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As I cast a weary eye over the organisational landscape, I notice an insatiable obsession with what might be termed corporate alchemy: the pursuit of potential. This is not the kind of potential associated with, say, nuclear fusion or the stock market (though both can explode in unexpected ways). Rather, this is the kind that […]
8.3.2025 21:00The Difficulty of Identifying PotentialOrganisational culture is the foundation that shapes how people work, interact, and commit to a shared mission—yet in many for-purpose (aka NFP) organisations, it is more an afterthought than a strategic priority. Culture is not built through mission statements, vision workshops, or the occasional staff retreat; it is embedded in everyday behaviours, leadership decisions, and […]
1.3.2025 21:00Some Challenges in Rebuilding Organisational Culture in NFPsIf you are an Australian with a mortgage to pay or a renter hoping your landlord might finally pass on some relief, you likely watched the RBA’s February 18 rate cut with a mix of interest and trepidation. I, for one, welcomed it—every dollar counts when you have a newborn dozing beside you. Given the […]
22.2.2025 21:55Beyond Consensus Decision MakingArthur Schopenhauer’s dictum ‘the art of not reading is a very important one’ seems almost prophetic in an age where information excess has become one of the defining features of modern intellectual life. The democratisation of knowledge, propelled by digital proliferation, has made vast quantities of information accessible to the public. Yet, as T.S. Eliot […]
15.2.2025 21:00The Art of Not ReadingFrom the moment they first set eyes on you, people jump to all kinds of conclusions. Deciding how likeable, credible, trustworthy, and even intelligent they think you are. What is more, these early impressions stick and are often only skin deep—in that the look of your face is the only data point many people use […]
9.2.2025 00:47Better Writing Leads to Improved CredibilityWe’ve all worked with that manager who exhibits an almost primal urge to craft an ideal end-state for the organisation—often dressed up as a corporate ‘vision’. It’s like imagining a utopian family holiday: everyone knows it won’t work out as planned, but it’s too tempting not to try. Striking the balance between novelty (think groundbreaking […]
18.1.2025 21:30A Coherent Approach to Visionary LeadershipTrust in the corporate life is a peculiar beast. It takes years to build, seconds to break, and sometimes invokes an all-hands meeting just to explain why it’s been lost. Leaders who misunderstand trust—or worse, assume it comes with their job title—often find themselves the subject of hushed water cooler conversations or, more ominously, exit […]
11.1.2025 23:21Building Trust Through Authentic LeadershipAfter two decades as a manager, I thought I had heard every shade of argument employed by staff to explain why they deserve a promotion or, for the unambitious, why their performance exceeds expectations. This thinking took a tumble recently when I spoke with a leader in a financial services firm who was seeking guidance […]
4.1.2025 21:00The Pitfalls of Rewarding Effort in Organisational BehaviourAh, 2024—a year of ambition, resilience, and no small share of irony. As businesses navigated the complexities of governance, leadership, and culture, it became evident that progress often required stepping out of established comfort zones. This year brought a fresh wave of challenges—balancing organisational agility with structured governance, leading teams through change without losing sight […]
30.12.2024 23:412024 in Review: Key Leadership LessonsWhere does myth end and deception begin? This is a perennial challenge for anyone navigating the Santa Clause tradition with children because it is essential to preserve the wonder of childhood while also fostering their nascent ability for critical thinking. Margaret Mead (1901–1978), one of the most renowned cultural anthropologists of the 20th century, offered […]
23.12.2024 21:00Preserving a Little Magic in a Rational WorldIn reply to <a href="https://robert.winter.ink/leadership-a-human-encounter/#comment-878">Alixander Court</a>. I'm glad you enjoyed the article! Thank you for leaving a comment, though hope you don't do anything too dangerous. ;)
13.3.2022 05:40Comment on Leadership: A Human Encounter by Robert N. WinterGreat read. Read the whole thing aloud. Makes me want to go do dangerous stuff just to exercise power. :)
10.3.2022 17:21Comment on Leadership: A Human Encounter by Alixander CourtIn reply to <a href="https://robert.winter.ink/hugo-or-there-and-back-again/#comment-887">Ricard Torres</a>. Wonderful news that the post resonated with you. Thank you for taking the time to pen a response!
23.2.2022 08:04Comment on Hugo: Or, There and Back Again by Robert N. WinterLoved the post Robert. I felt so identified with most of it. I also have moved around Jekyll, Hugo (which still love and use for some projects) but the "focus on content" and "easy to publish" from WordPress is very hard to beat. Even if it comes with more complex setup or security risks. Thank you for sharing
23.2.2022 06:41Comment on Hugo: Or, There and Back Again by Ricard TorresThanks so much for writing this in reply! I really appreciated your insight into different roles within a team and the levels of ambiguity they need. I suppose the kind of work I do is usually firmly in the 'discovery' phase, where it's important to embrace the ambiguity as much as possible. I agree when it comes time to deliver that often a lot of that ambiguity needs to be sacrificed to get things out of the door!
12.2.2022 11:24Comment on Response: Sitting with Ambiguity by Doug BelshawIn reply to <a href="https://robert.winter.ink/a-mastodon-to-call-my-own/#comment-885">Poorchop</a>. I am inclined to agree that it isn't uncommon for some instances of the Fediverse to do little more than try and mimic their much bigger centralized brothers. Their admins seem to wish they were a Zuckerberg and their posture of resenting FB's practices is really more akin to what Nietzsche termed ressentiment. The rejection of a system because one is jealous of its success. To that end, I don't see Mastodon as a great salvation and wrote about its tendency to follow the Matthew effect in my article 'Centralising the Decentralised.' However, I'm not sure webrings, comment sections and email quite fill the gap that would be left if forums / social media are removed (but am fully prepared to admit this may be more to do with how I use them than the technology per se). I find it useful to have a town square in which we can gather and engage, rather than having to go to each others' homes (for want of a better analogy). And for me, a platform like Mastodon provides that ease of connection while giving me the freedom to write my own TOS.
7.3.2021 06:06Comment on A Mastodon To Call My Own by Robert WinterSelf-hosting is the way to go. You shouldn't have to censor yourself for the sake of anyone else, especially not on the web. I was also raised to understand the importance of behaving reasonably but the pervasiveness of certain ideologies has gotten a little out of hand and many online communities are starting to feel a little too authoritarian. I'm glad that Mastodon exists and that federated social networks are seeing some adoption but I'm not really sure that it's better off than the centralized network(s) that it strives to emulate. It's still full of the same ideologies and the same politics. I'm also not really sure that it fills a role that can't already be met by running one's own website. Maybe I'll change my mind some day but webrings + comment sections/e-mail seems good enough.
6.3.2021 21:01Comment on A Mastodon To Call My Own by PoorchopIn reply to <a href="https://robert.winter.ink/the-ability-to-ignore/#comment-881">Anonymous</a>. Very true. Bias is challenging as it is so often unconscious. A conceptualisation which also carries with it the very notion of free will. Topics illuminatingly covered by Daniel Kahneman in Thinking Fast and Slow.
9.2.2021 07:25Comment on The Ability To Ignore by Robert"For every article or book you read which supports your beliefs, read something which challenges them." This is a really good philosophy and it's something that I generally try to put into practice. Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of contrasting viewpoints are birthed from ignorance rather than being backed by reason but sometimes, it might just appear that way because of my own bias. Exposing oneself to different views can facilitate personal growth but overcoming personal bias is easier said than done.
9.2.2021 02:13Comment on The Ability To Ignore by AnonymousGood to be going to your blog once more, it has been months for me. Nicely this article that ive been waited for so long. I require this write-up to total my assignment in the school, and it has same subject together with your article. Thanks, excellent share.
22.11.2020 02:09Comment on Damnatio Memoriae by Tomasz