I just got off a 7 a.m. Zoom call that HBS had set up for alumni. The Dean, two faculty members, and over 2,000 alumni were on the call, the first session in a series called “Crisis Management for Leaders.” In the discussion, one of the professors, Dutch Leonard, recommended that leaders should know about
Category: Brain hacking
‘Beat Your Isolation Loneliness’
I went out this morning for a long walk. The late-winter sunlight was blindingly bright, blunting the cold air and wind gusts on occasion. It was nice to get out of the house. Chances are, you too are engaging in social distancing as we all try to ameliorate the coronavirus’ spread. As for our family,
The Fear Gauge
One of the benefits of being older (and, on some days, feeling old) is that I’ve seen a few market cycles: the 1987 crash, the first Gulf War in 1990, the dot-com bubble and crash, 9/11, and the 2008 Great Recession. When these market dislocations happen, I get concerned. But, I don’t panic. Financially, I
Streamlining
Maybe, it’s because I’m over 50 now. Maybe, it’s because my older children are no longer children and are quite persuasive. But, I’m finding myself streamlining. One of our children, for example, has given up red meat to combat climate change. Another child has become a vegetarian for ethical reasons. And, over time, our family
Simple Thanksgivings
I recently wrote about “simple Sundays.” I’m now a believer in simple holidays, too. For many years, my Thanksgiving schedule looked like this: Awake at 4 am to make cinnamon rolls from scratch Cook up bacon and other dishes and have breakfast ready for the family and guests Feed the family and guests Begin cooking
‘Choice Overload’
Recently, I listened to an interesting podcast about “choice overload” (link here). Dr. Laurie Santos explains what the data show: making too many decisions creates unhappiness. The paradox of choice is that more choice can lead to a latter realization that “less is more,” that choice today may lead you to less choice. Some years