If it hasn’t already, Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World by former World Bank economist Liaquat Ahamed and hedge fund advisor, is one book that needs to catch your attention. Four men, as Mr. Ahamed tells the tale, revamped the world banking system at the end of WWI and set the stage […]
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Jamaican R&R
Jamaica. I’m headed to Jamaica for a long weekend. You’re going where? This lush and sensuous Caribbean isle filled with touristy “all-inclusive” resorts, gated and sanitized, has hardly been top of mind for the jet set in recent years. I went to Jamaica a few times as a child, had fond memories. When I […]
“Matress” is a Game That Gets Old Fast
Remember those days when “all” the economic news was cheery? Remember when you felt like everybody “else” was making tons of money? From the hedge fund to the venture capital clicks, if you weren’t an insider, at least, you could put your money in the market and feel like a player. Money was flying faster […]
Tony Bennett, Joe DePinto, and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar – 3 Things Learned Last Week
Thinking through three interesting things I learned last week isn’t too hard, since I learn at least three things every waking hour. The difficult thing is deciding which things to share with you. Sticking to the subject of leadership, three wildly different leaders legendary singer Tony Bennett, 7-Eleven’s CEO Joseph DePinto, and humanitarian Sri Sri […]
Paul Volcker and Obama: Saving the UPS Lady From Abuse
Every time I turn on the radio or television, another broadcaster or pundit gives another take on what’s happened with the economy and who is to blame. My Republican colleagues spew email opinions in one direction. Democrats harangue in another direction. (I keep wondering where all these pundits were a year ago, don’t you?) The […]
The Financial Crises: Stop Cursing the Jerks on Wall St. and Shimmy Up the Mast
Two height-terrified novice sailors hoisted me, pirate style, with a knife in my teeth, three stories up in the air. I, who couldn’t even qualify as a novice sailor, clung to the top of a swaying mast on the open seas to cut loose a tangled rope, rescuing a sailboat stranded 500 yards […]
McCain, Sarah Palin, + Iowa Electronic Markets
High in the mountains of Vail, Colorado, where I recently was celebrating Labor Day, it seemed that even the bears were buzzing about McCain’s ace move in selecting outlander Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Talk about a shock. Frankly, I was wondering if he had a chance in hell of being a contender until he made this […]
The Story of a Sign: La Historia de un Letrero
Wanna see a great example of Leadership Mojo? Click on over to a short film The Story of a Sign (La Historia de un Letrero) and find your mind entertained, your spirits lifted, and your heart inspired. It’s cool. Make sure you watch it twice to catch the brilliant nuances of the film makers. It’s […]
Designing A Life Means Leading: To Santa Fe
“Leadership” isn’t just about leading a company or people. First and foremost, it’s about leading your life. Being in front. Deciding what it is you do want. Haven’t you noticed? Leaders rarely dwell on what they don’t want. Yesterday was my birthday-a perfect time to practice life leadership skills. While others may view New Year’s […]
Executive Retreat Pitfalls
Executive retreats play a huge role in the success of any organization. Yet many people resist them and don’t want to participate fully. This has been very much on my mind because I’ve led a number of strategic planning retreats in the last year and been president of two organizations myself where we used them […]