I love to get out in the country, away from the city lights, to take in the majesty of the Milky Way. Here it is in a wonderful picture taken over the Black Sea by Bulgarian photographer Jasmine K. You can see the spiral arm the Earth sits inside, spinning itself into an ineffable universe. …
Sometimes life is about perseverance and staying the course. It’s one of the hardest lessons because it means persisting through setbacks, and when they’re happening it’s easy to get lost in the setting back. That’s when you have to have some kind of compass to guide you through, whether it’s the longing of your own …
I was in Manhattan last week to meet with the Ad Council (of Rosie the Riveter and Smokey the Bear fame), United Jewish Appeal, and the Jed Foundation. As I walked the streets, one building seemed to jump out at me, the Grace building. The letters loomed large, G R A C E. My sister, …
From the back country woods of Virginia to downtown Manhattan in 72 hours. We all have experienced going from one world to another. How does the human brain do it? It could be as subtle as going from the classroom to the office, or home to work. Different mores, norms, and taboos – no problem! …
As I have written before, a keystone is a wedge-shaped stone at the very top of an arch. It was the last piece to be placed in the construction and completes the curved structure. The other stones push against it and as a result the arch does not collapse. This is why it is key, …
For many years I provided leadership training at the Goddard Space Flight Center. During that time, I had the opportunity to deliver two keynotes at a retreat for the Academy of Program Project and Engineering Leadership, or APPEL, NASA’s senior-most project managers. The managers at APPEL have been in their positions for decades, overseeing projects …
If you’re planning a Design Summit for your Grand Challenge, look at what we put together for the Huntsman Mental Health Institute’s Grand Challenge to end the stigma surrounding mental health and substance use disorders. Feel free to borrow it for your work. Our mission statement is to unite all our passion, drive, and expertise …
4 Goals from the Mental Health Anti-Stigma Design Summit Read More »
The tree above has been dripping sap for days on a trail I regularly take. It’s been dripping sap for years. It’s just this one drip that is taking days. Whenever I walk past it, I am reminded how nature has its cycles. The process of a star collapsing could easily take a million years …
I’ve just concluded the design summit for the Grand Challenge to eliminate the stigma around mental health and substance use disorders. The conference was a great success, with over 130 organizations present. The summit’s success means lots of work to be done in terms of scaling up to support everyone involved. What s the best …
Coordination and Communication for Grand Challenges Read More »
I am at the Snowbird resort outside Salt Lake City. The drive was gorgeous as fall foliage was peaking up the mountainsides. Golden trees everywhere, punctuated by evergreens. I am here to kick off our national network for the Grand Challenge to eliminate the stigma around mental health and substance use disorders. We have over …
