My Library
People are my library, my writing inspired by what I learn: ideas, inspiration, wisdom, and sometimes some eclectic whimsy for good measure, all centred around #OpenLeadership. At the heart of all of this is that I write to share learnings and to discover my thoughts. Over the years i have written (mostly) daily, over 2000 posts and 1,000,000 words (that last part blows my mind, tbh!). Enjoy browsing.
Where do you read your books?
The other day Rory Sutherland (another past guest on #WhatComesNextLive, listen to us in conversation here) tweeted: New trend: the combined bar and book recommendation. @hfedwards and Bloody Mary's Deal. post — Rory Sutherland (@rorysutherland) August 6, 2023 Love...
Where do you read your books?
The other day Rory Sutherland (another past guest on #WhatComesNextLive, listen to us in conversation here) tweeted: New trend: the combined bar and book recommendation. @hfedwards and Bloody Mary's Deal. post — Rory Sutherland (@rorysutherland) August 6, 2023 Love...
You are what you measure – Employee Engagement
I love this quote from Peter Drucker, one of the few people I'd give the term "guru" to around what he has taught around leadership. "You are what you measure" This is also a phrase I love, and I've written in various ways around this, including "Time for new metrics...
When people show you who they are, believe them
Yesterday I wrote: "Doing the right thing when everyone is watching", sharing an idea for leaders to model the behaviours they wish to see. Of course, sometimes we do the wrong thing when everyone is watching, and just after writing that blog news came out of a golfer...
Doing the right thing when everyone IS watching
A few days ago I had cause to focus on three values very dear to me, fairness, integrity, and bravery. I'm very familiar with the C.S. Lewis quote above. It is one reason why I love to play golf, it is the only major sport I know of where players call their own...
What is prosperity?
Recently I wrote: "Beautiful Leadership – Purpose and the Corporation" in which I talked about what I called a new triple bottom line of Purpose, People, Planet. I fundamentally believe the world needs new ways of considering what is prosperity. For today, I am simply...
What are you risking due to your biases?
What do you see in this picture? Two black men in hoodies, yes? What is the first impression that makes on you? Today I'm going to talk about biases around gender and race. Sure, everyone reading this will say, I'm aware of bias and I'm not biased. Well, sorry, but we...
Trust is a choice
"The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them" This is the title I gave to a recent post in which I referenced three leadership examples, including a quote from James Timpson of the family-owned UK firm of the same name: "The easiest way to...
Work Hard.. by Being Still
Work Hard.. by Being Still What do you mean Tom, are you talking in riddles? Perhaps, but as Seth put it in a recent blog: "For most of us, hard work is measured in insight, emotional effort, and connection. It’s been a long time since the economy fairly rewarded...
The Life-Changing Magic of Noticing
"Notice now. And above all, notice the magic in the everyday things you do and things you say. It’ll change your life for the better. Forever." While I was at the Modern Elder Academy last week, my friend Justine Clement posted an article reflecting on the...
To speak with knowledge or listen with wisdom?
A few days ago I wrote "Presence and asking the right questions" and used this same image of rock balancing. Today the post title is a riff on a phrase Chip Conley uses in his book Wisdom at Work in encouraging us to listen more and talk less: "Knowledge talks, Wisdom...
The less I am present, the more I can be present
I love what I do and have found, over time and practice, that I have developed a level of mastery at being a sounding board, with the key to that having little to do with knowledge and experience around leadership and business, it is far more to do with the ability to...
Presence and asking the right questions
This week I am at the Modern Elder Academy at a week-long workshop entitled "The Psychology of Presence". This is a week I am taking to "deepen my practice" in my work. What do I do? Fundamentally I listen, ask questions, reflect, sometimes (only sometimes) advise,...
Brexit and Resilience
"we risk being deafened by the negativity all around us here in London" Part of a message I received from a friend in London as I am in Baja at Modern Elder Academy. Later that morning, as I sat on the terrace with the Pacific in the background, I had a call with...