I’m thinking of solutions that are the starts of entrepreneurial projects, but the creative thing could be a work or art, something you write, something you perform, and so on. In my experience, the best indicator of how well a solution solves a complex problem is how many iterations it’s gone through. Solutions to simple problems may not need many iterations, but complex ones do and the more iterations the[…] Keep reading →

I’ve written on the perils of giving advice to people who haven’t asked for it, in “On giving unsolicited advice” and “14 proven ways to make you and people around you miserable,” for example. Still, every now and then I feel like this one time my advice will help this person. I’ve been through what they have. They’ll appreciate my help. I’ll indulge myself and give them advice. It blows[…] Keep reading →

Reading isn’t doing. Watching videos isn’t doing. Learning about research isn’t doing. Only changing your behavior changes your behavior. What is your behavior while reading and watching? With regard to other people, it’s passive and non-interactive—the opposite of leadership, which is active and interactive. Watching videos about leadership is like watching videos about lifting weights or running. You don’t lose weight from watching others exercise, you don’t get strong from[…] Keep reading →

My Inc.com post, “Despite What Harvard Says, You Don’t Need a Crucible” begins Despite What Harvard Says, You Don’t Need a Crucible While some have become leaders by overcoming great challenges, don’t believe the myth that you need to. In September 2002, Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas wrote in Harvard Business Review‘s, Crucibles of Leadership, In interviewing more than 40 top leaders in business and the public sector over the past three years, we were surprised[…] Keep reading →

Continuing my series of alternative responses to the New York Times column, The Ethicist, looking at the consequences of one’s actions instead of imposing values on others, here is my take on today’s post, “Should a Friend Be Told the Real Reason He Didn’t Get the Job?” A friend whom I like and admire a great deal applied for a teaching job at a private school where my wife used[…] Keep reading →

Three weeks ago I rowed 4,994 meters in 20 minutes, a speed that felt surprising to keep up the whole time. I’ve been approaching 5,000 meters in 20 minutes for a while. Today I rowed 20 minutes 5,016 meters 334 calories or 1,003 calories / hour 1:59.6 min / 500m split I can’t tell you how good the accomplishment feels. I didn’t plan on doing it today. I started rowing[…] Keep reading →

I meant to post about the vegetables I got each week from my farm share deal (called Community Supported Agriculture or CSA). The farm drops off its vegetables to a place a few blocks away and everyone picks up their share within a three-hour time slot. The summer/fall one I do delivers food twenty-four weeks. The winter/spring one delivers less often. This year’s started last week, so the fresh vegetables[…] Keep reading →