thoughts, musings and occasional rants
This week the UK celebrated the 100th anniversary of the day when some women got the right to vote. Discussion about the difference between suffragists and suffragettes got plenty of airtime. I heard nothing about why the movement needed, at … Continued
Some problems in the world of work are so pervasive that they turn up in conversation everywhere. In the UK, a personal aggravation of mine has become a widespread topic. I hear about it from executives, managers and the rank … Continued
I’ve written before about the value of a good team, but what does a good team look like? Does it need to have a star player? A forceful, commanding captain? A great mission statement? It might have any of those, … Continued
A select few organizations genuinely need the very best and very brightest. Having had the privilege of working in some of those groups, I’ve seen those hiring choices go well and go badly. When you need the very best, how … Continued
Due to a large project I have not posted here for a long time. The project has underscored the importance of being able to not only think things through, but do so with a good understanding of the context. Let’s … Continued
The odds are very high that you are basing some of your important decisions on false information, or on information so incomplete that it might as well be false. I’m talking about more than basing your vote on fake news … Continued
Although I’m not politically active any more, I used to be and some of my friends still are—legislators, a mayor, campaign manager… People whose involvement in their government is limited to casting votes once in a while often look down … Continued
More often than I can count, I hear the phrase best value for money brought up. It is rarely used to mean what it is supposed to mean.
In a civilized world, partners do not cannibalize each other. They collaborate with each other, and each is boosted when the other thrives, and there is no room for Doublespeak use of the phrase best value.
Discussion on the airwaves has focused heavily on the loss of jobs and impact on the national economy if the UK’s steelmaking industry disappears. While those are newsworthy effects, there is another factor to consider – the many uses of steel in the UK that are essential to infrastructure and/or national security and that require sophisticated high grade steel products.
The leading edge of exploration is never easy, never safe. But those who dare to do such exploring do it on behalf of us all. It is not just to expand our knowledge. In ways we cannot foresee, it can—indeed, may turn out to be essential to—help our world survive.