“She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her away, she adjusted her sails” (Elizabeth Edwards) Music is filled with themes…and variations on themes. Most importantly, the variation on the theme still carries the theme. There may have been creative adjustment of some kind, but the basic melody continues to emerge…
“One’s real life is so often the life one does not lead” (Oscar Wilde) Creative entrepreneurs, freelancers, and regular old people are forever searching for the secret to inspiration. Is it a flash, like lightning that strikes when you least expect it, or is it a slow burn that builds over a lifetime of paying…
“The road to success is paved with failure” (ANON) An idiom in any language is a literary style that typically represents a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase or expression, and often points out something of which someone should be aware. This is particularly true of the idiom above where the success road is…
“Success is never owned. It’s rented and rent is due every day” (Anon) In 1947, the transistor was invented by Bell Laboratories, the research arm of AT&T. Almost immediately, it could be seen that the transistor would replace the bulkier, more expensive and less reliable vacuum tubes that, at that time, were the key components…
“The future belongs to people who see possibilities before they become obvious” (Ted Levitt) A blueprint is a reproduction of a technical drawing or engineering drawing using a contact print process on light-sensitive sheets. Introduced by Sir John Herschel in 1842, the process allowed rapid and accurate production of an unlimited number of copies. It…
“If you are kicking up a storm, don’t expect clear sailing” (P P Sullivan) Although some people allow adversity to bend or break their spirits, others swiftly adapt to their new context and overcome the opposition. The skill to adapt and find opportunities in difficult situations is a sure test of character and ingenuity. Ralph…
2020 has been a tough year for everyone – not just for us mere mortals on account of the COVID-19 pandemic and related financial stresses, but for Santa, too. His core business, the manufacture, production and delivery of toys and other goodies, has shrunk considerably. A general lack of disposable income is a worldwide phenomenon,…
“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads” (Back to the Future – 1985) So much has been written of late about the disruption and subsequent pain that the world has experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people have died. Many are hurting. Still more are frustrated by the precautions that are…
“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones” Confucius When faced with the pressing problems of the day, like pandemics, poverty, hunger, a damaged environment, etc., it is easy to fall prey to feelings of helplessness and be overwhelmed by the seeming insignificance of one’s own contribution to finding solutions. Our…
“The future belongs to people who see possibilities before they become obvious” (Ted Levitt) Curiosity is a leadership trait that can transform a business to achieve extraordinary results. While some leaders seem to think that when they have found a solution to a particular problem they can stop looking for new ideas, great leaders carry…
Steve Goodier, Methodist minister and author of “One Minute Can Change a Life” (and a number of other books), tells the story of one of the greatest of USA story-tellers, Abraham Lincoln, related by the president during the American Civil War. A delegation of well-meaning patriots tried to impress upon the president the gravity of…
One of the most important actions that executive leaders should be undertaking, especially during the corona virus pandemic, is targeting managers to re-establish their self-confidence. COVID-19 has pulled the rug out from under their feet and most managers, too, are feeling fragile, insecure and unsure. These feelings of insecurity don’t augur well for innovation, creativity,…
