Category: Uncategorized

Here (Stitcher; iTunes) are links to an episode of Brian Koppelman’s podcast I just listened to for the second time. Koppelman was (among other successes) a co-writer of Ocean’s Thirteen and is one of the heads behind the super-successful series „Billions“.  For this episode he had on General Stanley McChrystal. McChrystal is a retired general of the US-Army, in the late 70s commanded a unit of the US Special Forces (more commonly know as Green Berets), later headed JSOC (the umbrella command for all US special operations forces) and ISAF (Afghanistan). He’s not uncontroversial and his career actually ended largely due to this feature in the Rolling Stone suggesting a less-than-perfect

It’s tempting to go look for the shortcut.  Fact of the matter is, there rarely is one, particularly when it comes to things that matter. What if we right here and now decide not to care about shortcuts? To not even ask? And do the work instead?

Complaining about lack of service on a Ryanair flight won’t get us anywhere. Michael O’Leary has made it abundantly clear that Ryanair is not in the service business, but in the nothing-counts-but-cheap business. So yes, service by Ryanair is practically nonexistent. And they wouldn’t have it any other way. Where else are we complaining based on a total failure to understand the intentions underlying whatever or whoever we complain about?

On days of the one kind I determine which steps I will need to take to go in the direction I have in mind. Solid plans, good ideas, diligent planning.  On days of the other kind I take a fractional step, sometimes a little more.  Go figure which are which.

As lawyers we are taught that everyone expects answers from us. Fast, definitive, on the spot.  Taking on that expectation by definition means we have to shut down our receptiveness to the new. Because the new is never definitive, answers on it (at least correct ones) are rarely fast, much less on the spot. So it might be worth to wait a moment. Suspend our answer for a second or two. Just long enough to allow that new thought to carom around our head, collide with what’s already there and see what results.  Nobody will say we’re too slow. Instead, people will be surprised about a lawyer