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March 2009
We can all agree that these are not dull times in which we live. The word "dynamic" seems too modest an adjective to capture what we are experiencing. I can't speak for you but one of my growing apprehensions is a chilling realization that "NO ONE" really knows what is going on or what we should do to fix things. And that observation does not instill confidence that we will soon work our way out of the current economic crisis.
But all of life is a learning experience and we can find plenty of lessons to ponder. Here are four that come to mind for us as managers of our organizations and for our civic and institutional leaders in their fiduciary capacity.
So watch, listen and learn from the events of the day. It's an exhilarating time to be alive. Hang in there, learn from life's lessons and please share your insights.
Quote & Note
We all make mistakes. It's part of being human. It's what we do with the experience that is the key. One of my biggest pet peeves is someone who has made a mistake and is either unwilling to acknowledge it or doesn't seem to care. Caring is a fundamental attribute for personal and organizational growth. And feeling bad about making a mistake is not all bad either. The discomfort from error can be a powerful motivator to improve performance. There is a fine line between unhealthy excess dwelling on a mistake on the one hand and not taking adequate responsibility for one's responsibilities on the other. A person who cares tends to learn from failure while one who "does not" generally "will not."
The Functionary's Falsity:
The SEC, congress and other government watchdog organizations are a prime example. Barney Madoff, AIG, Fannie, Freddie and the entire sub-prime debacle are a painful reminder that systems do not always perform as intended. As a nation, we seem to delight in passing more and more laws that on the surface do more to punish those that were doing things right in the first place while we seldom seem to sort out the "bad actors" before they do their massive damage.
The lesson for our organizations is not to assume things are always functioning as designed. Testing the system is a vital follow up. Robust internal audit is a healthy thing. As Ronald Regan used to say about the Russians and arms deployment, "Trust but Verify."
http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/flash/
Here's a fast, easy and entertaining way to keep up with the headlines in newspapers all over the world. A simple mouse-over will supply a visual front page for the related newspaper. Enjoy and learn. Meanwhile I'll keep searching for the cartoon equivalent.
March 2009 |
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