We don't need no education We don't need no thought control No dark sarcasm in the classroom Teacher, leave them kids alone. —Another Brick in The Wall, Pink Floyd, 1979 For years, I have been fervently pondering the concept of an ideal classroom of the future, a visionary space where the fusion of technology, pedagogy, …
Disruptors Up: Love ’em or Hate ’em? There’s probably a reason… DeMarco Banter
“Oh, I used to be disgusted And now I try to be amused” —Elvis Costello, The Angels Want to Wear My Red Shoes, 1977 A few weeks back, a colleague mentioned I was a disruptor. At first, I wasn't sure how to take it—was it a compliment, a criticism, or perhaps a bit of both? …
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Can Our Leaders Win? A Commentary on “Why Our Generals Don’t Win” by Gary Anderson: Deeper DeMarco Banter
A thought-provoking article by Gary Anderson caught my attention last week, titled "Why Our Generals Don’t Win." The piece ignited a fascinating discussion when I shared it on LinkedIn. Anderson's central argument is that the inability of our generals to secure victories can be traced back to the influence of the Goldwater-Nichols Act and the …
Why Are Military Staffs Set Up the Way They Are? OR—Everybody Wants to Rule the World: DeMarco Banter
Help me make the most of freedom and of pleasure Nothing ever lasts forever Everybody wants to rule the world. . -Tears for Fears, Everybody wants to Rule The World (1985) The song "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears was released in 1985 and became one of the Tears For Fears …
Boyd: The Mad Major, The Ghetto Colonel, The Innovator: DeMarco Banter or Who Do You Want to Be Today?
Who do you want to be today?Who do you want to be?Who do you want to be today?Do you want to be just like someone on TV? Oh, boredom is so terrible; it's like a dread diseaseNothing could be worseThan when there's nothing on TVI'd rather be a cowboy than to stare blank at the …
Enabling Factors for Innovating in Hard Structures vs Corporate—Or I Fought The Law and The Law Won: DeMarco Banter
Breakin' rocks in the hot sun I fought the law and the law won. --The Clash (sort of) I had a colleague ask the other day—what’s the story behind innovation in a massive bureaucracy like the US Department of Defense—what are the enabling factors? That last part had me a bit miffed—what are the enabling …
OFFSET STRATEGY X: Feed my Frankenstein–Neo-DeMarcoian Thought
Well, I ain't evil I'm just good lookin' Start a little fire And baby start cookin' I'm a hungry man But I don't want pizza I'll blow down your house And then I'm gonna eat ya —FEED MY FRANKENSTEIN I've always been fascinated by the evolution of military strategies, specifically the offset strategies employed by …
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RED vs BLUE Ocean Strategies: DeMarco Banter
When I first heard of the Blue Ocean Strategy—all I could think of was Blue Ocean, like open skies—few competitors, etc. Red Ocean, lots of blood, sharks, competition, and so on. I recently read Friedman’s book Strategy: A History where he addresses Blue and Red Ocean strategies. Just thought it might be interesting to dive …
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Ever Heard of This Guy…Pareto? Beyond the 80/20 Rule–Lessons for Leaders, Innovators, and Strategists: DeMarco Banter
For some reason, as of late, I've been hearing a lot of the theories and principles established by the influential Italian economist and sociologist, Vilfredo Pareto. I knew about the 80/20 principle, but it might need to be explored a bit deeper on how it applies in various aspects of life. In that reading I …
Innovation and Doc Martens: Culture in a Boot? DeMarco Banter
ORGIN STORY I've always loved Dr. Martens ever since I was in High School--I have 3 pairs of various styles now--but what's up with the boot, how and why did it become a "thing?" I had to check it out... Dr. Martens, also known as Docs or DMs, is a British footwear and clothing brand, …
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