Thoughts on people, teams, organizations, communities, effectiveness and success
Wendy Mogel, author of New York Times bestseller The Blessing of a Skinned Knee: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children was in the City this week. I caught her presentation at the Hamlin School along with a bevy of parents from various independent schools.
Mogel has great on-stage presence and funny charm, fitting for someone whose father published the National Lampoon.… Read the rest
Seth Godin recently blogged that “unreasonable is the new reasonable” – the only person or business that succeeds are those that offer qualities or service that no one can ever approach.
I quibble with Godin’s assessment (I believe it’s more hype that actual performance). I don’t quibble with his take to the appearance of those qualities.… Read the rest
It may simply be that time of year but I’m being “soft vetted” for board of director / board of trustee seats.
And whether the board seat is for an organization that is for-profit or for non-profit, there are things some things that anyone – you, me, or anybody else – should do.
Soft vetting is remeniscient of grade school (“If you did have a crush on someone in class who would it be?… Read the rest
Sometimes the greatest risk you can take is to take no risk at all.
Or as James Dean phrased it, “Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today.”
Three events this week brought that thought squarely home.
She had been a life preserver of wisdom when my career as a senior exec hit the intersection of homophobia and high corporate politics (“I think,” she had offered, “that someone in your situation should get good legal counsel quickly.”) and now over a decade later we had the chance to reconnect over hot chocolate and conversation.
This time – unfortunately – she was the one who was on her way out, and it was my chance to offer advice and guidance.… Read the rest
“Feedback,” according to leadership guru Ken Blanchard, “is the breakfast of champions.” If that’s the case, judging by a recent survey published by the Wall Street Journal, managers are either starving or eating sugar coated Ding-Dongs at breakfast.
Great feedback involves a receptive mind wanting feedback, and people with the ability to describe behaviors, impact, and qualitative value (e.g. not-so-effective, very effective, lousy).… Read the rest