Hans Norden

Why are we expected to always DO something? Why is work generally perceived as something physical? Why is thinking dismissed as being idle? And, why is that weird perception so characteristic of Americans? I can tell you from writing The Root Cause that thinking what to write was more exhausting than tapping my fingers on

Oftentimes, knowledge comes from unexpected sources! Discovery of those nuggets depends on one’s ability to associate and read between the lines. This requires a curious and alert mind. Because it is not unusual to find all kind of solutions, participants, and choice opportunities when we’re not experiencing any problems to which they can be attached,

The true disruptive element of any form of disruptive technology is HUMAN THOUGHT! The technology itself is just an effect, whereas thought is its cause. This cause and effect relationship is the most fundamental law of the universe. Then, why do we celebrate technology and dismiss thought as no-real-work? It was said that Henry Ford

Have you ever wondered how much THOUGHT went into the creation of Nike’s slogan “Just Do It”? Do you realize that THOUGHT made the Wright brothers succeed where their contemporaries failed? No wonder; THOUGHT is the cause in any cause and effect relationship. Who is not looking for answers to their perplexing questions? However, living

Change IS what it is, which means it is neither good nor bad. However, change is experienced as exhilarating or downright bewildering dependent upon one’s level of understanding of what’s actually going on in real-time, or one’s ability to cope with change. Change is a discrepancy between the current state of a business system and

Are leaders suffering from a serious lack of curiosity? According to the gurus of today, leaders want to receive information in soundbites, and it must answer only HOW-TO questions instead of any WHY questions. Does that mean leaders need or want to be prescribed how to do their job? These gurus assume implicitly that the

Who believes in their heart of heart that: Familiar management approaches have become less and less relevant? Thought leaders struggled to find a better approach to managing a business? Coaching for leadership is that new management approach? This opinion was formulated back in 2000 by the greatest coaches and thinkers in the world on management

The current Zeitgeist dominating our decision-making processes is unsustainable because it conflicts with our humanity, which refers to the quality of compassion or consideration for others (people or animals). The Root Cause is a call for the human maturation of our executive leaders. How to Live within a System We live our lives in relationships

Serving as my Rotary club’s International chair, I was asked if we would want to participate in a project in Latin America. It involved piping drinking water to a small rural community on Bolivia’s Altiplano. The benefits of this relatively small investment to an entire community were not immediately obvious. For example, girls could go

When invited to speak to an executive coaching group, the chair impressed upon me the need to deliver “Take-Home Value”―something that participants can apply immediately upon their return to their desks. I interpreted that request as a demand for prescribing a specific action, something to DO as opposed to something to THINK, to ponder, or