Comments on: The Myth of the Silver-Bullet CEO

By: jerrycolonna

jerrycolonna — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:51:23 +0000

Thanks Ryan for the kind words. Of course it's easier to sit back, opine thoughtfully and say such things…easier than to live it every day. One thought occurs to me this rainy morning…what does it take for one to be a real leader in our own lives, to put aside the guilt and shame, and face the fearsome facts of our own lives?

By: Ryan Graves

Ryan Graves — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:58:16 +0000

This is the golden nugget for me. I'm going to be repeating this everyday, in the morning, for a week…

“Real leadership requires putting aside guilt and shame and facing fearsome facts.”

Thanks Jerry.

By: Teens In Tech: They’re Here; Get Used to It | Extranet Factoring

Teens In Tech: They’re Here; Get Used to It | Extranet Factoring — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:55:22 +0000

[...] everything that’s wrong with a company, says professional coach and former venture capitalist Jerry Colonna. So why do board members and managers persist in thinking a world-class CEO or a deal with a [...]

By: briangryth

briangryth — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:14:34 +0000

Ken,

H. L. Mencken once said "for every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." (A qoute I keep tape to the white board in my office).

Thanks, Brian

By: jerrycolonna

jerrycolonna — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:48:32 +0000

We'll miss you Tereza. Enjoy the time with your kids. One of the unexpected gifts of having started this blog is the way folks are connecting. It's a joy to witness.

By: Tereza

Tereza — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 08:45:43 +0000

Panterosa thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful post. You made my day.

There is so much to be explored around the concept of "integrating" -- with end users, with patients, and I think there is tremendous value in extending this thinking in many directions.

It's interesting that you bring up medicine. My dad's dad was a surgeon in Slovakia from roughly 1900-1950 and founded a sanatorium (hospital) in a small city. In that old-world model the doctor was a key part of the fabric of the community. He knew everyone he was treating, they knew him, they saw each other around town. I have to imagine that in this level of integration was as great foundation for bedside manner, follow-up, accountability, and ultimately, caring. I've heard stories from that era and I know it had an impact on my dad.

Our society has lost that type of inter-relatedness.

Today, so many businesses, institutions and functions are structured and rewarded on being "dis-integrated". It's hard for people to see a process from end to end, and consequently to 'own' the results as they relate to human beings. It's hard for them to relate enough to allow themselves to care (other than reducing # of customer services complaints).

There are also massive segments of society from whom we have completely dis-integrated. Aging adults, for example. We are incredibly siloed and the way we live, there are extremely limited opportunities for people to relate meaningfully with others who are different from them, who don't reside in their socioeconomic/age/racial/gender/professional "cell". Especially kids. They need exposure to others, to skill them for later.

I'm signing off for a week....taking my little girls to VT to teach them to ski!! So they will be my focus. Looking forward to tapping back in when we get back. I've greatly enjoyed this conversation.

By: jerrycolonna

jerrycolonna — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:22:44 +0000

Thanks Jay…and welcome.

By: jerrycolonna

jerrycolonna — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:21:03 +0000

“Real dedication to design is for it's end user, and as the object of the exercise, to improve living through good design – in my mind a high form of dedication to humanity.” This is exactly why I've fallen in love with this community.

By: jsrand

jsrand — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 10:30:22 +0000

Wow, what a great question, and one I am embarrassed to say I don't think I ever answered myself. And the answer for me actually came almost instantly, and has to do with teaching and mentoring. Now I have to figure out what to do with that morsel of self-knowledge.

Great to see you back in the blogosphere, Jerry.

By: panterosa

panterosa — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 08:19:19 +0000

Tereza, I would be remiss if I did not respond to your post regarding your father visiting the assembly line and the loyalty that generated. It was touching for you personally, brought you again into the team who produced your father's designs, and brought you into the big picture of all the faces who made the design exist. Without those people the work may not have succeeded, but it also imbued a humanity to the history of things your father designed. Engineers/designers should really be obliged to embrace this practice of visiting the floor or assembly line, and even the consumers, to see how their designs are working out. Real dedication to design is for it's end user, and as the object of the exercise, to improve living through good design – in my mind a high form of dedication to humanity.

This top to bottom approach and dedication to the user of the product should be taught at design school, similar to how doctors should be taught to have a good bedside manner. Integrating the product, fully down to the user, as a chief goal, should really be the focus in this advanced age, along with the humility towards those you work with and those you serve.