I just finished reading my third novel by author, Nevil Shute. I first heard of him in 2007 when Vistage speaker Herbert Meyer (who worked for the CIA) recommended Shute’s book “Kindling” and called it “a book every teacher should read.” The book was published in 1938; it contrasts the power of government fiscal policy with the power of a single person with a cause. It has a lot to say about accountability and taking responsibility for one’s actions. When …

The words above were written by William Shakespeare in Act IV, Scene III of his play, Henry V. And today, October 25 is in fact, the Feast of St. Crispian. It’s also the anniversary of the victory of King Henry’s tattered and outnumbered army over the French in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

This blog pays homage to two big thinkers. The first is William Shakespeare, who gave us this wonderful play and the stirring words of Harry the king …

Pat Murray is a big thinker. He makes his living consulting, coaching executives and speaking. He’s an expert on leadership and what makes an effective leader, and he’s equally competent discussing why some teams are effective and the wheels come off others.

Pat’s been a member of the TEC/Vistage family for over 30 years and he’s spoken to groups more than 1000 times. I’ve had Pat speak to my groups three times; my members call him a “quote machine” because of …

When you ask, “Of all the famous people you’ve met, which three among them do you admire most?” you get some interesting answers. I’ve met a lot of famous people. Here’s my list of the three I admire most. They made the list because there was something about each of them that left a lasting impression on me. For what it’s worth, I doubt two of the three would even remember me.

Bjørn Lomborg is a big thinker. The adjunct professor at Copenhagen Business School is chief organizer of the Copenhagen Consensus. In 2004, Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He’s also the author of “The Skeptical Environmentalist.” In this book he makes the case that society would get more bang for its buck by spending money on critical issues other than curbing carbon emissions.
Lomborg organized the first Copenhagen Consensus in 2004 (it was …

Chris Lowney is the author of the book “Heroic Leadership.” In it, he shines a new light on Ignatius of Loyola, a big thinker who lived 5 centuries ago. Chris was a Jesuit seminarian for 7 years; during that time he attended Fordham University where he earned a Phi Beta Kappa key and degrees in economics and philosophy. He left the Jesuits prior to ordination and joined J. P. Morgan & Company where he worked for 17 years as an …

I read an article recently that said “Hollywood insiders” and environmentalists were meeting to discuss how “story telling in film and TV can communicate issues about climate change to the public.” I’ve always wondered if the public is really more inclined to embrace a cause just because a celebrity embraces it. I’ve also wondered how celebrities come to back a cause; do they think critically before deciding, or do they follow the celebrity crowd or the recommendation of their agents. …

J Patrick Rooney passed away in Indianapolis in September of 2008. He was a big thinker. For decades, he was the CEO of Golden Rule Insurance in Indianapolis, but he will be remembered for two big ideas. Back in the early 1990s, when others were just talking about our broken public school system and the need to give every child the opportunity for quality education, Rooney became impatient with the politicians and teachers unions and created a program on his …