I spent 20 days recently with a CEO friend on a group trip with other very smart common friends. After observing her management of the group and reflecting on my own pretty effective use of time, I concluded that effective CEOs, having more energy (a topic I’ve blogged on before), just get a lot more done in their day than the average person. Here’s how.Read More »
Another stage in the sexual equality revolution has finally arrived. I’m thrilled – and stunned – by the rapid spread from Weinstein to the outing of many other outrageous men to #MeToo and now to #meNOmore, as women across the world stand up in many industries against the organisational and reputational power which men have exerted over them. We’ve come a long way since Mad Men.Read More »
Publically, we all believe affairs are bad for a marriage…until we have one ourselves it seems…. An insightful book I’ve just read (Esther Perel, ‘The State of Affairs’) casts new light on the varied meanings and impacts of affairs on marriages (or long term ‘relationships’) and gives a very different perspective on how marriage is and should evolve to account for this common critical event, based on her professional practice.Read More »
My younger brother is dying. It’s a tragedy. The idea that in mere months he will be gone forever in months at the age of 65 doesn’t seem real. It is certainly not ‘fair’. He’s fit, had no major illnesses. Suddenly he’s a victim of anaplastic thyroid cancer, with no hope it seems of any medical remedy. It’s sad, it’s unfair, it’s sudden, he’s a good person, it’s shocking. Why don’t I cry?Read More »
Recently I’ve come across many cases where people are receiving benefits that seem to me, on the surface at least, to be rather lucky. These benefits have varied from grandparent childminding, stress massages, stress days off from work, maternity leave from a potential employer, after hours meals and taxis, paid family holidays, home baby help and more. People seem to think these benefits are ‘necessary’ to survive their work. They believe they are entitled to them.
These are all great benefits to receive. But not everyone can receive them, so there’s an equity question here. Even more, I wonder whether these benefits are necessary at all. Why does this generation need these benefits, to be provided by someone else? And who should be responsible: people themselves, their employer, or the government?Read More »
My birthday ended last Friday. It lasted about a month. I asked for ‘experiences’, not gifts, as I have more material goods than I’ll ever need. I enjoyed it a lot more than usual. Here’s what happened.Read More »
So now we have 8, or is it 9, and will it be more, Federal MPs whose eligibility has been questioned, because of their dual citizenship status. It’s good sport, watching MPs being embarrassed at being potentially or really ineligible, through them not have done enough research on their heritage, despite having signed the forms to say they have. But it’s the wrong focus. Parliament should fix the problem, not the symptom.Read More »
Got a call this week from a salesperson from a traditional electricity retailer. It confirmed to me what is rotten in the electricity industry, the lies being told about the causes of high prices and what we need to do about it.Read More »
I used to love taking photos. My house is covered with pictures I took that people admire. But digital cameras and now smart phones have changed all that. I’ve upgraded to an iPhone 7 with its ‘great’ camera and abandoned my digital SLR, but still, I no longer love the pictures I take. Anyone can be a great photographer…and the value of photography and photos has plummeted. Can photos recover? What should I do?Read More »
Came across a friend’s family recently where all four sisters had just had babies, but the parents faced four different levels of government support, despite living in the same (developed) country! Not surprisingly the sisters are angry. Should we be concerned?Read More »
