“People are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education.” That may sound like a line from a comedian. But it’s actually from Bertrand Russell. You know—the British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, essayist, social critic and Nobel laureate. Not known for comedy. Intentionally or not, Russell provided a fair description of what often…
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Enjoy the little things, because one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things. That may sound like a line from a syrupy greeting card. But it turns out to be an important ingredient in workplace issues like engagement, wellbeing, productivity, and even profit. Star Dargin knows a bit about the rough-and-tumble…
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There are almost as many leadership theories as there are would-be practitioners. Many of those theories—or call them frameworks or philosophies—have excellent underpinnings. I’ve found that, regardless of the latest leadership formula you may choose to try, a few simple guiding principles can always be helpful. Keep it simple. Go back to basics. The stones…
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Our current environment is sometimes touted as the age of tolerance. Consider how many company rosters now include positions like “VP of Diversity and Inclusion.” But the reality signals something else. Each Thanksgiving, the Internet is abuzz with advice on how to avoid letting dinner table discussions devolve into a Turkey Day brawl. Thousands (millions?)…
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Nobel Laureate Albert Schweitzer, perhaps best known as a medical missionary, knew a thing or two about finding satisfaction in life. “I don’t know what your destiny will be,” he once said, “but one thing I do know. The ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how…
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Ken Blanchard is to leadership development as Bill Belichick is to football and as Oprah Winfrey is to media. He thinks big thoughts, innovates with big ideas, and does it all in a way that makes you say to yourself “Well, of course. That makes perfect sense.” By any measure, Blanchard is one of the…
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My travels have taken me to many interesting sites around the world: Michelangelo’s majestic David in Florence. The Leaning Tower of Pisa. Mount Rushmore. Scotland’s Edinburgh Castle. London’s Big Ben. But I’m especially drawn to sites that, although beautiful in their own way, are more about function than aesthetics. I love lighthouses. The first lighthouses…
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In this rush-rush digital age, many people rely on email and text messages for their communication. Smartphones and keyboards can certainly provide efficiency. But if effectiveness is what you’re after, human conversation is still the best way to connect with other people to reach mutual understanding and solve problems. Unfortunately, a lot of people still…
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The world is getting too small for both an Us and Them. We do not have separate fates. Like it or not, we are bound together. This is a reality in all our venues: As a family around the kitchen table. As a community in the town square. As a nation currently polarized as perhaps…
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