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Here are some of my ideas and favorite resources related to supporting organizations through strategic planning. (I have no stake in the resources I recommend. And the rants are all mine!) Strategic planning ideas For overall organizational health, I really like the...

May the Fourth be with you. Yoda didn't like the active voice or being consistent with tenses. But, if he did, and if he were feeling long-winded, he might say things like these: "Deep work can generate as much satisfaction in an information economy as it so clearly...

If you've played sports or watch sports, you may be familiar with the concept of "taking what the defense gives you." In football, this might mean noticing the "soft spots" in the zone defense where your receivers will be open to catch passes. In hockey it might mean...

Show them respect and trust them to distill knowledge, discern what matters most, and make decisions. This week, I studied a book about helping children exercise agency. And I listened to a podcast about how to lay off direct reports. As I pondered the words of the...

Would you like to hear from individuals who rarely speak up in meetings? Have you ever sensed some attendees weren't telling you how they really felt about an issue? Or have the solutions the group devised not reflected the combined wisdom and creativity of the whole...

The movie Worth portrays the work of Kenneth Feinberg and other attorneys assigned by the U.S. Attorney General to manage the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund. The film is based on Feinberg's book, What is Life Worth? The film shows the attorneys wrestling with the...

"We're all capable of greatness," this 10 year old Nike campaign taught. "If greatness doesn't come knocking on your door, maybe you should go knock on its door."But what does that mean in daily practice? How can I be great at 9:30 in the morning when I have a long...

People power organizations. And networked organizations change communities and industries. In his book, The Power Law: Venture Capital and the Making of the New Future, Sebastian Mallaby wrote that, when working well, "venture capitalists transform a mere...

An experience at my law school graduation and a recent Supreme Court filing may seem unrelated. But, I hope you'll understand why I've combined them here. Our son was 18 months old when I graduated from law school. Walking on the university lawn after the graduation,...