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...
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....
When I was in my twenties, I left what could have been a promising job (and career path) largely because I was too afraid to confront an issue that was weighing me down. It was all just too hard, too scary, too awkward. So I opted to resign instead. On my final...
The tone of political discourse, particularly in America, has descended to new lows in recent years. Little wonder so many Americans (and non-Americans) I meet share their dismay and express a deep desire for leadership that transcends partisan bickering and for...
The last time I spoke to my youngest brother Peter was on his 31st birthday. Six times, I had tried to get through, but each time the phone connection dropped out. Finally, on the seventh attempt, it went through. I was at my home in McLean, Virginia. He was in a...
“It is important to learn how to take criticism seriously but not personally.” ― Hillary Clinton It’s great advice. Yet if you’ve ever been criticized (and let’s face it, who hasn’t?), you’ll know that being told “not to take it personally” often does little to soften...
While I wish it were different, there will always be people who seek to lift themselves up by pulling others down. They aren’t necessarily bad people – more often they are operating out of a deep-seated fear of their own inadequacy. Making others feel inferior,...
“I can’t break up with him. I just can’t,” Sue told me, “It will just kill him.” “Sue I’m not a doctor but I’m pretty sure breaking off your engagement won’t kill him. It may be very upsetting for a while, but his heart will continue to beat and so will yours,” I...
Ever find yourself feeling resentful at people for what they do... or fail to do? Perhaps your boss just puts too much on your plate or doesn’t pay you what you're worth. Maybe a co-worker, friend or family member continually oversteps boundaries, or continually asks...
Nearly every person I've spoken to over the last week or so has mentioned to me how much they have on this merry month of December. Holiday parties. School concerts. Travel planning. Teacher gifts. Card writing. Present shopping. Christmas decorating. Gift wrapping....
I’m sure, like me, you’ve made your share of mistakes over the years. Times you’ve made a bad decision or taken too long to make any at all! The word mistake comes from the Latin to “miss-step.” Mistakes are, literally, nothing more or less than a step (or two) in the...
Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with former Australian Prime Minister John Howard. We were both keynote speakers at the same conference and ended up having time together between speeches and afterward at a reception. Like every political leader,...
Ever been in a conversation where you felt like the person you were talking to wasn’t listening to a word you said because they were too busy trying to convince you of their opinion? Yep, me too. It’s a common phenomenon. So much so that there’s likely been times...
Communication technology. It's the best of tools when used well. It's the worst of tools when it's not. Last week I received a 'not-very-nice' email from a man who didn’t like my reference to Donald Trump in my recent blog. He wrote, and I quote, “You should be...
Need to find some "Tall Poppy Courage?" If you live in Australia, or have ever travelled here, you’ll have heard of the Tall Poppy Syndrome. It may sound like a medical condition, but it’s actually a cultural one, whereby people who become too successful (or aspire to...
Yesterday I signed up on the dating website AshleyMadison.com. If you hadn’t heard of it before this week as the place married people go to cheat on their spouses, then you probably did this week after a cyber attack by some morally righteous online vigilantes hacked...
I’ve just spent the last week travelling around Australia speaking at different conferences, including one with Business Chicks at Uluru in Australia's outback (I posted some pics to Facebook yesterday - it was pretty spectacular!) A common thread that weaves through...
Sir Richard Branson is a man I’ve admired as long as I remember. His books – jammed with stories of his entrepreneurial exploits and intrepid adventures on earth, sky and space – sit atop my bookshelves, their pages underlined with insights on taking risks, managing...
A woman recently came up to me after a talk to tell me how miserable she is in her job. "But it's been impossible for me to get a new job," she said "There's just nothing out there. Absolutely nothing." While I had no way to validate her situation my strong sense was...
Change is never easy, even change for the better. It’s why so many people choose to stay in jobs they loathe, in relationships that chip away at their self-confidence or sticking to habits that rob years from their life, rather than embrace the uneasiness, uncertainty...
