Art of Strategy

Dr. Abdus Salam was an interesting man. He was a world renowned scientist and a Nobel Prize winner. He was born in Pakistan and educated in the UK, but he always remained true to his roots.    He was a strong advocate for science and reason, but he also believed in the power of faith. He once said, "Science is the best way to understand the natural world, but faith is the best way to understand the world of the spirit."    He attained a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979. He worked on the theory of unification of the four fundamental forces, and his work had a major impact on the development of physics in the 20th century.   Dr. Abdus Salam was often asked about his views on Islam and science. In one famous incident, a reporter asked him whether he thought that Islam was compatible with science. Dr. Salam replied, "Yes, of course. Islam is the religion of peace and knowledge."   Following are some of his insightful quotes:   “From time immemorial, man has desired to com

Many people view office politics as a negative aspect of working in an organization.    They see office politics as a game that people play in order to get ahead, often at the expense of others.    Others view office politics as a necessary evil that must be navigated in order to get things done.   The truth is, office politics are a natural outgrowth of working in organizations.  When people work together, they will inevitably have differences of opinion.    These differences can lead to conflict, which can be resolved through negotiation and compromise.   A "head, heart and hands" approach can be critical to success in office politics.    The head is about understanding the organization, the heart is about relationships and the hands is about taking action.    The first step is to understand the organization. What are the goals of the organization? What are the power structures? What are the unwritten rules? How does the game work?   The second step is to develop relationsh

In business, and in life, there are always choices to be made.  Sometimes, the choice is clear cut and easy, but often times it is not. That is where strategy comes in.  Strategy is the art of making choices, of knowing when to fight and when to fold. There are three essentials of strategic leadership: head, heart, and hands.  The head is for thinking, for logic and reason.  The heart is for feeling, for intuition and emotion.  The hands are for action, for doing and making things happen. The best strategic leaders are able to use all three of these essentials.  They think about the situation and what the best course of action might be.  They listen to their heart and gut instinct.  And they execute with excellence.   In a world that’s changing fast, the ability to think, feel, and act strategically is becoming more important than ever. 

The 3H Model is a simple yet powerful mental model that helps people think, feel, and execute better.   It is based on the three essential elements of effective leadership: head (thinking), heart (feeling), and hands (executing).    The head first leader is all about logic and reason. They make decisions based on what makes the most sense and they are always looking for ways to improve.    The heart first leader is all about emotion and connection. They make decisions based on how they feel and they always try to build strong relationships.    The hands first leader is all about action and results. They make decisions based on what will get the job done and they are always looking for ways to be more efficient.   The model asks you to consider which of the three elements is most important to you as a leader.    Are you a heads first leader who values intellectual rigor and strategic thinking?    A heart first leader who is driven by emotions and compassion?    Or a hands first leader w

Kintsugi is an ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, silver, or other precious metal.   As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise.   In the West, we often try to hide our imperfections. We are afraid of being seen as broken or damaged. But in Japan, kintsugi is an art form that celebrates the cracks and imperfections in an object. It is a way of seeing beauty in something that has been broken.   Kintsugi can be seen as a metaphor for the human condition. It’s not the brokenness, but it is how we deal with our brokenness that defines us.    The Japanese believe that in order to truly appreciate the beauty of something, you must first appreciate its flaws.    The art of kintsugi dates back centuries, and it is said to have originated with a Japanese shogun who ordered his broken teacup to be repaired with gold. The result was a stunningly beautiful cup that was more valuable than it had been