Blog Archives

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to attend an event in Brussels. Most people, when dropped into the heart of European political power, might take a tour of the EU Parliament, stroll past the Commission’s headquarters, or,…

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This morning I was taking part in a focus group relating to the culture within an organisation I’m involved with. Said organisation is very monochromatic and primarily made up of people much like myself – middle-aged, white, male. In…

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Part of being a professional board member is spending time building rapport with fellow board members and executive teams. Often, this involves getting together for dinner the night before a board meeting. Now, that might sound like a well-paid…

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The other day, I had a board meeting to attend in Wellington. Without even thinking about it, as I landed at Wellington Airport, I took out my phone, opened the Uber app, and summoned a car. I did not…

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The other day a post came up on my Facebook feed. The post in question was from a proud parent celebrating the fact that their offspring had recently obtained an award as a Scout. The teenage progeny stood there,…

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Sometimes, I read something that just makes me angry. I’m trying hard to be more equanimous, but I’m failing dismally. The most recent example was last week when someone sent me an article from one of our more respected…

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My parents were immigrants to this country. They arrived with little but hope, fleeing a homeland and moving away from their families because staying meant risking everything. They didn’t come looking for handouts. They came to work, to contribute,…

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Recently, I spent an hour with an executive coach talking about, among other things, equanimity in the face of situations that induce stress. He gave the example of a time he was driving somewhere and another car cut him…

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For years, my work in technology felt like a niche interest – something complex and technical that didn’t seem to connect to the bigger picture of business. Times have changed. Technology isn’t just a tool; it’s the foundation of…

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Let’s start with a confession: If you’d told me a decade ago that I’d be talking about AI-driven cyber-attacks as an everyday business risk, I would have laughed. Not because I didn’t take cyber threats seriously – I’ve always…

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