Articles

Affichage des articles du février, 2012

We must disenthrall ourselves - Abraham Lincoln

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" We can succeed only by concert.  It is not "can any of us imagine better?" but, "can we all do better?"  The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present.   The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise -- with the occasion.   As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew.   We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country . " Abraham Lincoln ,  address to Congress , December 1862 Abraham Lincoln, 1863 I couldn't find a better quote for my new team.  These words are from one of Abraham Lincoln's famous statements.  Leadership is hard, the task ahead of us is humongous, succeeding in such hazy times is even more arduous...  The key word for all of us (executives, managers, individual contributors etc...) is to   DISENTHRALL   because success is a recipe that combines genius,  luck, hard work and open mind.

Readings 20-02-2012: A Katumba, N Ribadu, Napoleon

The Congolese Kingmaker is dead . The Economist's blog Baobab features an article regarding the sudden death of Augustin Katumba, a trusted advisor to Congolese President Joseph Kabila who was widely perceived as the "brain" behind the presidency. The return of Nuhu Ribadu ,  the pioneer Executive Chairman of  Nigeria 's  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission  (EFCC) ,  who has been recently appointed Chair of the Task force for petroleum revenue. According to African Arguments , this move signals a will for Nigerian president to fight corruption not only in the oil sector but elsewhere. According to Jeremy Weate, the petro state - largely under the presidential and state governors discretion -  is the " engine-room of corruption " that prevents any form of good governance by killing any good will at its roots. "the underlying cause of corruption   is the structure of Nigeria’s quintessential “petro” state.  There are a number of characterist

"Chaque jour est une vie" Thanh Nghiem

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Ci jointe la video d'une amie Thanh Nghiem au TEDx, une histoire inspirationnelle qui demontre son concept de la pollinisation ou le partage des savoirs qui s'articule autour de notions simples mais complexes: le souci permanent de l'autre,  la main sur le coeur qui veut que l'on partage tout et en premier lieu le savoir,  le courage de remettre en cause les ordres etablis dont les plus durs que sont nos vies confortables. Des ors de McKinsey ou elle fut la premiere femme Partner a l'age de 30 ans, Thanh nous relate son changement de vie, son appel a aller au dela du pouvoir et du nomadisme vain, pour fonder une ONG, Angenius , dans une quete de sens qui replace l'etre humain au centre de la reflexion et de la demarche. A sa suite, ecoutons la nous narrer cette energie qui est la sienne au service de la connaissance. La mise en oeuvre positive des atavismes familiaux qui vous predisposent a la reussite. Une histoire familiale riche qui mont

The Joy of Quiet

‘ All men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone .’  ~Blaise Pascal Leo Babauta makes in a recent post a praise for the " joy of quiet " as an enabler for meditation and soul-searching. " Being alone is another pleasure we too often neglect.  When we are alone, we go on the Internet or TV to see what else is going on, what others are doing or saying, instead of just being alone.  This isolation is a necessary thing, that allows us to find ourselves, to learn to be content with little instead of always wanting more. Can you practice being alone, being still, being quiet?  J ust a little at first, then perhaps a bit more.  Listen, watch, learn about yourself.  Find contentment.  Need nothing more ". Our inner self has so much to tell us, if only we could let it talk to us and enjoy the quiet like we enjoy the gatherings with people we've been out of touch for a while. We owe it to ourselves as to others. A simpl