Wandering Into Wisdom

This blog chronicles the knowledge, insight and wisdom I encounter every day as a leadership consultant, executive coach, educator, father, friend and citizen. This site is dedicated to my father, Louis (Jack) Laughlin, who passed on to me an appreciation for wisdom. A special thanks to my friend Isaac Cheifetz, a businessman and journalist, who helped me understand the value of blogs and encouraged me to write one.

I Got The Power*

People in powerful positions with malicious intent can cause great pain and suffering. People with an inadequate appreciation for their position's power can unintentionally cause just as much destruction. I once heard a story from an executive who innocently commented on the new color of a freshly painted wall during a plant visit. He noticed on the subsequent visit that they had repainted the wall the previous color. He wondered how many other aspects of the company’s operations he had unwittingly impacted. He realized the danger in his lack of appreciation for the breadth and depth of his authority.