The Importance Of Friendship & The Art Of Conversation: Behavioral Leadership

The Importance Of Friendship & The Art Of Conversation: Behavioral Leadership Viewpoint by Andrew Thorn, PhD., WCW Columnist When I was growing up, we spent a lot of time visiting with friends and family. I remember listening to the conversations my parents and their friends and family members would have. The hours seem to pass quickly by as they talked about life. They spoke of their triumphs and trials. Sometimes I would get involved in the conversations, but mostly I would just listen t...

Surfing The Hydra Mind: Travel & Lifestyle

Surfing The Hydra Mind: Travel & Lifestyle Viewpoint by Andrew Scharf, Head of the WCW Group We are at mid-summer and everyone is either on holiday, patiently waiting for his or her holiday, or at least enjoying a holiday "State of Mind". Gershwin once wrote that in "summertime the living is easy". There is a languid calmness about the heat, the white bleached light, and the long evenings. Sipping cocktails on your porch, stoop, deck, or portside adds to the charm. Some indulge in Mojitos,...

Standing In Faith: Behavioral Leadership

Standing In Faith: Behavioral Leadership Viewpoint by Andrew Thorn, PhD., WCW Columnist I love reading the writings from ancient civilizations, especially the sacred texts that have been passed down to us from the spiritual leaders of those societies. I am often amazed at the parallels that existed during their time, and find great wisdom in the lessons they have passed on. In the record my Jewish friends call the Tanakh and my Christian friends call the Old Testament, we learn about ...

Stretch Your Mind: Strategic Life Planning

Stretch Your Mind: Strategic Life Planning Viewpoint by Debra Kunz, WCW Columnist We’ve all had days when we’re in the middle of a project and your brain gets stuck. Your head starts spinning, you keep repeating yourself and the ideas you’ve already had. May be you even start to babble. It can seem as though the creative police decided to regulate how much you are allowed to think in one day. How do you break the cycle and re-energize? One of the easiest ways I’ve discovered t...

The Clarity Of An Entrepreneurial Mindset: Career Development & Personal Branding

The Clarity Of An Entrepreneurial Mindset: Career Development & Personal Branding Viewpoint by Andrew Scharf, Head of the WCW Group Few areas of business attract as much attention and creativity as launching new ventures. Do you see yourself as the new Apple or Google? Or do you prefer launching the latest in concept store zeitgeist "a la Colette" in Paris on the rue St. Honore? Luxury Brand Management also has its acolytes; it is sexy and offers a romantic allure to business. Do you prefe...

Moving Forward: Behavioral Leadership

Moving Forward: Behavioral Leadership Viewpoint by Andrew Thorn, PhD., WCW Columnist I presently find myself bothered by the actions of a couple of people in my life. Their behavior, does not really affect my existence, but for some reason, I feel very disappointed by it. I expected more from these individuals and so I feel like they deserve the circumstances they currently face, which are indeed unfortunate. This morning, during a meditative moment, I pondered some instructions on how ...

Spice It Up, Do Not Wait For Godot: Careers

Spice It Up, Do Not Wait For Godot: Careers Viewpoint by Andrew Scharf, Head of the WCW Group Most employees find that salary negotiations tie them up in knots. Not everyone is like Octopus Paul, the famous forecaster of World Cup futures. However, many MBA grads are a privileged audience when recruiters come on campus, and yet they can even hem and haw. The economic crisis can take the strangest manifestations. What do you do if there is too much cayenne pepper in the “rouille”? "R...

The Paris Water Bar Blues & The Venus De Milo: Fashion & Lifestyle

The Paris Water Bar Blues & The Venus De Milo: Fashion & Lifestyle Viewpoint by Andrew Scharf, Head of the WCW Group "Well, I'm walking down the highway with a suitcase in my hand. Yes, I'm walking down the highway with a suitcase in my hand. I've been gambling so long, I've got nothing to loose. Yeah, nothing to loose." (Attributed to a blues musician in the Mississippi Delta) Ever notice that every summer, the news gets sillier and sillier? In the States, people are focused on t...

The Cult Of Celebrity & The Super-Ego: Behavioral Leadership

The Cult Of Celebrity & The Super-Ego: Behavioral Leadership Viewpoint by Andrew Thorn, PhD., WCW Columnist Many of my childhood heroes were sports stars. Growing up in LA, I wore T-shirts with the faces of Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, Steve Yeager, Magic Johnson, Kurt Rambis, Roman Gabriel, Pat Hayden, Marcus Allen and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. These were the people who contributed so much to our local teams. I also remember hating Reggie Jackson, Lou Pinella, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Michael Jor...

Banishing The Car, A Personal Case History: Kyoto Action Committee

Banishing The Car, A Personal Case History: Kyoto Action Committee Viewpoint by Katherine Massam, WCW Guest Columnist, Kyoto Action Committee I am bereft since we banished our car. How will I manage? My husband feels worse. He secretly blames our empty garage and driveway on me, but feels condemned to smile bravely. When we tell our friends what we’ve done, they think we are mad because we have jobs and two small boys. They look at us with pity. How could I do it? Here is my st...