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.
Different forms of intelligence
I am loving the new substack of Elif Shafak, who wrote a piece the other day called "My Wife Reads Fiction".It begins with her frustration at how often she hears these words from "important men" who, in addition to their misogyny, dismiss the value of how fiction...
Different forms of intelligence
The truth is, there are different forms of intelligence. Multiple paths to wisdom. And information is not the same thing as knowledge.
Insight starts with admitting our opinions get in the way
My thoughts around Leadership often circle around and around some core themes and look at them differently (or even simply repetitively) as I turn my focus to one or another. At the moment one such theme is around how we may be fully present and listen actively and...
It’s just a ride
Earlier this week I had kind of a "Bill Hicks" sort of day, existentially pondering on the point of life and where we find meaning. Thinking of the mighty Bill Hicks I remember two things and both of them re-centre me, always. First, life is about the difference we...
I love People and Ideas
I love ideas, hence though I love reading, listening, and watching to take in ideas, there is nothing like being with people and talking about ideas. Writing this feeling like my week is starting slowly for me, and with a simple realisation stemming from that. To...
Originality from seeing things through your unique prism
We are all informed by our influences, so our originality is increasingly in our connected world about our "unique prism" on how we view those influences. As you can see from my website tommccallum.com, I work with clients who are already successful yet hungry and...
One more piece of information can change everything
Let me begin by sharing with you how I am feeling these days. I'm frustrated. "Ok, you may say, about what?"I'm frustrated at not being able to travel. "yes, we all are, I can identify".I'm frustrated at not being able to travel as I am nearly 5,000 miles from home....
Can you help with “Turning the Tables”?
My awesome friend Kay Scorah, see her appearance on WhatComesNextLive here This is my friend Kay Scorah, who sometimes humorously calls herself "the Witch of Noticing". She is a wise woman indeed, as well as a force of !@$!@ nature and one of my absolute favourite...
How can you see inside a conversation?
How can you see inside a conversation? This week my guest on WhatComesNextLive was Noelle Dye, a self-titled "explorer of human experience" and a truly wise woman it was a privilege to spend time with. I began these weekly "shows" as a way for others to see inside the...
If you had a clean slate, what would you add back?
From James Clear of Atomic Habits , via George Mack's "Clouds and Dirt" newsletter I know someone who still manually runs an anti-virus programme on their computer every day, also defragmenting their hard drive. This is so outdated that I'd imagine anyone younger than...
Father’s Day thought: When sacrifice feels good
My most valued role in life is being a Dad. This year at Father’s Day, like last year, I am separated from my sons by…
Do you only hire “9”s?
(c) Whitney Johnson What do I mean by "do you only hire "9"s"? Well, first, nobody is perfect, we all have room to grow, so nobody is a 10, we are all seeking to improve. In other words, 9 is as good I would score a hire 😉 So, if you only hire "9"s, then you are...
Valuing craftsmanship
All in all, though, there is value in the craftsmanship that goes into something that remains valued many years after it was designed and created.
Give feedback
Feedback is a gift. It lets you know precisely what the other person wants or needs. After you receive the gift, it’s up to you…