I had thought that the kanji symbol for “crisis” was a combination of two separate symbols, one meaning “danger” and the other “opportunity”. I had intended to use this as an introduction to this piece, as a justification for optimism in the face of great threats. And while I am convinced that hard times bring with them undeniable opportunities, I have discovered that the conventional description of the kanji character for “crisis” is, well, wrong.
“It’s a combination of greed and ignorance of history”, he said, munching his flank steak salad, gazing out at the sparkling San Diego bay. “There’s no other explanation that works.” He had been discussing the destruction of investor value represented by the collapse of several stalwart financial institutions during the Global Financial Crisis.
“Dear Stan,
I am a senior professional, having served as an officer of various companies. I’ve never been a CEO, but would like that opportunity. I’m interested in serving as a director on other companies’ boards, in order to expand my skills and gain a higher level of business acumen. What classes should I take, and are there other ways to prepare? How does one achieve a board seat in a private or public company?
Signed,
Ready to Step Up”
The rate of technology advancement is accelerating. It has now reached the point where changes are happening faster than our ability to not only predict them, but faster even than our ability to recognize the technology changes that have already happened. I’m speaking of the average person who attempts to keep informed of how the world is evolving, and specifically how human-created tools and systems are metamorphosing. Even those of us who spend time trying to understand and keep abreast of all the changes are woefully behind. I consider myself one of those interested, engaged students of the future. I got a wake-up call upon visiting my daughter and her husband a couple of weeks ago. I’m way behind.
