Welcome to Margie's Insights and Interviews
Jan 31, 2024
You think failure is hard? Not near as hard as learning from it
Failing is hard. But not near as hard as learning from it. Thomas J. Watson, former CEO of IBM, once said, “If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate.” It sounds good. Yet it’s not wholly true. Sure, risking failure is
Nov 16, 2023
The greatest source of risk to us... is us
In the 2000’s, the US Armed Forces introduced bulletproof body armor to protect American soldiers in deadly combat zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet the armor was so heavy that it weighed soldiers down and slowed their speed. General Stanley McChrystal, commander of the
Sep 02, 2023
Without psychological safety, fear stifles truth and courage
NASA Challenger disaster. BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Volkswagen emissions scandal. What went wrong? Investigations produced multi-layered findings. Yet beneath the complexity lay a common element. Fear. People were afraid to speak the truth. And so, they didn’t. Concerns weren’t shared, mistruths were rewarded, and
May 09, 2023
Get comfortable being uncomfortable
After graduating from university I moved back to my parents' farm and worked two jobs for six months until I’d saved up enough to buy an around-the-world airfare. Then off I set. No cell phone. No credit card. Just a handful of traveler’s checks (remember
Apr 18, 2023
Put your 'to be' list ahead of your 'to do' list.
I felt awash with a swirling mix of anxiety and overwhelm in late March 2020. I was living in Singapore. My husband had just been hospitalized with Covid-19. I was put into a strict quarantine with one of my children, Singapore's health department video-calling three
Jun 01, 2022
How might you be wrong? Chances are, in more ways than you'd like to think
Which do you value more: the truth or your own beliefs? Because they are not synonymous. It’s pretty safe to assume that people reading this will have different opinions about many topics. Fiscal policy. Abortion. Parenting. Education. Climate change. Racism. Religion. Gun control. The leadership
Feb 25, 2022
Beyond The Middle Octave: Embracing All Of Life's Notes
It's hard to wrap words around reuniting with my parents in Australia after two years of travel restrictions. Mum has developed dementia since we last hugged. As she dried my tears she said, "Margaret Mary, is it really you? I feel like I am looking at myself,
Nov 22, 2021
Practice Gratitude. What You Appreciate, Appreciates
We all know that it’s good to be grateful. Yet let’s face it, the gravitational pull to dwell on what we don't like or perceive as lacking is strong. Unless we consciously choose otherwise, our attention tends to get pulled toward what’s wrong and whom
Nov 17, 2021
Give More Grace – To Yourself, To Others
The woman across from me at a dinner I attended recently rolled her eyes in annoyance when the waiter accidentally poured wine into her water glass. As soon as he realized his error, he apologized profusely. But she was frustrated and let him know as