There are several rites of passage for white-collar work, but probably none is more controversial than “brainstorming”. The mere mention of the term elicits equal number of exasperated eye rolls and hopeful eyebrow raises.
“We may just solve this problem!”
“We may just have lost a perfectly good afternoon.”
I’ve…
In the storytelling world, there are things called “tropes”, which is a fancy way of saying “a set of circumstances that seem to happen enough for us to notice”. There are plot tropes, character tropes, narrative tropes, even literary tropes for the snooty intellectuals among us. As you might imagine…
Here’s how to look back, look forward, and make both worthwhile
If you’ve ever been an employee, the term “annual review” has probably ignited your anxiety and taken from you a chunk of time you would have been happier to spend on something more worthwhile, like waiting in line at…
and The Idea Enthusiast Weekly, July 17 2019
“That’s one small step for [a] man; one giant leap for mankind.”
Neil Armstrong
There’s a scene in “Knocking Down the House”, the Netflix documentary that just happened to catch the rise of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, where AOC the candidate talks about promotional…
“Comparison is the thief of joy.”
Theodore Roosevelt
In advance of the 4th of July, I’ve been reading up on the origin of fireworks. You’d think it would be an American story, seeing as how we love our rockets and bombs (as George Carlin used to say, we have the…
“I don’t look to jump over seven-foot bars. I look for one-foot bars that I can step over.”
Warren Buffet
My little “June Jaunt” continued last week with a trip to Lansing to work with the Michigan Dental Association and its Foundation board on two consecutive days. It’s been interesting…
“Death is the price you paid for being born.”
Gloria Vanderbilt
Thanks to the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs for having me present a design sprints workshop (“The Idea-Driven Organization”) as part of their annual member meetings. Happy to report that with 3 teams, 2 decided to do…
“Any place is good for eavesdropping, if you know how to eavesdrop.”
Tom Waits
Culture House is historic neighborhood church in the southwest quadrant of Washington DC that was relaunched as a psychedelic arts collective a few years back. Built in 1886, it’s one of the oldest buildings in SW…
“The creative adult is the child who survived.”
Ursula Leguin
Just imagine if you were able to draw your thoughts. You have an image in your mind, but the words don’t quite do that image justice. Being able to translate that image from visually in your head to visually in…
“If it’s important to you, you will find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.”
Ryan Blair, author
Before every big group project or new initiative, there’s a moment when a little cleaning would make a big difference.
This “cleaning” comes in alot of forms:
