A Curator of Strategy, Leadership, Spirituality, and Rock and Roll…. "Changing the world…one "contact" at a time…."
By J. William DeMarco I hate to admit this, but the other day I was in the gym and a song by Katy Perry came on..."The One that Got Away.” Now, I am NOT a fan (it was forced on me...I was in the gym), but there is a line in the song...”...us against the …
I have always been a huge Malcolm Gladwell fan. Sure I have read the cons of his books, but if a book gets you to STOP and think, it would seem that author has indeed done the reader a great service. Malcolm spoke at Catalyst East this year on his new book David and Goliath: …
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“That’s why the philosophers warn us not to be satisfied with mere learning, but to add practice and then training. For as time passes we forget what we learned and end up doing the opposite, and hold opinions the opposite of what we should.” —EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 2.9.13–14 When I was in the ACSC leadership Department …
Continue reading "Leadership and Ethics: LEARN, PRACTICE, TRAIN (LPT)"
"It is only as we develop others that we permanently succeed." - Harvey Firestone Blogger’s Note: This piece was written almost a decade ago—sometimes it is good to go back and review—has anything changed? Recently, the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, General Mark Welsh, noted: "Now more than any time …
Continue reading "Meeting the Future Before It Gets Here…a plea for today’s leaders… DeMarco Banter"
The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him. -Machiavelli Having several near back to back command jobs and two serving as a “vice”, I have spent a great deal of time contemplating, studying, and reading about how to be the best #2 possible. …
Continue reading "Consiglieri: Odd Title—Stellar Followership…and Leadership"
Empire, leadership development, innovation, creativity, and warfare. Maybe I worry about it too much, but when we look at the history of the world it seems the decline of empire is usually due to a decline in leadership and leader development. Perhaps a decline in the strong advocacy of stellar leadership and bold ideas and …
It's a fascinating thing...something I have personally pondered from a long time... the thought that birthed Disruptive Thinking, Microclimates, and Leadership for Strategic Change. Did the coffeehouses in 17th century England lead to an acceleration in innovation and unusual levels of creativity? English coffeehouses in the 17th and 18th centuries were public social houses where people would meet for …
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Several years ago Max (our then, nine year old) asked me to define potential vs kinetic energy. I did my best, but in Max’s eyes my definition fell short of his very much by the book definition. As I pondered my scientific failure, I realized that is true leadership. As a leader and a mentor …
“For I believe a good king is from the outset and by necessity a philosopher, and the philosopher is from the outset a kingly person.” —MUSONIUS RUFUS, LECTURES, 8.33.32–34 Should a leader be a philosopher? According to Plato, a philosopher king is a leader who possesses both a love of knowledge, as well as intelligence, reliability, and a …
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Note: This post also appears in a slightly modified manner as a guest post on Cambridge University's Centre of Social Innovation blog: Public sector intraprenurship: overcoming bureaucratic immune systems Everyone has an idea. But it’s really about executing the idea and attracting other people to help you work on the idea. — Jack Dorsey Twice …
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