Vulnerability has been trending of late; a meme that has captured the minds and hearts of many people I know. Moreover, it seems to have changed their behaviour. I experience myself and others being more vulnerable with each other, deepening connection and building community. While vulnerability can create greater connection, empathy and understanding, I have…
Beyond ‘disadvantage’: rethinking how we talk
I have long been conscious of words, labels and how language can shape our reality. Initially my experience of labels was a personal one. Not just because of my sexuality, but indeed loads of experiences throughout my life have taught me the power and limitation of words. After some harrowing times, at fifteen I embarked…
The Pygmalion Effect: who are you living up to?
A number of years ago I learned a powerful lesson about human behaviour. At the time I worked for Outward Bound and led groups of young people through the wilderness on personal development expeditions. On this one particular expedition, I experienced the dramatic and yet surprisingly effortless transformation of a young man who had previously…
Limits of the mind and how to work with others
"One day you'll find out that you but play with words, and though you think you simplify the world, you but shroud truth in small complexities" - Joan Grant I have been having a dilemma lately with one of the projects I am pursuing. The project has been a major collaboration between a number of…
It is that really going to work? The ups and downs of cynicism
Over the weekend I was sent a business plan for a new initiative being set up in remote Australia to address significant and complex issues including health, school retention and employment for Aboriginal Australians. The business plan was well researched, incredibly detailed and I'm sure very compelling to most readers and investors. The catch was…
Reflecting on writing about ethics
When I started this blog about six weeks ago, I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. I thought it would simply be a matter of putting some thoughts to paper. I thought I would let the purpose of the blog unfold and just see where it takes me. As it is…
Ethics without anger or taking sides
Two questions: can you discuss ethics without taking sides? and can you explore ethics without anger? So far I have received some good feedback on this blog, but one question keeps coming up: when are you going to take sides? When I look around the ethics community, I see how we think this way. It…
To solve or not to solve? Is that the question?
Sometimes in exploring the ethical dimensions of changemaking, I get to the point of wondering whether not solving the problem is actually ethically better than solving it. But then I wonder whether that is the right question to ask at all. Perhaps there is a third option to whether to solve or not solve a…
The Quiet Entrepreneur in a Noisy World
I have been reading the book "Quiet: The Power of Intraverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain and firstly I am filled with gratitude. After spending the last three years as an intravert in the role of CEO, it is wonderful to read a book that describes my experience of being…
How To Do Good 