“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 fall-out of the current COVID-19 pandemic is significant – not only are millions of people worldwide contracting the disease and suffering as a result (many of whom are dying), but also economies are shrinking and millions of people are losing their jobs. Although some progress had been made in relation to addressing poverty, the…
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. ”So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us” (J R R Tolkien)…
In the early days of the pandemic, even before the World Health Organisation called it such, governments across the world started to be briefed on a potential, but looming, enemy that was approaching country borders – the corona virus, called COVID-19. Many government leaders took the threat very seriously, calling for lockdown, shutting country and…
“Find your faith and your fears will starve to death” (Ona Brown) A new-born antelope, once released from the womb of its mother, struggles at first to get to its feet. The mother nudges her offspring with her nose, forcing the youngster to start moving. There are a few wobbly moments, a few falls, a…
Managers are employed to accomplish very specific project requirements (e.g. a sales manager has to guide and inspire the sales team to reach certain targets that the organisation has set; a call-centre manager must ensure quality and speed to enable customers to understand and purchase projects or get resolution to problems they are experiencing, etc.)….
“Wheel-spinning” literally refers to a situation where a vehicle has lost traction, e.g. on ice, in snow or mud. Here the wheels may spin without the vehicle going anywhere – continued pressure on the accelerator may result in the vehicle digging itself in deeper, thus exacerbating the problem. A new strategy needs to be found…
Some of them get it right – these select chief executive officers manage to exude a hopeful, caring and determined leadership that inspires the staff contingent to aspire to greatness (quality, speed, professionalism, superb customer service, reduction of waste, innovation, good results, etc.). Others “fail” dismally – these CEO’s somehow use authority and positional power…
We see the abuse of power by leaders in many contexts today – government and political parties, aid and other charity organisations, corporations, sport administration, gangs, etc. – the list is seemingly endless. Those, who are in some way controlled by these selfish leaders, feel disempowered, helpless and disheartened. Work becomes a misery that has…
“If you want to see the true measure of a man, watch how he treats his employees, not his equals” (J K Rowling) The leaders of Korn Ferry, in their “Future of Work” study, suggest that two-thirds of senior leaders think technology will generate greater value for their business than human capital. They note…
The history of Coca-Cola began in 1886 when the curiosity of an Atlanta pharmacist, Dr John S Pemberton, led him to create a distinctive tasting soft drink that could be sold at soda fountains. He created a flavoured syrup, took it to his neighbourhood pharmacy, where it was mixed with carbonated water and deemed “excellent”…
“Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstance” (Bruce Barton) Most kids imagine becoming “super-heroes” – becoming invincible, being able to conquer evil, having the wit, wisdom and strength to outplay any adversary or the ability to overcome any obstacle that might…
