I’m still uncertain about the connection between Flyvbjerg’s “think slow, then act fast” and Warren Kinston’s Pragmatic phase of management culture, but that shouldn’t stop us from moving forward! Kinston points out that Simple Pragmatism, the base of organizational life, always degrades. You think it won’t, that all you need to do is keep doing what’s in front of you. …
First, Do Something. Maybe?
“If you want to know how to get started, just do something!” Or, as M. Bartok Wolfe always told me, “Action is Action.” When you are getting something started — anything, really — action takes precedence. It’s not about thinking or planning: it’s about doing something. At least. it’s sometimes like that. In an ongoing business, it’s best to simply …
So, I asked Chat GPT to write some poems about my writing….
I asked Chat GPT to review the contents of this site, and using that knowledge, write some poems about Hidden High Potentials. (Which you can go research if you’re unfamiliar. I’ll wait for you here.) My first attempt was requesting a sonnet, no style otherwise: Amidst the crowds, a gem oft goes unseen, A talent shining bright, but rarely found, …
What To Do With Turkeys In The Company
“He was turkey farmed, and there wasn’t anything to do but ride it out to retirement.” We were talking about his old colleague. The guy had run afoul of his commander at the base for his insistence on following some environmental policy or other. The commander had “promoted” him to a special project with a special office. Each day, he …
How CEOs are Different Than Risk Pros
Hersh Shefrin, long-time Santa Clara prof and father of Behavioral Finance, points out that Lopes’s SP/A theory explains why CEOs and risk professionals have so many “what are you talking about?” moments: … my research indicates that CEOs are the most hopeful of all groups, the most apt to set specified goals, and the most likely to try to achieve …
Note: Was Jesus Poor or not? (further)
Although Monday’s note argues that Jesus’ father was a respected craftsman, and that James, Jesus’ brother, was likely either himself a Pharisee or respected by them, there is some evidence that Jesus was bereft of personal resources when he died. The Gospel accounts have many accounts of Jesus being hosted by others, or being supported by them. His disciples are …
SP/A Theory and Operational Risk
Lopes developed the SP/A Theory framework about why people make certain choices when faced with risk. These are developed through empirical studies of undergraduates, including running commentary on why they are choosing one alternative vs another. It led to one of the key insights into why we take the chances we do, and why one person may have a thoroughly …
Note: Jesus Wasn’t Raised Poor
The ancient texts are always interesting, in part because you often discover that you’ve been reading them wrong. … Luke attests that “every year [Jesus’] parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover” (24:1)….. They were obviously a devout, Jewish family with the financial means to make the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem, something few could afford. Bütz, Jeffery …
Does Risk Management Encourage the Abdication of Accountability by Managers?
“Managers should never be allowed to abdicate their management accountabilities and authorities by having HR do what is their job!” I learned this from management guru and past president of Forrest & Company, Nick Forrest (no relation) several years ago when I had the good fortune to work with him briefly. Why mention HR when in a discussion about Risk …
Why We Talk Past Each Other at Work: The 7 Decision Languages
I recently sat through a meeting where the discussants, all intelligent people who care deeply about the work under discussion, argued deeply and long without much actually happening. You’ve been in these, too, and you’ve also been frustrated by how people don’t understand when you start talking about what we need to do. But I now don’t have to live …