Critical Doer

A Critical Doer capitalizes on opportunities to be better   I was getting a “debrief” this morning from my wife about my previous post on Lane Desborough, a father that undertook an entrepreneurial path in response to his son’s plight with Type 1 Diabetes.  Gwen usually has a keen eye for when I’ve hit and […]

A Critical Doer generates motion from “why” more than “what”  A few months back I penned a series of posts on active listening.  One of them dealt with empathy and the importance of “why” more so than “what.”  Simone Ahuja recently published an incredible story in the Harvard Business Review of a Critical Doer named […]

A Critical Doer controls what is theirs to control  In my last post, we took a look at stock buybacks versus reinvestment using the metaphor of “don’t eat your seed corn” as the backdrop to frame the discussion in terms of long term and short term calculations.  I also promised to devote this post to […]

A Critical Doer understands time; long and short view   I grew up on a farm in North Carolina.  There were two things that were never in short supply…hard work and colorful pearls of wisdom.  One saying that I dreaded but have come to love through the years was generally invoked when I was trying […]

How Far Can You See?  To the many that will be saying thanks to my fellow veterans past and present today, let me say thank you to everyone for making an effort through word or deed to acknowledge the rigor that comes with a choice to serve. In true Critical Doer fashion, let’s take this […]

 A Critical Doer capitalizes on opportunities to be better  Let’s start a new week with some practical wisdom.  I recently read a post by blogger Paul Graham, and the theme of his post was that writing in everyday language would attract more readers and make the posts easier to understand.  Paul is absolutely right…and it […]

 A Critical Doer keeps risk and failure in context with opportunity and success  I saw an article this week on CNBC’s web page that told about a research effort on millennials.  Generational leadership challenges are an interest of mine so I anxiously read through it…and didn’t find what I expected.  The research showed that in […]

How Far Can You See?  A coworker told me a great story that illustrates the Critical Doer philosophical question of “how far can you see?”  Remember, no person or organization can go any further than you can see.  The following story makes the point. A hunter has a very special dog used for retrieving ducks […]

A Critical Doer understands following  I was meeting with some junior execs on a project, and I have to admit to being completely blown away by the creativity of their thinking and the passion of their presentation.  When they finished, I began stepping through some potential areas of concern and items that warranted further thinking…and […]

A Critical Doer is committed to thinking and acting   I came across an Eleanor Roosevelt quote that goes as follows:   Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.   On the surface, I understand her point.  Ideas are a high order of reasoning that deal with the future.  Events […]