I've never been to the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, but people who have describe it as a joyful chaos. The fishmongers throw the fish and crabs around, catch them one-handed, yell at and with the customers and generally have a great time.
But things weren't always great. Yokoyama, the owner, describes … Continue Reading ››
Category Archives: Leadership
Leadership is an insanely important discipline. Here you’ll find the thought, tools and tricks of the trade of great leaders.
The importance of stories
Stories and storytelling have played a major part in three of the books that I've read lately.
It's interesting to see the ancient art of telling stories used in such different settings as change management and child therapy.
Nuts!, the success story of Southwest Airlines', emphasizes the role of the charismatic CEO … Continue Reading ››
It's interesting to see the ancient art of telling stories used in such different settings as change management and child therapy.
Nuts!, the success story of Southwest Airlines', emphasizes the role of the charismatic CEO … Continue Reading ››
Values as clear goals?
I'm currently reading Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. The book is about that state of consciousness where everything just flows. Where the gears mesh smoothly, there are no distractions, you loose track of time, and it feels really good.
You can achieve flow at work or in your free time. Concert violinists and mountain … Continue Reading ››
You can achieve flow at work or in your free time. Concert violinists and mountain … Continue Reading ››
Book review: The customer comes second
The title of this book is a deliberate provocation. After endless messages about putting the customer first, Hal Rosenbluth, CEO of Rosenbluth International, says you should "put your people first and watch'em kick butt". (Rosenbluth International is a world leader in corporate travel management, with over 5.000 people in more than 50 countries).
The … Continue Reading ››
Book review: Nuts!
Nuts!, Southwest Airlines crazy recipe for business and personal success is the story of Southwest Airlines. Lars Pind told me about this book, and I have to agree: It's a joy to read about a company that values freedom, creativity, people and, yes, love.
If your driving principles are love and fun, can you … Continue Reading ››
Quote
Rational structures of control inhibit creativity. Managing as if people had souls requires that we de-mechanize management and instill it with the diversity and depth of our own humanity. The point is to respect people and allow them to make the fullest contribution they can. We need more reflection in business not more strategizing. Meditation … Continue Reading ››
Book review: The dance of change
Whew!
I've finally finished Peter Senge's trilogy on learning organizations. After The fifth discipline and The fifth discipline fieldbook, comes The dance of change: The Challenges of Sustaining Momentum in a Learning Organisation.
The first book lays the theoretical foundation, and introduces the five disciplines which Peter Senge believes are the key to creating … Continue Reading ››
Coping with paradox
I was net-researching the concept of paradox, when I discovered this article from the CEO Refresher, which describes how you can (and should) embrace paradox in business. Excellent stuff!
Teasers:
Living with paradox may not be comfortable or easy, but it reflects a significant understanding of how ?things? really work.
...
Any … Continue Reading ››
Teasers:
Living with paradox may not be comfortable or easy, but it reflects a significant understanding of how ?things? really work.
...
Any … Continue Reading ››
Book review: The living company
I always thought that the really big companies were immortal. That once an organization attained a certain size, it would last forever, barring some catastrophic event or weird fluke. But it turns out, that the average life span of Fortune 500 companies is under 50 years!
Arie de Geus pioneered a study at Shell that uncovered … Continue Reading ››
Quote
How wonderful that we have met with a paradox. Now we have some hope of making progress. - Niels Bohr