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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 …
Continue reading "Enlightened by Starbucks? Good Ideas and Good Coffee…DeMarco Banter"
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 …
Continue reading "Leadership and the Philosopher: A neo-DeMarconian Thought"
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 …
Continue reading "Innovation and The Intrapreneur? NeoDeMarconian Thoughts"
For the past several years I have been reading, researching, and thinking a great deal about the ancients and their unique way of looking at leadership. It’s interesting to realize there is indeed nothing new under the sun. All the great leadership books, thoughts, theories can be traced back to the ancients. Today there is …
Continue reading "36 Short Stoic Versus for the Commander/Leader"
“There are three classes of people: those who see. Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see.” ― Leonardo da Vinci Innovation is not about tech and it's not about tools--sorry business model canvas (mission model canvas), design thinking, continuous process improvement, Six Sigma, etc. Like a cue ball ripping across …
Continue reading "The Imagined Order and Innovation: DeMarco Banter"
Reading a few weeks ago in the Daily Stoic, I came across the thought: “An iron law of history is that greatness and goodness are rarely appreciated in their own time.” Winston Churchill was more or less tossed out of office twice— in 1945 and again in 1955. Amelia Earhart had to get a job …
Continue reading "Self-Esteem and Leadership–Who Appreciates You? Neo-DeMarcoian Thought"
“Chaos was the law of nature; Order was the dream of man.” -Henry Adams Leaders are in a place of transition, not just in global power dynamics, but in technology as well. In this dangerous liminal space , leaders are looking for clarity and firm ground. Jeff DeGraff points out, we have absolutely zero data …
Continue reading "Bringing Chaos to Order: A Philosophy for Innovation"
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