It’s 10:57pm and I’ve just gotten home from a dinner with friends. On the way home I remembered that I haven’t published today. Time to write. Over the past week, I’ve had four different people, on different occasions, ask me about my writing process. It’s 11:00pm and I haven’t published yet today. People want to […]
What is the role of education?
In 1837, at the age of 51, Horace Mann accepted an appointment as the secretary of the Massachussetts Board of Education, becoming the the first secretary of a board of education in the history of the United States. Just one year later, in November 1938, Mann penned the prospectus for The Common School Journal, which would become one […]
How to Demand More from Corporations
1. Bank locally 2. Invest locally 3. Invest sustainably 4. Buy local goods 5. Buy goods made using fair labor practices 6. Buy goods made from sustainable, non-toxic materials 7. Start a business to solve a problem 8. Go to work for a company that’s solving an important problem (and refuse to go to work […]
You Should Be a Social Enterprise Consultant
Admittedly, I left no room for argument in my post about our need for fewer coaches to social entrepreneurs and for more actual social entrepreneurs. There are exceptions, of course. Some people should become consultants and coaches to social enterprises as soon as possible because they have such unique expertise. People like: The world’s leading […]
Radical Candor
Radical candor, as Kim Scott puts it, is what managers share with employees they care about. That might seem counter-intuitive, but it rings true over and over in my experience. The sting of radical candor can be painful at first. Then, after the initial sting wears off, candor gives way to clarity and conviction. Imagine receiving a piece of […]
The Devil’s Advocate
We were sitting in a team meeting right in the middle of the Krypton project, and we had some big decisions to make. As we discussed scenarios, someone on the team spoke up: “Well, to play devil’s advocate…” Seth stepped in before the sentence could go on, “The devil doesn’t need an advocate, thank you. […]
Less Coaches, More Social Entrepreneurs
In my work at Fizzle, I see a number of common business plans from new entrepreneurs. One of the most common is the “business coach for mission-driven entrepreneurs” or the “consultant to social impact organizations.” People with services like: Specialized coaching for purpose driven organizations and professionals looking for new outcomes. They describe themselves in terms like: Do you […]
Learning is Leadership: How In-Depth Learning Rewires Your Brain and Prepares You to Lead
Some ideas and issues are so big, they can be hard to fully grasp in a single sitting, let alone developing an informed opinion on the matter. Today, we’re more likely than ever to abandon any topic for which this rings true. More than a day’s worth of learning? Nah, that’s too much time and effort. […]
It is the Issues that Matter
In an election year like 2016, we hear so much about individual candidates. Did you hear that Donald Trump said this? Can you believe Bernie Sanders is a Democratic Socialist? Round and round the media circus goes, shaping our opinions about the candidates at every step along the way. In the process, we are completely […]
The Danger of Dogmatic Advice
You’ve read this kind of post: The 8 Things Every Person Should Do Before 8am Every Day. As you read, you become inspired. You make a list of the eight things to do in the morning. Perhaps you set a goal to do all of them every day for the next month. Maybe you even […]