Strategy
The best strategies are democratic. When it is designed and decided by executives and consultants a strategy’s potential is limited. When there is no process, but an unequivocally and monomaniacally clear purpose, strategies emerge from everywhere – work folks are…
Five Lessons from Camping Adventures for Your Worklife
The Horn Family had an awesome summer. Part of what made it great were three weeklong camping trips with family and friends in some of the most beautiful spots that the West Coast (possibly the world) has to offer. At…
Egg Salad Sandwiches
Last week Michelle, my lovely wife who is her own person, and I signed our revised wills and power of attorney documents. Life maintenance and adulting are important, after all. The phrase “serve egg salad sandwiches” is in my will….
Seven Ways to Make Time for Learning
The ability to learn is arguably the most important skill for human beings to develop. Futurist Heather McGowan argues that the rate of technological and demographic change means that we need to learn – not to mention unlearn – at…
Prosocial
Being a prosocial human means acting in the best interest of our communities because serving the public good is more important than advancing our own agenda. Cooperative economist Stefano Zamagni argues that seeking to help the world is an emerging…
12 Ways to Bring More Joy to the Workplace
Workplaces are not synonymous with joy. According to Gallup and everyone else who measures this stuff, 85% of the global workforce is not engaged or actively disengaged. This is concerning enough on its own, but Gallup has also found that…
Pete “Maverick” Mitchell’s Career Advice is Dangerous
Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is dangerous. He blows up relationships like he blows up planes. My theory is that his career advice is dangerous, too (not unlike another action hero I’ve written about before). Here is some evidence from the original…
The 10 Qualities of Respected Rebels
Years ago, one of my mentors, Brian, told me about a powerful professional persona called “The Respected Rebel”. A respected rebel thrives as a benevolent disruptor and innovator while honouring the chain of command. To be one means pioneering bold,…
Three Ways to Cultivate the Art of Possibility
The art of possibility means imagining what can get done or might be achieved by opening ourselves up to a variety of options in life and, generally, being a hopeful person. From my perspective, it also means inspiring others to…
How to Rise Above Gossip
Seth Godin, as he does, wrote a great blog post about office gossip. Eleanor Roosevelt – allegedly – said that “great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” People talking about people is often referred to…