During a visit to the NASA Space Center in 1962, President Kennedy noticed a janitor carrying a broom. He interrupted his tour, walked over to the man, and said: “Hi, I’m Jack Kennedy; what are you doing?” The janitor responded: “I’m helping put a man on the moon, Mr President.”
As we all know, Kennedy’s dream was to put the first human being on the moon.… Read the rest
A few months have passed since my last post, “Maktub” in the middle of July.
It was time to pause. It was time for a break and to practice what I preach. In every profession, it’s important to rest, reflect, and recharge your batteries every once in a while.
When we travel as a family to different places and we can visit a bookstore, we make it happen.
My daughter has inherited her love for books, bookstores, and libraries from my mother. Wherever we go, one of her first things to find out is the location of the bookstores.
Joyce, my brilliant Organizational Development mentor, often used the following quote when we talked about Organization Design:
“Every organization is perfectly designed for the results it gets.
Joyce Wilson Sanford
In other words, if your results are below expectations, there’s a big chance your design is flawed.
And vice versa, when you’re doing great, your organization works for you.… Read the rest
Have you ever heard of the term ‘it’s in our DNA?’
Of course, you did.
Whatever language you master and speak, I’m sure there’s also a version in your culture.
It’s the translation of the scientific meaning of DNA as your genetic code into a real-life application, such as running a business.… Read the rest
What category do you belong to?
Are you a trendsetter or a follower when it comes to work-related innovation?
Were you one of the first to jump on the agile train, one of the last, or do you still have to start?
And what about building a hybrid workforce culture?
Early adopter, mainstream, or laggard?… Read the rest
Losing a loved one is the most significant test for embracing the now.
I lost my mother recently. Unexpected.
I won’t elaborate more on that event itself, but more about my experience from when it happened until a few days after.
It has everything to do with the power of now. … Read the rest
Recently I had to say goodbye to a family member.
Relatively sudden.
I won’t write about the circumstances, no worries. I’ll just write about a sudden shift in priorities when something like this happens to you.
From one moment to the other, things change dramatically. What mattered yesterday is suddenly not that important anymore. … Read the rest
Who doesn’t remember John Keating?
The famous English teacher from the movie Dead Poet’s Society, played by the late Robin Williams, and recorded over thirty years ago.
While writing this story, I reminded myself to watch the movie again. It’s a classic.
He stands on tables to demonstrate to his students that the world looks different when you stand on a table and look from above.… Read the rest
We all have a story.
A story that shows who we are, where we come from, what we value, what gives us energy, and what stops us from being ourselves.
A story that we bring with us every day.
In every conversation we have.
With family, friends, colleagues, and strangers.
If you have been driving through the Netherlands recently, you had time to look around you.
For sure.
Perhaps you’ve never driven through the Netherlands, but the story still matters to you.
For a few years now, you can’t drive faster than 100 kilometers per hour on Dutch highways.
Who do you know better?
Abraham Maslow or Tony Robbins?
Maslow is known for his hierarchy of needs, going from physiological needs to the need for self-actualization.
Tony Robbins is known for filling up ballrooms and concert venues with thousands of ‘fans’ looking for personal breakthroughs.… Read the rest
I’m not a big believer in a sense of urgency as a driver of culture.
Every time I hear that sentence, the hairs on my neck raise, and a shiver runs through my spine.
Don’t get me wrong, I do believe in speed. Just not in urgency.
Almost always, when managers (not leaders) utter these words, there’s more to it than just urgency. … Read the rest
We’re all a bit mad.
Acting as if the things we’re engaged in in our lives are all cleverly thought through.
Acting as if we know exactly what we’re doing.
We’re not.
Money is made up. Democracy is made up. The recipe for your dinner is made up.… Read the rest
You need a coach!
You may disagree, but I invite you to read on.
Next Tuesday, I’ll share the opening rate of my insight today, claiming that you need a coach.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the rate is lower than usual because many of my readers do not think they need a coach.… Read the rest
Are you happy?
Not just right now, while you’re reading this insight, but in general?
It doesn’t mean you’re always happy, but is there a sense of contentment inside of you with the way you’re living your life?
Before you start thinking about whether my state of happiness is this insight’s purpose, I want to let you know that I’m happy.… Read the rest
You have one life!
That was, in essence, the core message of my last insight.
How you spend your life is totally up to you and nobody else. Please don’t come to me with the nonsense that how you live your life depends on others.
It doesn’t.
You decide.
You want to make the best of your life, right?
Right!
Does that also mean you want to make the best of every day?
Or do you occasionally skip a day because, in the grand scheme of things, what difference can one day make?
I understand that’s not your intention.
Nobody wakes up in the morning thinking they will suck that day or mess up what they’re going to do.
My god, it’s getting worse every year.
And writing this email to you is adding to the problem, I’m fully aware.
The start of a new year is THE natural moment to bring closure to what has been and start working on what will be.
Let’s face it; when you use a paper journal that leverages a calendar, you probably enjoy a fresh new bundle of paper. … Read the rest
A friend of mine asked me recently whether I was happy with my progress over the past five years.
For some weird reason, my mind went to Lenin and his New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1921.
I don’t remember many things from my primary education, but I remember the NEP from Lenin.… Read the rest
