On Leadership

Sometimes in the face of resolute opposition, the best thing one can aim for is reducing the level of that opposition, as opposed to try and woo your opponents to your point of view, as this article on Slate.com makes clear. One nice side benefit I see of this strategy is that one can win over people on the sidelines of the debate to one's camp.

This is especially useful in situations where one has little direct authority - something that carries over to world of business as well - notably in my line of work, Product Management/ Marketing.

Smart Power

Joseph Nye writes about smart power. I first come across his work on a broadcast by the Commonwealth Club *. This resonates with me because of the lessons I learned in my favorite class at the Haas School of Business with Cameron Anderson.

* Requires Real Player