I grew up in the 60s. From 1960 to 1969 I was 0 to 10. During that time my dad, Bob Kahan, was a young university professor. All of the unrest that was taking place on college campuses and the hippy culture surrounded me. Psychedelic art was everywhere. I remember going to events where people […]
When I help CEOs lead change, there are four timelines I walk them through: Immediate Result – What will you do today? Now? Short-term Wins – What will be your early milestones that generate momentum? Medium-term Success – How will you hit the bulls eye in 18-24 months? Long-term Sustainability – How will you build
My Four Timelines Read More »
Fear is probably the chief inhibitor of great performance. It shows up in many ways for a wide variety of reasons. There are two important things to know about fear: (1) It can be an appropriate response to a threatening environment, and (2) It narrows your options, focuses your actions and inhibits both possibilities and
I was talking with my son last week and reviewing some of his accomplishments in his freshman year of college. I could see some things that were invisible to him, because it’s always easier to stand on the outside and make observations. He is learning so much. To him it sometimes feels like he is
Acorns Become Great Oaks Read More »
If you are like me, you find that certain questions raise anxiety. I call these Core Questions. They raise issues that are at the core of my life. When they come up, I think to myself, ‘Oh no. If I question this and come up with something, it means that I might have to make
Every 3 months or so I and my wife, the lovely and incomparable Laura Baron, go on a special trip together, just the two of us. The purpose is to reconnect away from all the daily distractions and day-to-day responsibilities. This last week we went to Old Town Alexandria, where we had a chance Saturday
What makes your heart jump? Where do you turn for a jolt of fun? Consider it’s more than a lark. It’s a clue to your passion. And passion is truly what makes the world go ’round! In one of my first large-scale change initiatives at the World Bank, we quickly realized that passion would make
Dancing Like a Child Read More »
Nothing is certain, though we like to pretend it is so. There are some things we count on: the sun coming up tomorrow, our loved ones support, our own abilities. Yet, even these can sometimes feel in flux and when they do, it rocks our world. So, where do we turn for support? You never
Filling Up Your Tank Read More »
Mindful meditation and the practice of mindfulness: bringing the attention back over and over to the same thought, image or sensation as a way of practicing one-pointed attentiveness. Through rigorous research, the benefits of mindfulness are significant on multiple fronts. From physical and mental pain management to resilience, which is our ability to bounce back
When I was in college, I had a saying, “When love talks, write it down.” I have long believed that love is the center and source of the universe, so this was my shorthand for documenting insights when they struck. Why? Because I found that inspiration struck often enough that I could use it to
When Love Talks, Write It Down Read More »
