In general, thinking is a good thing. After all, rational thought is one of the hallmarks of being human. Being thoughtful means having considered something thoroughly, while thoughtlessness implies careless or rash behavior. This is especially true at work. Thinking is often equated with intelligence: smart people think more and better than others, and therefore have greater insight and make better decisions.
As few as 6% of organizations have future leaders identified for critical roles, according to a recent study of global companies conducted at Right Management. And strikingly, less than one in five respondents said they have no one slated to take over any key positions. Yet, most organizations tell us that building a pipeline of global leaders that is both deep and wide is a top priority.
“Never before in history has innovation offered promise of so much to so many in so short a time.” - Bill Gates
As the co-founder and current Chairman of Microsoft, Bill Gates is a proven authority on the topic of innovation. He acknowledges that over the years Microsoft has had huge hits and misses in product innovation.
To this day, adorning the windowsill of my parent’s dining room is a triangular (okay, wannabe triangular) clay jar I created at the ripe age of 9 in grade school art class. Its shape, swirled blue/pink/purple color, and enormous hand-crafted clay flower on the lid is a potent reminder of my questionable taste at the time, while also acting as a witness to endurance. After all this time, it’s still standing strong.