It was late in the afternoon in the humid city of Dar Es Saalam as Laz stared pensively at his reflection in his glass wall office, fitted with a working air conditioner standing on a Persian carpet he was gifted from Zanzibar. He allowed himself a wry smile as he remembered the tribulations and triumphs he’s been through over his 20+ years in senior executive management roles in three different countries. Commonly referred to as Laz by his colleagues, Lazarus was an astute finance professional who had risen fast in his career to the envy ..read more

We often define success by the title one has in an organization, how much money one earns, or how many ‘likes’ or followers one has on social media.  We get hung up on getting the new promotion, the corner office, and social media popularity because of how it looks from the outside. We show the fancy car as the image of success but forget about the journey to getting there.  So how can we as individuals redefine what success means to achieve more and feel more fulfilled?  I spoke over the US Thanksgiving holiday to Dave Doe, the co-founde ..read more

My earliest and most vivid memory of Halloween took place when I was 3 years old in St. Louis, MO. My parents had dressed me up as Spiderman that year, the homemade costume had all the works. I was definitely in the Halloween spirit, owning the superhero role and fully grasping the main premise – I walk to houses in the subdivision and they hand me free candy in my bag. This is pretty much like the best day of any kid’s life. My dad took me around to some houses on our street, Gradient Drive, when we came upon one a few doors down. There w ..read more

In a world of instant gratification, it can be very difficult to be patient.   We can get most things almost instantly now.  Information can be at our fingertips in mere seconds thanks to google and all the search engines.  We are engaged in an environment, whether at work or at home, where results are expected immediately.  Our boss wants something and expects it now.  No pressure!  While the speed with which we do business and live our lives has increased dramatically, we need to slow down a bit and focus on the process to attain sus ..read more

With all the amazing technology within reach today, we sometimes forget the power of the human connection. We conduct job searches online. We connect to others socially through different platforms. Yet in these myriad modes, we may never see a person’s face or even hear their voice. There isn’t anything wrong with these vehicles. They are a great means for communication and a gateway for interaction. But as we continue to advance with technology, it will be an individual’s interpersonal skills and understanding of the human connection ..read more

Innovation is the buzzword today.  Many organizations create programs or departments around this concept to deliver change with the intention to maximize effectiveness, profitability, and to stay competitive in today’s volatile landscape.  What if these companies and leaders in innovation are not starting from the right core mindset?  Many design thinking principles and exercises can prove valuable, but what is needed to start the practical and sustainable shift? I spent time with Rohit Sharma in Calgary recently to learn more about innova ..read more

How often have you started something with energy and excitement and then lost all momentum at the finish? Whether it was working on a new business idea, a weight loss regimen, new years’ resolutions, etc.  we probably have all been guilty of fading at the end at some point in time.  We don’t need to beat ourselves up over it, but it is certainly something to step back and look at why it maybe happened.  I was on the track and field team during my college years and was fortunate to have great coaches that pushed me.  Jim Deegan and Mike Me ..read more

“Son, are you going to wait for Eisenberg to call you?” -The King During the days of elementary school, I can recall working hard for one purpose – to get to summer vacation.  In this most exciting time of the year, I would often frequent the community pool, hang out with friends, attend sports camps, and take family trips.  While my two sisters and I were mostly kept busy with pre-planned engagements, there was often some down time where we were at the house.  I am sure these were the moments that my parents longed for happy h ..read more

We do not all see things in the same way.  What might seem obvious to one person, could be the complete opposite for another.  We often use the example of a glass of water that is filled to the midpoint to gauge – is it half full or half empty?  We traditionally say that a person who says ‘half full’ takes an optimistic view and ‘half empty’ is the view of a pessimist.  In either case we are asserting judgement in the situation.  Both parties are correct, it is not right or wrong.  They just see a specific scenario in a different way ..read more

One of the most important levers to maximize personal development is the feedback loop.  We all say we want to improve and get better in what we do.  We take steps that we believe will get us to the next level in our current jobs or prepare us for the next tier.  As leaders, we talk to our teams and try to maximize the potential of everyone by giving them feedback.  Whether through performance evaluations or regular on-on-one’s, we impart knowledge and provide our advisory. That can certainly be helpful if done the right way.  We ..read more