Rwanda…On The Cutting Edge

I often share my thoughts on how leaders and organizations can leap forward and lead others into the future. Sometimes the examples come not from business, but from government, and in this case, perhaps an unlikely one. Rwanda, a small country in Africa that barely survived a horrific genocide that...

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Consequences of Alternative Facts

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32. I’ve been thinking about these words since I saw our new president perform his first official public act. There he stood before the assembled members of the CIA, in front of the Memorial Wall, which...

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Calm The Voice In Your Head and Listen

My mother used to tell me to remember that I had two ears and only one mouth. My father always reminded me that it’s hard to learn anything when your mouth is moving. The recent presidential campaign in the United States was an example of this inability to listen that went...

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Clear Out The Rot

“John knows exactly what he’s doing and needs little management. He works rapidly but without any mistakes so he delivers an amazing amount of high quality work. No one can do what he does.” This was the response I received when I asked a manager how John was doing. Sounds...

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The Boulder Over Your Head

Gray tepid monotony. Does that describe your organization? A client of mine recently forwarded to me a short article from the Wall Street Journal with this note: “Seems like there is a blog in here somewhere.” The article, by Steven Pinker of Harvard, Why Things Fall Apart, is about the...

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Be Here Now

I’ve been feeling like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. In the movie, Murray, a television weatherman, is sent to watch Punxsutawney Phil emerge from his burrow and predict how much more winter remains. Murray relives the day over and over and over again, each time with hilarious results. In my...

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Control Yourself

As the new year begins the world is in a state of great upheaval. Wherever you look, instability reigns. Some places are caught in violence that seems to never end. Other places are faced with major political shifts. The business world is confronting massive changes due to technology, rising...

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Off In The Woods

I answered the call of the woods that I mentioned in my last missive. I’m off alone, wandering the trails and contemplating nature. I feel my mind clearing as the clutter gets flushed away. Hopefully you took my advice and you too are off clearing your mind in your favorite...

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