Telling the stories of inclusion that convince those within
When one considers an enormous task such as implementing change in an organization as widespread and traditional as the Catholic Church, one wonders where to begin. While this pope has been highly...
View ArticleThe remarkable stories of inclusion continue
Again this week, I caught myself thinking that I was writing a bit too much about Pope Francis and that I should move on to some other topics, several of which have been floating around in my head,...
View ArticleReflecting on boredom
A funny thing happened to me this week on a flight from Detroit to Amsterdam. We were all set to go, the cabin door had been closed, all electronic devices were turned off for takeoff, and then the...
View ArticleCreating a group culture
This week, I am teaching a two day seminar to MBA students in Grenoble. As I am working far less in business schools now than in previous years, coming here got me thinking again about how I like to...
View ArticleThe recent Swiss immigration referendum as a study in storytelling
Though discussion of political issues has often left me cold and bored in recent times, I watched the latest debate about immigration in Switzerland with considerable interest. As a foreigner and...
View ArticleLeadership moments in the events of everyday life
In my teaching and coaching for the past two decades, I have often emphasized the concept that leadership begins with a willingness to stand for what one believes. And, leadership is not only about the...
View ArticleWho is the real Steve Jobs, and what are his lessons for us?
As I begin to write this, I realize full well that one week ago I sketched out a plan and said that I might actually try to stick to it. At the same time, I did call it a “tentative” schedule for the...
View ArticleTruth versus authenticity in organizational storytelling
Writing about Hewlett-Packard these past weeks, I was reminded of research I did on corporate stories of identity when I was a doctoral student in England. One of my most interesting findings at that...
View ArticleWalking the talk: on the meaning of authenticity
Our previous post closed with a story about Hamdy Khalafalla Mohamed, a bakery chef at the Cairo Marriott Hotel. One of the reasons his tale impressed me is that it is about an individual who takes the...
View ArticleThe evolution of political language
Writing about the language of business these past weeks has caused me to think about something that has been on my mind since the US presidential campaign last year—how our ideas about language and...
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