Although I rarely say it out loud, it’s the word that best explains my intellectual response to what’s happening in the world. — It is another in my series: "Searching for the Cause of My Uncontrollable Profanity, Given the Insanity of Modern Humanity.” In truth, there’s no series, but nobody cares about honesty any more. Although it seems like someone threw a switch a few short years ago, the current chaos is systemic…

Being More Japanese — An earlier and shorter version of this article appeared on LinkedIn I‘ve just got back from Japan. My third trip over the last decade but this time, it was personal. The visual and philosophical heritage of Japan does something chemically to me. My head fills with Noradrenaline, Dopamine, Serotonin, Endorphins…

Never trust the grown-ups. — As I was approaching the end of school, I remember being told clearly to get a proper job. Or else! I was told not to follow my passion for rock music, art, or photography—no creativity under any circumstances. There was no money to be made in it. They said. So…

Just Nod If You Can Hear Me — Getting your idea across to someone is a bloody nightmare. The acid test is whether or not your audience bought it. Did the message hit the mark? Did the deal get done? Did the brief make sense to the team? Although this is not breaking news — creating a simple and compelling message takes blood, sweat, and tears — often…

What did metaphors/idioms ever do for us — Eh? — Historians tell us the past doesn’t repeat itself — it rhymes And off it goes, the rhymes become memes — the truth is the victim — important realities take second place. Romance takes over, and history is pretty soon whatever we want it to be. To understand the present, we must understand the journey we took. But looking back is hard…

Lots of noise about the shortcomings of GPT and LLMs. But not from me. — Anyone who has spent time with our new friends has probably been, in equal parts, sceptical and excited by what’s happening — strewn with errors, false information, bias, canned, indistinct and lazy. Like many programs and meetings, I’ve been in with human beings. Nothing I’ve published (ever) has been written…

They know what they lack, but they’re good with it. — Great leaders know business success requires both art and science. Very few individuals excel at both. Not-so-great leaders often diminish the value of the one they’re weaker at. Stellar operations but mediocre branding/customer experience aren’t going to win any prizes. Pick a sector — Automotive, Energy, Manufacturing, Finance, Software, Fashion…

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in business. — I’m pretty lucky. I get to watch leaders and businesses at work. I’ve studied how they work and why they don’t. Many leaders’ biggest mistake is not exploiting the science AND the art of business. Both are essential to make businesses work fully. 1. The science is the ‘how’ and ‘why’ the operation…

Twenty-one years of writing sentences — I just had a fantastic few days in Istanbul. A dear friend constantly challenges me to share the one-liners that pepper how I explain our work. Istanbul was the perfectly beautiful, chaotic backdrop to provoke me to write. To Coin A Phrase Around 600 BC, the process of making money from metal started. …