Category : Change Management

“Turkish Airlines flight TK 209 to Istanbul is delayed by an hour and a half” said the announcer at the lounge. “Don’t worry, you will make it to your connecting flight” said the purser as I boarded. Upon landing, I sprinted nearly three kilometers to the gate, only to witness the plane pulling away. I exhaled “Ay Ya Ya Yai” and raced another 1.5 kilometers to the lounge to find an alternative flight.

It was a cold bright winter day in Cleveland Ohio but inside the Weatherhead School of Management campus at Case Western University it was warm and fuzzy. In the first lesson on Appreciative Inquiry (AI), Dr. David Cooperrider taught us the principles of the Appreciative Interview which is a key activity of the Discovery stage at ‘the heart of AI’.

Dirk Nowitzki’s speech at the 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famewas a standout event that transcended the speeches of his remarkable fellow inductees. With eloquence, the Mavs icon delivered an inspirational universal blueprint for success and artfully dissected his journey, laying bare the core qualities and values that fueled his rise to greatness*.

It is believed that Napoleon Bonaparte countered criticisms about his reliance on luck in battles by stating, “I prefer lucky generals to skilled ones.”Napoleon ignored his Foreign Minister Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord’s advice against the invasion of Russia in 1812 where he lost the war to “general winter”. The lessons of history reveal that excessive reliance on luck and neglecting constructive criticism can exhaust one’s lucky streak.

Even the most seasoned motivational speakers or top entertaining keynote speakers can find themselves derailed by an unexpected turn. I found myself in such a twist recently with an audience that seemed to have an aversion to the front rows. Despite my best efforts, those seats stayed vacant, a sea of empty chairs.

Bruno Oehy, a Swiss CFO of Sika Japan, faced the daunting task of uniting five different Japanese companies. Unlike a typical executive, Bruno’s mission required samurai-like adaptability and patience amid the chaos and stress.

This week’s inspiration springs from Terry Smagh, who manages Asia Pacific for Infor. A leader who champions a culture of #Trust and #Respect.