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.

Action and Compassion

This is a note I put outside my door during a reduction in force where I and some of the people in my group were laid off.

As we all struggle to make sense of recent events I offer you a parting thought.  In leadership we must never confuse being in charge with being in control.  The only power we truly have is over our decisiveness and the way we treat others.  Leadership is born of action and compassion.  The leaders of this company made a decisive and difficult move.  It is impossible for them to predict all the implications of the choices they made.  They showed leadership, not because they determined the outcome with precision, but because they took action in, what I believe, was a humane and respectful manner.

Action and Compassion

This is a note I put outside my door during a reduction in force where I and some of the people in my group were laid off.

As we all struggle to make sense of recent events I offer you a parting thought.  In leadership we must never confuse being in charge with being in control.  The only power we truly have is over our decisiveness and the way we treat others.  Leadership is born of action and compassion.  The leaders of this company made a decisive and difficult move.  It is impossible for them to predict all the implications of the choices they made.  They showed leadership, not because they determined the outcome with precision, but because they took action in, what I believe, was a humane and respectful manner.

No Reason for Failure

 "Sometimes, you can make no mistakes, do everything right, and still lose."
 - Captain Jean-Luc Picard