By Eslinda Hamzah Recently I facilitated a two-day leadership intensive in a serene retreat space just beyond the bustle of Cambodia’s cities. Twelve energy sector changemakers from diverse locales in the Asia Pacific region came together for two offsite days. Their purpose was beyond networking and strategizing. They came to engage in a deeper inquiry: who are they as leaders, in relation to others? They [...]

I heard an investment ad this week saying "you only get 480 paycheques in the average lifetime - followed by 300 paydays with no paycheque." As if life is divided between a monolithic earning phase followed by an equally uninterrupted spending phase. What a crazy idea! This model is OVER and it is time to align our thinking and life planning for 21st century [...]

Saying "No" can be hard. Yet without a good solid daily dose of "No", it becomes pretty meaningless to say "Yes." Too many yes's leave a person overloaded with so many promises that eventually they can't all be kept. Most people know this intellectually, but not all of us are as clear as we might be about when we say "no" and how we say it. [...]

I’m just back from five nights alone in the hills of Retief’s Kloof in the Magaliesberg mountains near Johannesburg, South Africa. I feel deeply refreshed, energized and alive to new possibilities. There is something about alone time that burns off the fluff, helps get down to what is really important, and flushes out some of the chaotic complexities that lurk inside all of us. And [...]

You got to be a business leader by turning obstacles into opportunities, and exiting your business is another challenge you will succeed at. You might find the process takes you to new levels of emotional maturity. I'm sure you will find it harrowing and exhilarating at the same time. Create value, create a legacy Your business loses value when it loses you. However, the cool [...]

Whenever there is great art, there is a piece of heaven - Surendra Shrestra, tabla player from Nepal For the past four years a small film crew has been traveling the world with recording equipment and cameras in search of inspiration. The film below is an example of their output - more than 35 musicians from at least four continents harmonising in an inspiring virtual [...]

Facing up to getting old often brings feelings of shrinking, ending, being over the hill. Finding energy flagging, body sagging, milestones behind rather than in front leaves the go-go-go energy in us freaking out. In many cultures, being “old” is enough to have you literally or metaphorically slung on the scrap heap. Yet there is no substitute for experience. Ability to see the big picture [...]