A Curator of Strategy, Leadership, Spirituality, and Rock and Roll…. "Changing the world…one "contact" at a time…."
Articles by me or at least mostly by me…
Angela Duckworth introduced the concept of grit in her 2016 book "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance". In the book, she describes grit as a combination of passion and perseverance, and argues that it is a critical factor in determining success in life and work. She provides research-based evidence to support her claims, and …
Continue reading "Grit in Leadership, Innovation, and Strategy: DeMarco Banter"
Punk rock emerged in the mid-1970s as a reaction to the overproduced, commercialized rock music of the time. It was characterized by a raw, stripped-down sound, DIY (do-it-yourself) ethic, and a rebellious attitude. The origins of punk rock can be traced back to the early 1970s, when bands such as the Stooges and the New …
Continue reading "AI, Punk Rock, Innovation and the Military Culture"
By J William DeMarco "Integrity is the basis of trust, which is not so much an ingredient of leaderships as it is a product. It is the one quality that cannot be acquired but must be earned. It is given by co-workers, and without it a leader cannot function." - Warren Bennis Those who I …
-J. William DeMarco “In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” —George Orwell How many of us use the term 3rd rail or 5th column with no concept of the definition or history? I did, but after some research it appears to be a truly impactful leader, we need to attack …
Continue reading "Third Rail and Fifth Column Leadership: A Contrarian’s Thought"
“It’s not about standing still and becoming safe. If anybody wants to keep creating they have to be about change.” - Miles Davis Many people probably do not initially see the parallels between the rock industry and the American military, and in fact, one might think they have been at odds with each other for …
Several years ago, the family invaded the Epcot Center. We all fell silent as we entered the park and fell upon a new feature, giant slabs of black granite all over – tons and tons of granite – and a big sign that says “Leave Your Legacy”. For a fee, a Disney cast member will take …
Continue reading "How To Leave A Legacy By J. William DeMarco"
There is a great deal of conversation around the concept of bold and innovative leaders as of late. To be truly bold and innovative requires a leader to take risk, and risk requires courage. So, how brave are you? How brave is your organization? Will it tolerate risk? Will it tolerate our potential failure? This is …
Continue reading "Risk Takers and Ants Marching–The Key to Innovation"
By J. William DeMarco In speaking with a colleague the other day regarding gaining traction with new innovative ideas in large organizations we quickly devolved into a history lesson. Selling ideas is indeed an art form, especially when senior leadership might be more concerned with survival vice improving the organization. As we discussed the concepts, …
Many people confuse good leadership with effective leadership, but a contrarian leader knows there is a huge difference between the two. Hitler was an extraordinarily effective leader, but few would refer to him a good leader. I came across some interesting thoughts on good vs. effective leadership and moral codes as I read through The …
Continue reading "Effective vs Good and The Contrarian Leader: DeMarco Banter"
Mastermind Century Group 