“The world is not always fair. If you don’t control your destiny, someone else will.” As I later learn in our interview, these are not catchy phrases Petr Smida has memorized. These are statements of his life experience.
“I’m a pretty pushy guy and I like being out of my comfort zone.” The Chairman of Microsoft Europe, Jan Muehlfeit, offers this self-analysis with a smile as we begin our interview.
“Act or be acted upon. This is the philosophy that has guided me through my life.” There is no emotion in her voice—this is a statement of fact from Renata Mrazova, CFO, ING Insurance Czech Republic.
On December 24th, 1983 (a date she will never forget), a young girl anxiously circled the family Christmas tree in her Prague home.
I have seen data that estimates that the average worker entering the workforce today can plan on working for 10 different employers during the course of his or her career. Why?
If there is one thing I have learned in my career and in coaching executives it’s how extremely important relationships are.
It’s no secret to my friends that I get many of my column ideas from my wife, Priscilla. She is a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and former executive in the movie industry in Hollywood.
The central character in Homer’s Illiad, Achilles, was the greatest hero of the Trojan War. He was a fearsome warrior and leader on the battlefield just like many of our leaders today on the “battlefield” of business, but he was a terrible career coach.
The term prima donna was originally used in opera companies to designate the lead female singer in an opera.
Many centuries ago, how one spoke was a matter of life or death. The word shibboleth comes from ancient Hebrew and this is how it came to be. Two of the twelve tribes of Israel, the Ephramites and the Gileadites, were having what we would today call a feud.
