Seth Kahan

John Tyndall, the Irish physicist, had a particular genius for making sound visible using mechanical means. He read poetry to observe the distinct flickering of flames in response to the vowels he uttered. He noted the effects of sound on water jets and shallow sand. And he reflected light from tuning forks onto moving paper […]

Communication barriers inhibit effective workplace communication. They must be addressed directly to realize the powerful results of effective organizational communication. There are six chief barriers. Here they are along with solutions for each: 1. Your stakeholders have other priorities. This is the norm, to be expected. Of course, they have other things on their mind

An apathetic is someone who lacks concern, interest, or enthusiasm. A cynic is someone who has lost their ability to act on behalf of aspirations or the collective good. Both of these are potentially damaging to  initiatives to build new capacity. They require special handling. Often these are simply people who have been operating in

Every leader I know has to contend with challenging personalities. It is an area I have had particularly good success with. Not because I have a soft spot in my heart, but because I have framework that helps me know how much to invest and lays out a set of viable options. The stronger a

Who do you need to bring into your orbit? If you are runnng an association, perhaps you are looking to increase Hispanic participation, attract younger members, or engage movers and shakers in your industry.  If you are running a business, you want your ideal clients to come to you. If you are a non-profit, you

The original touchstone was basanite, a smooth, black stone used to test the quality of gold and silver. It was rubbed across the precious metal, and the authenticity could be determined by the color of the streak produced. The word touchstone now means anything that tests genuineness or excellence. Genuineness and excellence are at the

The nineteenth-century logging industry in the United States reshaped the landscape, provided income for tens of thousands of workers, and was a significant source of economic resources in a difficult time. In many wilderness areas, loggers would cut down trees, trim their branches and roots until they could be rolled easily, and haul them to

For every act there is an accepted set of limits. If you stay inside them it is considered safe.  Pushing the outside of the envelope tests those limits, finding out exactly how far they can be pushed. The term came from mathematics first, and then was applied to aeronautics. Tom Wolfe made it popular in

Wouldn’t it be cool if you could tell which opportunities lead to long term success and which don’t? It’s hard in today’s complex world, with competing demands, multiple stakeholders, and constantly changing circumstances. That’s why I invented the multi-scope strategy I outline below. Before you take a look, just remember this: the best leaders rely

In the last three issues I shared the opportunity window that occurs when customer satisfaction drops. This window of opportunity opens because (a) people want things to be different than they are, and (b) the market has not yet recognized the advantage this presents; i.e., market recognition is weak. There are three primary strategies for