character

“There are more things to do than we ever shall get done; there are more books to read than we can ever look at; there are more avenues to enjoyment than we ever shall find time to travel. Life appeals to us from innumerable directions, crying, ‘Attend to me here!’ In consequence, we litter up…

When presidents play God, one is reminded of Martin Luther King’s words: “Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.” At his recent visit to Westminster Hall, London, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine purposefully addressed British members of parliament, not only to thank them for their ongoing support…

“Leaders who win the respect of others are the ones who deliver more than they promise, not the ones who promise more than they can deliver” (Mark A Clement) Frequently, promises are made glibly, with little thought given to delivery. Often motivated from good intent, promises are designed to give people hope – the promise…

With all the technical, scientific, medical, and digital advances of the 21st Century, it is somewhat surprising that the human being remains desperately needy, broken, and fearful. The human condition, exacerbated by the selfishness, brutality, and immoral behaviour of many who are in power, drives people to search for meaning, hope, care, and love in…

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,…

“The skill of neutrality is a powerful strength if you want to increase your influence” (JoAnn Corley-Schwarzkopf) I sometimes hear the following comments from employees in different organisations: “I can’t speak to my boss as he is biased; managers here don’t really listen to ideas; the concept of ‘fairness’ doesn’t exist in my organisation; my…

“Life is the most difficult examination. Many people fail because they try to copy others, not realising that everyone has a different question paper” (Anon) I have seen many copies and photographs of famous artists’ works during my life, but nothing compared to standing in front of an authentic Michelangelo or Rembrandt piece in the…

“Hope is the only good god remaining among mankind; the others have left and gone to Olympus. Trust, a mighty god has gone. Restraint has gone from men and the Graces, my friend, have abandoned the earth. Men’s judicial oaths are no longer to be trusted, nor does anyone revere the immortal gods; the race…

“I look for three things in hiring people. The first is personal integrity, the second is intelligence and the third is a high energy level. But, if you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you” (Warren Buffett, CEO, Berkshire Hathaway) A person who behaves in a dishonest or deceptive way, either as…

“Consistency is the only currency that matters” (Prudential Investment Managers) There are no short cuts to great leadership – great leadership is cultivated over time. In 1979, teenager Jadaf Payeng began planting trees on his small Northern Indian Majuli Island – it’s an action that he has repeated millions of times over the past 39…

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken” (Oscar Wilde) Being “yourself” is not as easy as it sounds – the pressure, constantly, is on all of us to look better, be better, achieve more, succeed always, etc. The list is seemingly endless. Other’s expectations are real and the stakes are high. The world doesn’t make…