my thinking
Opinion pieces and essays on leadership.
Outcome Bias and the Seductive Rearview Mirror of Decision Making
Blockbuster missed the future when it laughed Netflix out of the room in September 2000. Ten years later they were bankrupt. Twenty years after its IPO Netflix was worth $150B. Seems cut and dry, right? Blockbuster made a bad decision.
But are we analysing that with the benefit of hindsight, knowing that against odds, Netflix grew into a behemoth? Outcome bias clouds judgment. And the popular narrative is prime example.
There were many decisions that led to Blockbuster’s demise and a healthy dose of luck that led to Netflix’s rise.
You Don’t Lack Creativity, But the Courage to be Creative
Colani’s career does not suggest that leaders must become radicals. It does suggest something quieter and more demanding: that creativity requires comfort with discomfort, and the resolve to pursue ideas that may not immediately fit the expectations of the crowd.
Cultural, Schmultural What Actually Moves the Needle in Cross-Cultural Leadership
The “intercultural training” industry is mostly leadership training with a fancy garnish. Real-world data proves that whether you’re in Dubai or Dhaka, visionary, high-integrity leadership is a universal language. Stop studying national stereotypes and start leading like a human. It works everywhere.
Blood, Oil, and Topography: Why Geography Still Shapes Geopolitics
Mountains don’t move. Rivers can’t be relocated. Ocean access remains essential. How physical geography constrains political options and shapes strategic decisions. This framework does not justify decisions or assign blame. It asks a simpler question: what constraints shape the choices available before any leader acts?
Captain Morgan, the Battle of Maracaibo, and Digital Leadership
In the face of uncertainty with impossible odds, Capt Morgan adopted a collaborative leadership style with radical transparency, empowered the team, and fostered a culture of experimentation, prizing adaptability and creativity.
Why Leadership Growth Is Uncomfortable
In bodybuilding, discomfort is not incidental, it is the signal that muscle is being asked to adapt. Heavy weights strain tissue beyond its current capacity, creating the conditions for growth.
Leadership growth works the same way. Difficult conversations, uncertainty, accountability, and feedback that challenges your self-image all produce psychological discomfort.
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