, even if, in fact, we don’t like the...
Don’t blame me. It was my iPhone/iPad/Blackberry wot did it
Have you noticed? We're blaming our handheld devices... "Please forgive the typos. I'm an innocent victim of my evil iThang. Please work out for yourself what I really meant because I haven't got...
A customer service question – What would you do? Plus an invitation
(Please see below for an invitation to a new LinkedIn Discussion group - Change for Leaders.) It’s lunchtime. We’re in a city hotel. A single receptionist is checking in guests. No sign of a...
Is it ideal that you enjoy everything you do?
We tend to think that if we align everything we do with what we want to do our results will be better simply because we’re content to be engaged actively in all the tasks. But it isn’t necessarily...
Banter – Harmful or helpful?
The host pokes a little fun at the participants. It’s part of an elaborate pattern, you might even say a ritual, in some ways intended to lighten the mood. Trouble is, those at the receiving end...
How much needs to be right for results to flow?
Take a computer program: Essentially every single byte (or character in the source code) has to be right for the software to function correctly. Or think of a product development project: Pretty...
How conscious are you of your cultural imprint?
The speaker presents a prescription based on a profound understanding of human beings. That’s the way it seems to me anyway. Some listeners find what’s said challenging, and reject the messages,...
Authenticity is the key to powerful connection with others
Can you stop the leaks? ...or is there a better answer? Authenticity—being real—is the key to powerful connection with others. As human beings, we are highly adept at sensing lack of authenticity....