The brothers were close in age, identical twins in fact, born two minutes apart. This was a source of pride and pain as the...
Dark and Sunny
read more
Consulting
The Entry Learning Curve
“Tell me, what did you learn?” It was the last team meeting of my first consulting project. The team was entirely composed...
Consulting History for Newbies, 2: Computers and People
It isn’t oversimplifying to say content consultants provide answers to be implemented by their clients and process consultants ask questions to teach their clients how to find answers to implement.. . . the only thing these consultants have in common is that they have little use for each other.
Consulting History for the Newbie, Part 1: Beginnings
Arthur D. Little and Frederick Winslow Taylor started two different streams of consulting that still exist today, content (Little) and process. (Taylor).
Leading
Avoiding Leadership Dysfunction
The difference between managers and leaders: Managers work in a steady state environment and are accountable for getting...
Recession Leadership
“Geesh, Pop, doncha know there’s a Depression going on?” The year was 1933. Tony was home for Christmas from the Harvard...
An Orderly Transition
The Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction shows how change happens ocillation and patterns.
It’s Just Business
“It’s just business, Alan. Don’t take it personally.” It was twenty years ago. My client, a founding CEO, was informing me...
British Airways: I Have A Dream
These aircraft maintenance managers were fifty to sixty-five-year-olds and had all come up through the ranks. During the week they had been cynical and sarcastic
River Rescue
Sitting with his back to the great oak, sun upon his face and the river swift and wide before him, Yon tried to empty his mind. It was no use; his father’s words kept intruding upon his meditation.
“Soon people will decide if you should succeed me as head man of the village”
Living
What’s in a Name?
Names are important, but naming is hard, and an awesome responsibility
Do Computers Hate Me?
“Alan, What did you do?” Am I just an incompetent technophobe or is there a conspiracy. . .?
Soundtrack of a Life
Music and energy transfer and changing the world
Lessons from Leonardo
How to be more creative -. . . from Leonrdo via Walter Isaacson’s biography
Out with the Old – In with the New? Really?
Don’t take it personally, Alan. Now that I am three quarters of a century old, I get a little testy at this time of year....
Is Christmas Just Cultural Appropriation?
There are many Christmas traditions -did we just steal them all?
All Posts