Aristotle taught his pupils about ethics, virtues and communities some 2300 years ago. Much of his teaching is still valid for overcoming today’s crisis of leadership.
Aristotle Meets Can-Do WisdomWhen sociologist professor Barry Schwartz gave his TED talk on Practical Wisdom in February 2009 he didn’t think there would be much interest in what he had to say. He was wrong—there have been more than 3 million views of his talk in the years since.
Professor Barry SchwartzMindfulness is important for achieving wise outcomes according to wisdom scholar Patrick Williams, this month’s guest contributor.
Mindfulness Pathway – Taking it all inWhen John ‘Wacka’ Williams took his place in Parliament in 2008, he brought with him the wisdom coming from life’s ups-and-downs—something that’s missing in career politicians—and a determination to help others in need.
Senator John ‘Wacka’ WilliamsFor the first thirty-five years of her life Lyn White never gave a thought to animal welfare. She does now.
Lyn White – animal welfare activistWe have to do the best we can. This is our sacred human responsibility.
-Albert Einstein
Lyn had always been an animal lover—at least of companion animals. Beyond that, growing up in Adelaide, South Australia, wild animals and farming animals didn’t figure in her life much at all. This was about to change.Continue reading
The story of Florence Nightingale’s life is relevant today for men and women who aspire to lead society into a better future. Having been born into wealth she could have followed her obvious destiny to lead a life of luxury and comfort in Victorian England. Instead she chose to use her considerable talents and resourcefulness to bring about lasting change in the world. In this way she is a model of an I Can, I Do leader who inspires We Can, We Do followers.
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) [1]There is now a need for wisdom in solving world problems like no other time in our history. Can-Do Wisdom is an easy to understand, holistic framework for changing yourself and for changing the world.Continue reading
The first inkling that Anthony and Christine Foster’s daughter, Emma, might have been a victim of child sexual abuse came after years of Emma’s unexplained psychological issues and self-destructive behaviour had been occurring. It was in February 1996 that Emma’s psychiatrist said to Chrissie, “She’s displaying all the symptoms of someone who has been sexually abused.”
How does one begin to pay homage to a warrior like John Boyd? He was a towering intellect who made unsurpassed contributions to the American art of war.
– General Charles C. Krulak, Commandant U.S. Marine Corps
In many ways Copthorne “Cop” Macdonald was ahead of his time and not just in wisdom. As a social experimenter, as an inventor, as an engineer, as an ecologist, as an independent scholar and as a philosopher he was out in the front row leading the way with the best of them. But his immature decisions at a young age could have easily resulted in a very different outcome.
