Paul Starsoneck
A Village of One
Remember the phrase “It takes a village to raise a child”? Its origins are traced back to African cultures and possibly even the Bible according to some researchers. My interpretation is that we all have an impact on the children we come in contact with, in our communities, …
Read MoreTake the Time to Inspire Us
Today marks the 76th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The next day, President Roosevelt addressed Congress and the nation with a somber yet stirring speech in which he swore that America would never forget December 7, 1941, as a “date that would live in infamy.”…
Read MoreGetting More Than You Give
Another scholarship season and another year where I get so much more, than the few hours I give reviewing applications for the Robert Franklin Black Scholarship. A few years back I read an applicant’s essay that spoke about overcoming the adversity of changing high schools for he…
Read MoreNobody’s Perfect
In a previous career I was in charge of implementing a large logistics solution that required the integration of equipment, software, process, and people. At one of the early status meetings I stood before a group of over a hundred team members representing the client, our corporate te…
Read MoreWhy Small Teams Work
During my corporate career I found the most successful and rewarding work was done as a member or leader of a small team. I’ve advocated for the redeployment of successful teams in masse to new challenges, but routinely found leaders undervalued the existing team. I work in a sm…
Read MoreGaining Some Perspective
I just finished an excellent new book, Conquerors by Roger Crowley, which left me thinking about how leaders make decisions. The book begins in the latter fifteenth century when the King of Portugal faced a decision about investing in exploration to open a sea route for trading spices …
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