A note to young leaders. You take an orange, you apply pressure, you get orange juice. You take a lemon, you apply pressure, you get lemon juice. You take a person, you apply pressure, what do you get? You get their essence – their character. […]
A note to young leaders. The founding father of modern Turkey and its first president, Kemal Atatürk once remarked: “Sovereignty is not given, it is taken.” What’s true of nations is true also of individuals. Sovereignty is your birthright, but you still need to claim it. All you need to do is click your fingers […]
A note to young leaders. Life is short, don’t forget to have some fun along the way. During his term as Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger was heckled rather crudely by California Assemblyman, Tom Ammiano. When Ammiano later sponsored a bill to grant the Port of San Francisco expanded financing power, Schwarzenegger not only vetoed […]
A note to young leaders. On cancel culture. Don’t cancel people – except in the most extreme circumstances, and even then, provisionally. Get off your high horse. “There are few if any issues where all the truth and all the right and all the angels are on one side” – so said John F. Kennedy, […]
A note to young leaders. Caveat emptor, buyer beware. Last weekend, I met with a friend who told me a story about a guy who bought a penthouse in a residential tower in Bondi Junction in 2014 for a little over $6 million. The open house inspections were always conducted at 9.00am, which struck him […]
Read More… from Don’t Be Afraid to Ask the Awkward Questions
A note to young leaders. Think hard before you make any meaningful commitment. Why? Because in all things – it’s easier to get in, than it is to get out. Easier to dive in than to climb out. Which is easier? To get into an investment or to get out of it? To get into […]
A note to young leaders. It is easier to fight for our principles than to live by them. The world is teeming with well-intentioned people who want to save the planet and defend oppressed minorities – who don’t pick up litter in a park or notice the lonely person sitting next to them. If you […]
A note to young leaders. Be a “first class noticer.” In their classic book, Geeks & Geezers, Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas make an interesting observation about a common denominator among successful leaders in every field. Bennis and Thomas call them “first class noticers.” Leaders who notice well are alert to patterns, trends, talents and […]
A note to young leaders. Does your pitch have a parrot? Have you heard your company’s pitch recently? Is there anything remarkable, different or memorable about it? If you were to square off against your top three competitors – would your pitch stand out? If not, it’s time to change your pitch. A good way […]