African Authors (47) Building Culture (54) Business Case Study (32) Business Fundamentals (37) Creative Leadership (35) Leadership Examples (35) Leadership Fundamentals (73) Personal Mastery (83) Powerful Habits (41) Resilience (45)
Creative Leadership
#226: Not All Hills Are Equal
Dear Friends If you’re visiting Cape Town soon, be sure to see Alexis Preller’s retrospective, Mythical Lexicon at the Norval Foundation. Preller is one of South Africa’s greatest artists, his work…
#219: Music Lessons for Leaders (thank you Sean Jones & NYO Jazz)
Dear Friends Today’s letter is a little different. Over the past few months, I’ve seen some spectacular musicians perform. I thought we’d reflect on the leadership lessons they teach us. Before…
#183: A little more Sigourney Weaver
Dear friends For those of you inspired by the Springboks, but despairing that South Africa (indeed the world) seems to not have many other leaders, I have just bought Imtiaz Sooliman…
#180: Embrace Your Inner Weirdo
“…exclusion levies emotional, financial, social, and other costs that affect not just those who are excluded, but those who exclude and work to keep that exclusion in place. The more…
#159: Reflections on Rwanda
Good morning dear friends I have just returned from the Africa Impact Forum in Kigali, Rwanda. The Forum is a biannual gathering of ALI fellows from across the continent. In the…
#132: Lessons From Pixar
Ed Catmull co-founded Pixar, the business that changed how we experience movies. His book Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration, is one of…
#130: Spark And Fire: Some Lessons From The Best
The Spark and Fire podcast profiles some of the world’s great creatives. Host, June Cohen, is also a creative pioneer. She is the CEO and co-founder of the award-winning media company, Wait…
Unlocking excellence: Lessons from Michelin
Good morning everyone It is good to be back. I have missed writing to you. I hope that you had a good break. If this is the first time you’re…
#114: Angélique Kidjo, Ed Catmull, John McPhee And Skin
Good morning friend Mindfulness practitioners guide us to smell the smells, see the shapes and feel the textures of the world. Writers tell us that writing helps them see the…
Building Your Brand
I have had a wonderful week reviewing my reading list. As always, I asked some trusted people for their recommendations. Mervyn Sloman, the owner of Cape Town’s fantastic The Book Lounge,…
Invisible Women
Good morning friends Thank you for the messages checking on my recovery. Like Covid itself, it is filled with unpleasant surprises. I feel strong and positive, only to be hit…
How You Can Build Sustained Performance
“You only have to understand this basic point: Beauty nurtures the soul. Expose yourself to the beautiful, and let it do its work. It will accomplish what you could never…