A note to young leaders. Lessons from my father. On the vexed issue of whether to practise philanthropy in private or public: “Aim to practice half of your philanthropy in public and half in private. In public, so it may hopefully prove an inspiration and an encouragement to others. In private, so as to remind […]
Read More… from Philanthropy: A Lesson in Justice, Not Generosity
A note to young leaders. Nothing is more disarming than authentic humility. In the summer of 2003, I attended a series of philosophy lectures, together with the late, great John Caldon. The lecturer, whose name sadly I no longer recall, had complete mastery of his subject matter and had us all spellbound. At the end […]
A note to young leaders. Act always with urgency but never with haste. What’s the difference? Haste has an element of panic about it. And panic is never helpful to sound decision-making. It’s a curious fact that nowhere in the Christian scriptures is Jesus ever recorded as running. Jesus walked everywhere he went. He walked […]
A note to young leaders. In the beginning was the verb, and the verb was “grow”. And growth requires resistance. How else do you build muscle if not by lifting weights? Growth is meaningful resistance against one or more of the “three great adversaries”: our own frailties and insecurities; the trials and tribulations that eventually […]
Read More… from Leadership Growth Through Meaningful Resistance
A note to young leaders. People aren’t mathematical problems to be solved. The overwhelming majority of people turn up to work each day wanting to make a positive difference. So why do half of us report feeling frustrated and unfulfilled? Because we, as leaders, haven’t yet figured out a way to make the problem we […]
A note to young leaders. Surround yourself with curious people. They are constantly experimenting and searching for a better way of doing things. Avoid the company of those with a fixed mindset. They will eventually make you dull and ordinary. The astonishingly creative pop musician, Prince, once confided: “I don’t talk to old people; they […]
Read More… from Stay Curious: The Secret to Lifelong Youth in Leadership
A note to young leaders. Remember: every time you point the finger at a team member, there are three fingers pointing back at you. Leaders adopt the attitude that every (preventable) problem is ultimately their fault. If someone in the team stuffs up: either they are a poor hire; or they are the right hire […]
A note to young leaders. If you wish to achieve anything great, you will need self-belief – lots of it. There’s a story about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, likely apocryphal but nonetheless true. A young guy went up to Mozart and said: “I’d like to write symphonies.” When Mozart replied, “You’re too young” – the young […]
Read More… from Greatness Requires Self-Belief–Not Permission
A note to young leaders. Is your leadership team a “meeting of the minds” or a “meeting of the egos”? Business is quintessentially a team sport. It’s far more interesting, more rewarding and more fun when it’s done with others. Provided of course that you all get along, especially at the top. Two things are […]
Read More… from Ego vs. Respect: What Builds Great Leadership Teams