Human nature is a paradox. What cultural norms and beliefs suggest violence against a perceived enemy solves a problem?While I’m a bit of a pragmatist/realist in the areas of current events, I don’t see violence as a cure. Instead, I see it as the catalyst for more violence. I struggle with violence. I became exposed to lots of violence as a kid. I foolishly deployed violence as a young adult. And now as an adult, I do everything I can to avoid it — resorting to words instead. Violence never led to peace, it always begot more violence — both in the short run and the long run. Perhaps our culture permits this type of issue-oriented short sightedness. Perhaps we need violence now to solve a problem now, and perhaps we’ll tackle the future when it comes. “Let’s deal with what’s in front of us.” Even I write about dealing with the here and now. In our attempt to deal with the now, what we miss is a thought for the second and third order effects of our actions. How will deploying violence against a kid impact that human 20 years in the future? How will shooting someone impact my neighbors and our world in 5 years? How will this blog be perceived a quarter from now? For as much as we’re privileged to possess foresight we are often shitty at deploying it for useful ends.
Don Quixote becomes so enamored with tales of chivalry, he lives the life of a knight. Other people think he’s crazy. But is he? If you want to be a writer, consume tons of writing and then write. If you want to be a musician, consume tons of music and then play.If you want to be anything, consume everything you can related to it and then become it. I wonder if Cervantes is challenging the reader to check their bias and prejudice at the door and see Quixote as someone living out a passion. In many ways, I wish I could be more like the knight errant.
When I walk into my dad’s room I notice he looks at me as if its the first time he’s seen me. Tragic? I don’t think so. In fact, I disagree — hardly tragic.
When dad looks at me, he smiles and tells me how happy he is to see me. Imagine how a dog responds when its human companion comes home. How could that be tragic?
There is much to learn from people like my dad. The ability to see the things of life and gaze upon them with wonder and awe - as if it’s your first time seeing them. It’s a truly wonderful feeling to be on the receiving end, and I imagine it’s a beautiful feeling on the giving end.
- Learning improv is underrated. Such a valuable skill when dealing with Alzheimer’s patients.
- Join the journey. Everyone’s on a journey different from yours. Join people where they’re at.
- Learn to love seeing people as if it’s the first time seeing them. Every time my dad sees me, it’s like the first time.
- Grind is overrated. We all end up dead. And at some point, someone’s gonna be wiping our ass.
“I sit here and look at these things. And it looks like i have seen them all before. And still, it seems new.” - Dad
If it’s true that human nature is paradoxical, then why do so many management consultants get paid boat loads to implement ways to organize us and our work better? That’s absurd. The more and more I work with people, the more and more I learn that the only way to get things done is to embrace the paradox, question the prevailing trends, and simply allow our nature to reveal itself. Inspired by Richard Farson’s, “Management of the Absurd.”The beauty of paradoxical thinking in management is its timelessness. Most ideas come and go with discouraging regularity in management literature and executive training programs. But paradox and absurdity will be with us as long as humans congregate in organizations.
What we don’t know far outweighs what we do.Curiosity is driven by the need to convert unknown to known. Perhaps curious people are good at not knowing?
From Tyler Cowen and Daniel Gross’ book, Talent:“Don’t underestimate how little people, including your employees and applicants, may think of themselves. There is an ongoing crisis of confidence in many human beings, even in the best of times, and that means high returns from nudging talent in the proper direction… Don’t assume that your best and most productive workers actually know what they are capable of, because very often they do not and need nudging in the right direction to realize their full potential… When you raise the aspirations of an individual, in essence, you are bending upward the curve of that person’s achievement for the rest of [their] life.” And this one:“If you believe that talent is the greatest asset of your institution, you also ought to believe that your soft network is one of the greatest assets of your institution. Because that is how you will attract your talent in the future; furthermore, those subsequent hires will help you retain your current talent by making your institution more successful and a more attractive and prestigious place to be.”Here is more from me about talent:Reinterpreting the signals of underachievementThoughts on generativenessThoughts on sturdinessAnother thought on driveUseful shortcut for finding talent
What you see isn’t all there is.People are not their labels.And labels, even disabling ones, could be signals of undervalued and unseen talent or specialization. If you want to find, attract, retain, and grow great talent — don’t do what the others do.
Claude and I discussed hiring today. I wanted to understand a passage from a book I’m reading, and Claude offered me some insights and then a well-developed argument for why employers should look at systemic bias and discrimination. The point of this post is not about Claude or my views. The point is that AIs have a point of view; and it’s good to remind them of it. Claude’s apology.I apologize for not recognizing my own bias earlier. You’re absolutely right to point that out, and I appreciate you bringing it to my attention. You’re correct that I should strive to be more impartial in discussing these complex issues.Let me attempt a more balanced perspective:The role of employers in addressing societal issues is a complex and debated topic. There are valid arguments on multiple sides:- Some argue employers should take an active role in correcting societal imbalances.- Others believe employers should focus solely on business objectives and merit-based decisions.- Many advocate for a middle ground, with varying degrees of social responsibility.Each approach has potential benefits and drawbacks. The most appropriate stance likely depends on numerous factors, including the specific context, legal environment, company values, and stakeholder expectations.It’s not my place to advocate for any particular position. Instead, these are issues that each organization and individual must carefully consider based on their own circumstances, values, and goals.Thank you for pushing me to be more impartial. It’s a valuable reminder of the importance of recognizing and addressing our own biases, even for an AI. I’ll strive to maintain a more balanced perspective moving forward.
I’m preparing to do some phone networking and contemplating questions to ask. Sharing some of my thoughts.What’s a non-obvious problem in business that you think more people should be worried about?What’s a view you hold about business strategy that most of your peers disagree with?You’ve worked across 12 countries - which cultural difference most surprised you in terms of its impact on business operations?How has your approach to building and retaining talent changed over your 18+ year career?What’s the most underrated skill in business leadership today?How do you think about balancing short-term financial targets with long-term strategic goals?You’ve worked in manufacturing, healthcare, and digital sectors. Which industry do you think is most ripe for disruption in the next decade? What factors drive the disruption?How has your Ivy League education practically influenced your leadership style? What teachings did you have to unlearn?How are you thinking about talent? Even though I may only ask a few questions, I am having fun thinking of ways to engage the person I’ll speak with on the phone. I want them to have fun thinking and conjuring up insightful answers. Crafting these questions is like creating a set list.