Select Page

Global Advisors | Quantified Strategy Consulting

SMPostStory
Quote: Jim Collins – Author, academic

Quote: Jim Collins – Author, academic

“The most powerfully transformative executives possess a paradoxical mixture of personal humility and professional will. They are timid and ferocious. Shy and fearless. They are rare – and unstoppable.” – Jim Collins – Author, academic

Jim Collins, the author behind this quote, is a renowned figure in business thinking whose work has fundamentally shaped how organizations and leaders view greatness and transformation. Collins is best known for his ground-breaking research and best-selling books on business management, leadership, and organizational sustainability, with “Good to Great” standing out as a seminal text.

Jim Collins’ Backstory and Context of the Quote

Jim Collins began his professional journey with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Sciences from Stanford University, followed by an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Early in his career, he worked at McKinsey & Company, where he witnessed first-hand the research that would underpin In Search of Excellence, one of the early classics in management literature.

His intellectual curiosity led him to academia, where he taught at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and earned distinction for his contributions. It was during this period that Collins started asking probing questions: What sets truly great companies apart? How do ordinary organizations become exceptional? These explorations culminated in his influential research laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, where he worked with leaders from diverse sectors—corporate, non-profit, and even the military.

The featured quote exemplifies Collins’s insight from the “Level 5 Leadership” concept, introduced in Good to Great. Through extensive research, Collins and his team identified that the most transformative leaders combined personal humility with unwavering professional will. These leaders are not brash or self-aggrandizing; rather, their strength is paradoxical. They are both “timid and ferocious,” “shy and fearless,” embodying a rare blend of virtues that make them, as Collins notes, “unstoppable”. This philosophy challenged the then-prevailing myth that only charismatic, larger-than-life personalities could lead organizations to enduring success.

About Jim Collins

Jim Collins is recognized as a preeminent business thinker worldwide, having authored or co-authored six major works—including Built to Last, Good to Great, and How the Mighty Fall—that have collectively sold over ten million copies. Beyond his research and writing, Collins has worked as a consultant and teacher to executives in both the public and private sectors, and his influence extends far beyond academia. He has been shaped by mentorships with other leading thinkers, notably Peter Drucker, whom Collins has described as his greatest inspiration.

Leading Theorists Related to Transformative Leadership

The field of transformative and paradoxical leadership draws on a rich tradition of management thought:

  • Peter Drucker is considered the father of modern management and was a major influence on Collins. Drucker’s approach to management emphasized integrity, decentralization, and a focus on results rather than charisma or force of personality. Drucker’s writings, including The Practice of Management, underpin much of today’s thinking on leadership effectiveness and long-term organizational success.
  • Tom Peters and Robert Waterman were pivotal figures in developing the excellence movement with their book In Search of Excellence. Their research, which Collins encountered during his time at McKinsey, focused on the traits that distinguish high-performing organizations, including the importance of strong yet humble leadership.
  • Warren Bennis contributed significantly to leadership studies, particularly around authentic leadership—leaders who are self-aware, guided by values, and able to inspire trust and performance within teams.
  • John Kotter is known for his work on leading organizational change, emphasizing that effective transformational leaders create a sense of urgency, craft a vision, and empower others—a framework that complements Collins’s observations on humility and will.
  • James MacGregor Burns introduced the concept of transformational leadership, describing leaders who motivate followers by raising their level of morality and motivation, echoing Collins’s findings about humility and aspiration.

Legacy and Impact

The synthesis of personal humility and professional will continues to redefine what is expected of leaders in business and beyond. Collins’s insights have inspired executives and aspiring leaders to seek greatness not through ego or bravado, but through resilience, discipline, and a quiet but relentless drive for excellence. His ongoing contributions keep shaping new generations of leaders in pursuit of not just success, but true and enduring greatness.

read more
Quote: Shannon L. Alder – Author, therapist

Quote: Shannon L. Alder – Author, therapist

“You have two choices in life when it comes to truthful observations by others that anger you: You can be ashamed and cover it up by letting your pride take you in the extreme opposite direction, in order to make the point that they are wrong. Or, you can break down the walls of pride by accepting vulnerability as a strength, not a weakness. As you walk through your vulnerability, you will meet humility on the way to courage. From here, courage allows us to let go of shame and rise higher into the person we are meant to be, not the person that needs to be right. This is the road to confidence and self worth.” – Shannon L. Alder – Author, therapist

Shannon L. Alder is an American inspirational author and therapist known for her practical wisdom and deeply empathetic approach to personal growth and relationships. Born in New Mexico in 1970, Alder has built a reputation as a widely quoted writer, with her insights appearing in over 300 books by other authors and extensive online publications. Her works include bestsellers like 300 Questions to Ask Your Parents Before It’s Too Late, 300 Questions LDS Couples Should Ask Before Marriage, and The Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Bible, among others.

Alder’s writing is renowned for its direct, nurturing style that invites readers to confront personal truths and seek healing without shame. She draws from her dual experience as a therapist—specializing in recovery from emotional and narcissistic abuse—and as someone who has herself faced and overcome adversity. This combination gives her a unique authority and compassion for the complexities of vulnerability, humility, and courage.

Alder is also known for her “Shannonisms”—aphoristic expressions and bite-sized reflections that circulate widely on social media and in motivational literature. Her focus on vulnerability as a strength, not a weakness, is a cornerstone of her message. She encourages readers to see the act of opening oneself to discomfort and critique as an entry point not to shame, but to authentic self-worth and confidence.

Context of the Quote

The featured quote is drawn from Alder’s exploration of how individuals respond to truthful, sometimes uncomfortable observations from others. She contrasts two paths:

  • One is the instinct to react defensively, allowing pride to shield us by rejecting or countering criticism.
  • The other is to dismantle pride and embrace vulnerability, which is not self-defeat but the groundwork for genuine humility.

Alder suggests that “as you walk through your vulnerability, you will meet humility on the way to courage.” In this philosophy, humility is not about humiliation but about openness to growth. With humility comes courage—the courage to release shame and become the person one is truly meant to be, rather than someone fixated on being right. The result is true confidence and self-worth, achieved through acceptance and transformation rather than avoidance or denial.

Leading Theorists and Intellectual Context

While Shannon L. Alder’s work is highly personal and practical, her ideas align with and echo several major theorists in psychology and personal development:

 
Theorist
Contribution
Brené Brown
Central to modern understanding of vulnerability. In her landmark research, Brown frames vulnerability as the birthplace of courage, creativity, and belonging—paralleling Alder’s emphasis on embracing vulnerability to develop courage and self-worth.
Carl Rogers
Developer of person-centered therapy, Rogers highlighted the importance of authenticity, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard. He believed true growth happens when people accept themselves without pretense—ideas mirrored in Alder’s advocacy for vulnerability as transformative.
Tara Brach
As a psychologist and teacher, Brach’s work on radical acceptance and self-compassion resonates with Alder’s encouragement to let go of shame and move toward genuine self-acceptance and confidence.
Kristin Neff
Pioneered research on self-compassion, which involves treating oneself with kindness during failures and inadequacies—a prerequisite for the humility and courage Alder describes.

Alder’s insights are thus part of a rich tradition that challenges ingrained beliefs about strength, urging us to see openness, humility, and self-reflection as the true sources of personal growth and leadership.

Summary of the Insight

Shannon L. Alder invites us to reconsider our reflex to defend pride and instead walk courageously through vulnerability. The journey she describes is not merely personal but universal—one that has been explored by leading minds in psychology and embraced in modern thinking about what it means to live authentically and lead with empathy. Her words serve as both comfort and call to action: to value truth, abandon defensive pride, and step into the ever-rising cycle of humility, courage, and self-worth

read more
Term: Relational humility

Term: Relational humility

Relational humility is the capacity to recognize the limits of your own perspective and to value the experiences, insights, and feelings of others, especially within interpersonal relationships. It means understanding that your view is only one among many, fostering deeper connection and genuine dialogue instead of prioritizing pride or the need to be ‘right’. Unlike self-deprecation or meekness, relational humility is an active openness—it is not about diminishing your worth but rather acknowledging that everyone’s contributions matter.

Key characteristics of relational humility:

  • Listening before asserting: Taking time to understand others’ viewpoints, even when they conflict with your own.
  • Admitting mistakes: Being willing to own your errors and shortcomings instead of defending them out of pride.
  • Letting go of superiority: Recognizing that your knowledge or status does not make you inherently better than others.
  • Prioritizing relationships over ego: Making decisions with the health of the relationship in mind, rather than letting pride dictate your actions.

Relational humility in the business setting is a powerful and necessary asset that directly contributes to superior individual and organizational performance. In the workplace, relational humility is the willingness of leaders and team members to admit limitations, value diverse contributions, and maintain authentic, open communication—even when doing so might challenge one’s ego or established authority.

Why is relational humility so valuable in business?

  • Builds trust and credibility: Employees are more likely to trust and follow leaders who demonstrate humility—by owning mistakes, valuing others’ input, and being approachable. This trust is foundational to high-performing teams and sustainable results.
  • Fosters collaboration and innovation: Relational humility encourages the free flow of ideas and feedback. Team members feel respected and motivated to contribute, leading to creative solutions and collective achievement.
  • Creates psychological safety: When leaders and colleagues admit they don’t have all the answers and are open to feedback, it signals safety to others. This psychological safety allows employees to take risks, share candidly, and support one another—key factors in organizational resilience and adaptability.
  • Enables continuous learning: Humble professionals are more receptive to feedback and more willing to learn from mistakes or setbacks. This fosters a culture of growth and ongoing improvement, essential for navigating changing business environments.
  • Authenticity and engagement: Relational humility allows individuals to bring their true selves to work, which drives higher engagement, job satisfaction, and a sense of belonging. Leaders who are authentic foster loyalty and discretionary effort among their teams.

Relational humility is courageous and strategically right. In environments where competition and performance pressure are high, it takes courage to admit you might be wrong or that someone else has a better idea. But this courage sends a powerful message: that long-term results and genuine connection matter more than protecting one’s pride. Humility is not weakness; it is a strategic strength that enables better decision-making, attracts and retains talent, and positions organizations to thrive.

Relational humility also prevents the self-sabotage of pride. In business, burning bridges, refusing to listen, or failing to seek feedback can lead to missed opportunities, stalled careers, and organizational failure—the professional equivalent of “cutting one’s nose to spite one’s face.” By embracing humility, professionals keep doors open, nurture valuable networks, and create opportunities for reconciliation and growth.

Practicing relational humility is authentic leadership. Leaders who are humble empower their people, acknowledge their dependence on others, and create an environment where purpose and results align. Research shows that humble leaders are seen as more promotable, foster higher team morale, and build more resilient organizations.

“Humility is undeniably a key trait of effective leadership, essential for building trust, fostering collaboration, and driving sustained organizational success.”

Relational humility is both courageous and right, because it demands we put outcomes, relationships, and the greater good above ego. In business, as in life, it is the foundation for meaningful connection, authentic leadership, and lasting success.

Exemplification

Consider the classic example of someone who, after a falling out, refuses to reach out and mend the relationship. This person may feel justified in their anger or embarrassment, but their pride creates a barrier they cannot cross, leaving them isolated and unhappy—what’s often called “cutting one’s nose to spite one’s face.” Pride prevents them from apologizing or forgiving, leading to lost opportunities for reconciliation and happiness.

Conversely, relational humility is shown when someone swallows their pride to return and say, “I was wrong,” or “Can we start again?” It’s the parent embracing a child who has made grave mistakes, or the friend who chooses understanding over holding a grudge. These choices often repair and deepen bonds, creating a richer, more resilient social fabric.

Consequences of Lacking Relational Humility

A lack of relational humility often results in burned bridges, ongoing conflict, and missed opportunities for growth. Research shows people low in humility struggle to form and repair strong social bonds, which can lead to poorer emotional well-being and less support—ultimately impacting long-term health and happiness.

Theoretical Roots and Key Theorist

The most influential psychologist in this field is Dr. Everett L. Worthington, Jr. His Relational Humility Scale is widely used to measure this trait, and his published work frames relational humility as the ability to put the health and needs of the relationship above one’s own pride or desire for dominance.

Dr. Everett L. Worthington, Jr.

  • Biography: Dr. Worthington is an American psychologist and Professor Emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University. Initially notable for his work in forgiveness research, he has written extensively about humility’s role in effective relationships and emotional health. The loss of his mother to a violent crime shaped his focus on reconciliation and humility—leading to his pioneering work on relational humility.
  • Contribution: Worthington’s research centers on how humility facilitates forgiveness and repair in relationships. He argues that relational humility is fundamental to resolving conflict, sustaining long-term bonds, and achieving personal growth.
 

If you find yourself miserable after burning bridges and unable to go back, know that relational humility is the key to change. By acknowledging your limitations, embracing vulnerability, and reaching out, you can rebuild connections and enrich your life. Pride may keep you stuck, but humility opens the door to healing and new beginnings.

read more
Quote: R.D. Laing – Scottish psychiatrist

Quote: R.D. Laing – Scottish psychiatrist

“The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice, there is little we can do to change; until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds.” – R.D. Laing – Scottish psychiatrist

The quote is among the most incisive observations made by R. D. Laing, a Scottish psychiatrist whose work fundamentally reshaped how the world understands mental health, perception, and consciousness.

This reflection appears in Daniel Goleman’s Vital Lies, Simple Truths, a seminal work on the psychology of self-deception and the mechanisms by which individuals and institutions hide painful truths from themselves. Goleman’s book explores how the human mind deploys subtle avoidance strategies, not merely to escape uncomfortable realities, but to shield entire frameworks of thought from scrutiny. Laing’s insight captures the paradox that the greatest limitations on our freedom and awareness stem from that which remains invisible to us—not out of malice or ignorance, but precisely because the act of not noticing is itself unnoticed.

Laing’s statement addresses a core theme in Vital Lies, Simple Truths: the mental blind spots that arise from habitual thinking, cultural conditioning, and social pressures. Only by cultivating awareness of these patterns can individuals or organizations begin to expand their potential for change and adaptation.

R. D. Laing: The Person Behind the Quote

Ronald David Laing (1927–1989) was a British psychiatrist whose career challenged the mainstream conventions of psychiatry, particularly in the treatment and understanding of schizophrenia. He emerged as a leading voice in what was labeled the “anti-psychiatry” movement (though Laing himself rejected this term). Rather than viewing psychosis as a biological flaw to be chemically or physically corrected, Laing argued that “madness” was often a meaningful—if deeply troubled—response to untenable situations, usually within the structure of the family or society.

Laing was deeply influenced by existentialist and phenomenologist philosophers such as Nietzsche, Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Jaspers, and Merleau-Ponty. He believed that the lived experience of the patient—what they perceived, thought, and felt—was central, and should be taken seriously as an expression of existential reality. In his explorations, Laing even traveled to Asia to study Buddhist meditation, seeking insights into the nature of consciousness and the boundaries of perception.

Laing’s clinical innovations included his willingness to simply sit with deeply disturbed patients, listening without preconceptions and attempting to understand the “existential truth” behind their symptoms. He rejected the prevailing emphasis on physical treatments such as electroshock and lobotomy, advocating for a more humane, attentive, and socially aware psychiatry.

Theoretical Foundations and Leading Thinkers

Laing’s work was at the intersection of multiple influential currents:

  • Harry Stack Sullivan: Emphasized interpersonal relationships in shaping mental health, influencing Laing to seek real (not merely imagined) sources of psychological distress.
  • Gregory Bateson: Developed the “double bind” theory, positing that schizophrenia can arise from chronic exposure to contradictory messages, particularly in families. Laing built on this by suggesting that psychotic speech and behavior are attempts to communicate otherwise unutterable distress.
  • Karl Jaspers: While Jaspers deemed many symptoms “un-understandable,” Laing countered by insisting that even the most bizarre expressions of mental illness had personal and social meaning.
  • Michel Foucault and David Cooper: Fellow critics of mainstream psychiatry, these thinkers argued that the construction of “madness” is shaped by historical, social, and political forces.

Together, these theorists challenged the reduction of mental suffering to mere biochemical imbalance, insisting on the complex interplay between individual perception, family structure, social context, and culture.

The Subject’s Lasting Impact

Laing’s approach—and the insight captured in the quote—remains vital today, not just in psychiatry but in any domain where awareness, self-limitation, and the unseen forces shaping behaviour are of concern. His work underscores the necessity of noticing our own blind spots, because only from that awareness can meaningful change originate. The journey toward transformation, personally or collectively, begins with “noticing what we fail to notice”—and recognizing how our unnoticed frames of reference define what we believe is possible.

read more
Term: Self Awareness

Term: Self Awareness

Self-awareness is the capacity to consciously recognize, observe, and understand one’s own feelings, thoughts, motives, and behaviours as they arise. It involves stepping back to notice your internal world—your emotions, thoughts, physical sensations, and urges—which often operate outside of conscious attention. This reflective process can be simple, such as noticing the feelings you have in different social situations, or more complex, such as understanding how your thoughts and emotions interact and influence your behaviour over time.

Key aspects of self-awareness include:

  • Recognizing personal strengths and challenges: Self-aware individuals see both their abilities and areas for improvement, which supports personal growth.
  • Understanding how actions affect others: Beyond self-knowledge, self-awareness extends to perceiving how others view us, allowing for better relationship management and social interactions.
  • Developing self-consciousness: At higher levels, self-awareness includes understanding oneself from both a first-person and a third-person viewpoint—the realization that others have perspectives on us, too.
  • Foundation for growth: Self-awareness is considered the first step toward change, self-improvement, and mental well-being, as you cannot alter what you do not understand.

Daniel Goleman: Theorist and Author

Daniel Goleman is widely regarded as a leading authority on self-awareness and its importance in personal and professional development. A psychologist, journalist, and author, Goleman popularized the concept of emotional intelligence (EQ), of which self-awareness is a fundamental component.

Goleman’s 1985 book, “Vital Lies, Simple Truths”, delves deeply into the mechanisms of self-deception—the ways we avoid confronting uncomfortable truths about ourselves—and how this impedes self-awareness and, subsequently, genuine personal growth. In the book, he explores the psychological defenses that cloud our objective self-perception:

“The mind’s greatest challenge is to see itself without distortion, to maintain the delicate balance between facing difficult realities and sustaining a sense of hope and coherence.”

Goleman’s analysis makes the case that self-awareness is both essential and challenging, as our minds are wired to sometimes shield us from harsh realities. By bringing these mechanisms to light, Goleman offers strategies to enhance self-awareness, emphasizing the benefits of honest introspection for both individuals and organizations.

Goleman’s Biography and Relationship to Self-awareness

Daniel Goleman earned his Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard University, after which he spent many years as a science journalist for The New York Times, reporting on brain and behavioural research. His influential work on emotional intelligence, beginning with his best-selling book “Emotional Intelligence” (1995), reshaped how leaders, companies, and individuals think about personal and social competence. Goleman’s academic rigor, combined with his skill in making psychological concepts accessible, established him as the primary theorist linking self-awareness and emotional intelligence.

Goleman’s insights into self-awareness have had a profound impact on leadership theory, psychotherapy, education, and workplace training, emphasizing that truly understanding oneself is the cornerstone for developing every other aspect of emotional intelligence. His work—especially as detailed in “Vital Lies, Simple Truths”—remains foundational for anyone seeking to understand or improve their own self-awareness and psychological well-being.

read more
Quote: Fyodor Dostoevsky – Russian novelist, philosopher, and journalist

Quote: Fyodor Dostoevsky – Russian novelist, philosopher, and journalist

“There are other things which a man is afraid to tell even to himself, and every decent man has a number of such things stored away in his mind.” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky – Notes from Underground

Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Notes from Underground (1864) is a foundational text of existential literature, probing the paradoxes and inner conflicts of human consciousness. The quote is spoken by the novella’s unnamed protagonist, the Underground Man—a figure marked by hyperawareness, self-loathing, and paralyzing introspection. This sentence illustrates one of Dostoevsky’s core insights: the depth of human self-deception and the layers of secret shame and fear that even the most honest individuals conceal from themselves.

Notes from Underground was Dostoevsky’s response to the growing intellectual currents of rational egoism and utopian optimism in 19th-century Russia. Through the internal monologue of the Underground Man, Dostoevsky warns against the dangers of reducing human nature to tidy scientific or logical schemes. He argues that consciousness can become a torment when it turns inward, endlessly dissecting motives, memories, and desires. The narrator is both acutely self-conscious and incapable of action, trapped in a cycle of self-reflection and spite, which he describes as a kind of illness.

Context of the Quote

This passage reflects Dostoevsky’s belief in the complexity and contradiction at the heart of human psychology. The idea that each person hides certain thoughts even from themselves speaks to the unconscious mind’s power and the defense mechanisms we deploy to protect ourselves from uncomfortable truths. For Dostoevsky, true self-knowledge is painful and, therefore, often avoided; we construct elaborate rationalizations and illusions to mask our deeper uncertainties or shame. The Underground Man’s confession is both a critique and a mirror: in his vulnerability, he exposes a universal human tendency.

About Dostoevsky

Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821–1881) was a Russian novelist, philosopher, and journalist whose works explore the psychological and spiritual depths of his characters. A former political prisoner, Dostoevsky’s novels—including Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, and Notes from Underground—delve into moral dilemmas, the nature of free will, and the search for meaning in a turbulent world. His insights into the shadowy corners of the human mind anticipate many of the ideas later developed in psychology and existential philosophy.

Related Theory: Daniel Goleman and Self-Deception

The themes Dostoevsky investigates find scientific elaboration in the work of Daniel Goleman. Goleman is a psychologist and journalist best known for popularizing the concept of emotional intelligence. His seminal book, Vital Lies, Simple Truths: The Psychology of Self-Deception (1985), synthesizes decades of research to explain why and how individuals, organizations, and even societies distort reality to avoid painful truths.

Vital Lies, Simple Truths: Core Ideas

  • Self-deception is not just a personal failing but an everyday survival strategy; it allows individuals to navigate anxieties and contradictions.
  • Goleman describes the psychological mechanisms—such as denial, rationalization, and selective attention—that enable people to protect their sense of self, even at the cost of truth.
  • His thesis echoes Dostoevsky’s insight: we all harbor “secret” beliefs or memories that remain just out of conscious reach, shaping our actions and relationships in subtle but profound ways.

Daniel Goleman: Background

  • Goleman trained as a psychologist at Harvard and merged academic rigor with journalistic clarity.
  • In Vital Lies, Simple Truths, he draws on research in cognitive science, psychoanalysis, and social psychology.
  • Goleman later introduced the world to Emotional Intelligence (1995), a groundbreaking concept that has influenced education, business, and therapy.
 

Intellectual Lineage and Perspective

Both Dostoevsky and Goleman are united in their skepticism toward claims of complete self-knowledge and their recognition that self-deception is an ingrained facet of being human. Dostoevsky frames it as tragic and inescapable, while Goleman provides a scientific explanation for its universality and necessity. Their combined perspectives invite us to consider that clarity about ourselves is a rare achievement—and perhaps, at times, an unbearable one.

read more
Term: Self Deception

Term: Self Deception

Self-deception is the act of denying, minimizing, or rationalizing away information, evidence, or logical arguments that challenge one’s existing beliefs, preferences, or self-image. At its core, self-deception involves convincing oneself of a truth—or the absence of a truth—in such a manner that it conceals uncomfortable self-knowledge. It is a psychological process where individuals deliberately or subconsciously avoid facing facts, often by distorting reality or ignoring disconfirming evidence. This can lead to holding motivated false beliefs that persist even in the presence of contradicting information. Self-deception ranges from conscious rationalizations to unconscious avoidance and forgetting, sometimes involving holding conflicting beliefs—one known to be true but suppressed, and another maintained at the surface.

Key aspects include:

  • Denial of reality: Refusing to acknowledge facts or logic that contradict self-perceptions or desired narratives.
  • Rationalization: Creating justifications or excuses to maintain comfort and stability in one’s worldview.
  • Suppression or avoidance: Keeping threatening truths out of conscious awareness, sometimes relegating them to the unconscious.

Self-deception can act as a defense mechanism for self-protection—shielding individuals from painful truths or threats to self-esteem. However, it is also linked to self-sabotage, as persistent denial of reality impairs judgment, relationships, and effective leadership. Research shows that self-deception is intertwined with memory and social status, and can be influenced by stress or situational pressures.

Daniel Goleman: The Strategist of Self-Deception

Daniel Goleman is widely recognized as a pivotal theorist in the study of self-deception, particularly through his influential book “Vital Lies, Simple Truths: The Psychology of Self-Deception.” Goleman, an American psychologist, author, and science journalist, gained international acclaim for his work on emotional intelligence but has made significant contributions to understanding how humans deceive themselves.

Biography:

  • Goleman earned his Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard, where he researched consciousness, emotion, and behavioral science.
  • As a science writer for The New York Times specializing in psychology and brain sciences, he brought complex psychological concepts to a broad audience.

Relationship to the Term:

  • In “Vital Lies, Simple Truths” (first published in 1985), Goleman explores the mechanisms and evolutionary roots of self-deception.
  • He argues that self-deception is not merely a personal failing but a pervasive aspect of the human mind, shaped by both individual psychology and social context.
  • Goleman details how self-deception operates at multiple levels—from individuals to organizations and cultures—often serving to reduce psychological distress but ultimately compromising awareness and effectiveness.

Goleman’s approach integrates insights from psychology, neuroscience, and social dynamics, illustrating how self-deception functions as both a protective strategy and a barrier to growth. His work remains foundational in understanding why people—and leaders especially—sometimes fail to see or admit critical truths, and how confronting self-deception is vital for personal development and organizational health.

By framing self-deception as a universal, adaptive, yet ultimately limiting human tendency, Goleman’s scholarship provides a strategic lens for advisors, leaders, and individuals seeking self-awareness and more effective decision-making.

read more
Quote: Carl Jung – pioneering figure in psychology

Quote: Carl Jung – pioneering figure in psychology

“Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. If an inferiority is conscious, one always has a chance to correct it… But if it is repressed and isolated from consciousness, it never gets corrected, and is liable to burst forth suddenly in a moment of unawareness.” – Carl Jung – pioneering figure in psychology

Jung described the shadow as the unconscious part of the personality that consists of repressed ideas, weaknesses, desires, instincts, and shortcomings—essentially the darker, hidden side of ourselves that the conscious ego does not identify with or wishes to deny. It is a “cognitive blind spot” within the psyche, representing aspects of the self that one is unaware of or rejects because they don’t fit with the socially acceptable or conscious self-image.

The quote explains that when these shadow aspects remain unconscious and repressed, they become “blacker and denser,” meaning they grow more intense and potentially destructive. Conscious awareness or acknowledgment of these inferiority feelings or shadow elements gives one the chance to address and integrate them, promoting psychological growth and balance.

Importance of Shadow Integration

Jung emphasized that the path to self-knowledge and individuation—the process of becoming a whole person—requires confronting and embracing the shadow. This is often painful and challenging because it involves recognizing traits, desires, or impulses we typically deny. However, doing so prevents these shadow elements from erupting uncontrollably or damagingly, as they might if suppressed too long.

Jung wrote that the shadow is not solely negative but contains valuable qualities such as instincts, emotional energy, creativity, and realistic insights, which can be reclaimed through awareness. If left unrecognized, the shadow keeps a person psychologically impoverished and disconnected.

Carl Jung’s Background

Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) was a pioneering figure in psychology who diverged from Freud to develop his own theories about the unconscious mind. He introduced terms such as archetypes, the collective unconscious, and the personal unconscious, with the shadow being a central archetype representing the hidden dimension of personality.

His work has deeply influenced not only psychology but also philosophy, literature, and spirituality. Jung’s exploration of the shadow was part of his broader interest in the balance of conscious and unconscious parts of the self, aiming for personal wholeness.

In Summary

  • The shadow represents the unconscious, repressed, often undesirable parts of ourselves.
  • If these parts are conscious, one can work on and correct them.
  • If they are repressed, they become more intense and may suddenly emerge in uncontrolled ways.
  • Jung saw acknowledging and integrating the shadow as essential to psychological health and self-realization.
  • The quote reflects Jung’s belief in the necessity of self-awareness and honesty to prevent the shadow from overwhelming the individual.

This quote encapsulates a key psychological insight from Jung’s analytical psychology, highlighting the importance of self-consciousness in managing the darker sides of human nature and achieving personal growth.

read more
Term: Persona Inflation

Term: Persona Inflation

Persona inflation, as defined by Carl Jung, refers to the psychological phenomenon where an individual becomes excessively identified with their persona—the social mask or role they present to the world—leading to an inflated sense of self that is cut off from deeper, more authentic layers of the psyche. The persona is the social mask we create to meet external expectations. When we identify with it—“I am the CEO, the star, the influencer”—the ego becomes inflated, cut off from shadow and Self.

Jung’s Concept of the Persona

Jung introduced the concept of the persona as the mask or identity we adopt to meet the expectations and norms of society. It acts as a kind of psychological armor, allowing us to function in social roles—such as the CEO, the star, or the influencer. However, this mask is not our true self; it is a construct designed to navigate external realities.

Backstory: How Persona Inflation Occurs

  • Identification with the Role: Over time, individuals may become so attached to their persona that they genuinely believe they are the role they play—confusing the mask with their essence. For example, someone who endlessly introduces themselves and behaves as “the visionary CEO” may start to believe this role encompasses their entire identity.
  • Ego Inflation: Jung described inflation as a state where the ego’s sense of self-importance grows disproportionately, disconnected from the rest of the psyche—including the shadow (our hidden, unacknowledged aspects) and the Self (a more integrated, whole identity). This happens when the ego merges with the persona or even with powerful archetypes, losing any humility or self-critique.
  • Blind Spots and Disconnection: An inflated persona blinds individuals to their own limitations, fallibility, and deeper needs. Jung noted such a person becomes egocentric and “conscious of nothing but its own existence,” unable to see their blind spots or relate authentically to others.
 

Symptoms and Societal Implications

  • Lack of Authentic Relationships: When the ego is wedded to its persona and inflated, it becomes difficult to form genuine connections, as interactions are filtered through the mask rather than the true self.
  • Vulnerability and Fragility: Like an overblown balloon, persona inflation is impressive but fragile; it is easily punctured by criticism, failure, or loss of status.
  • Denial of Humanness: This state serves as a defense against confronting one’s limitations, mistakes, or need for change—resulting in denial of one’s own humanity and incompleteness.
  • Societal Trends: In the modern era, pressure to project success and cultivate an idealized image—amplified by social media—makes persona inflation a widespread risk.

Jung’s Warning and the Path to Wholeness

Jung consistently warned about the dangers of inflation, emphasizing that it is not always consciously felt; often, its presence is best inferred from symptoms like arrogance, extreme defensiveness, or the reactions of others. The antidote lies in differentiating between the persona and the deeper Self, integrating unconscious elements, and maintaining humility. This ongoing process leads to greater psychological health and authentic living.

In summary, persona inflation is the over-identification with one’s social mask, resulting in an ego that is inflated and disconnected from one’s deeper self, relationships, and authentic human experience. Jung saw this as a common but perilous condition, especially prevalent in environments that reward surface performance over genuine self-knowledge

read more
Quote: Jeffrey E. Young – the creator of schema therapy and a transformative figure in modern psychology

Quote: Jeffrey E. Young – the creator of schema therapy and a transformative figure in modern psychology

“You have to face the lifetrap head-on and understand it. Change also requires discipline. You have to systematically observe and change behaviors every day. Change cannot be hit-or-miss. It requires constant practice.” – Jeffrey E. Young – the creator of schema therapy and a transformative figure in modern psychology

Jeffrey Young developed schema therapy in response to the limitations he observed in traditional forms of cognitive behavioral therapy, particularly with clients experiencing chronic, deeply rooted emotional difficulties. After studying at Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania—and completing postdoctoral work under Aaron Beck, the father of CBT—Young realized that many people struggle with what he called “lifetraps,” now more widely known as early maladaptive schemas.These are enduring, self-defeating emotional and cognitive patterns established in childhood, usually due to unmet core emotional needs.

Young’s work led him to found the Schema Therapy Institute, where he and his colleagues developed integrative methods that blend cognitive, attachment, psychodynamic, and experiential approaches. Central to schema therapy is the insight that awareness alone isn’t enough—patients must actively and systematically challenge and change their ingrained reactions and beliefs. “Lifetraps” or schemas can’t be altered by insight alone; they demand disciplined, daily effort to observe one’s thoughts and behaviors and to practice new, healthier ways of responding to life’s challenges.

This quote distills Young’s belief that enduring change is a process, not a single event: it requires direct confrontation with one’s schemas, daily self-observation, disciplined practice, and persistence. The path to change, as Young outlines in both his professional texts (Schema Therapy) and his bestselling self-help book (Reinventing Your Life), is structured, intentional, and ongoing—a philosophy that has helped millions worldwide recognize and heal their deepest emotional wounds.

Leading with EMS or Leading Those with EMS

In leadership and workplace settings, understanding EMS has profound implications. Leaders with unaddressed schemas may unconsciously enact patterns such as perfectionism, avoidance, mistrust, or overcompensation, which can undermine their effectiveness and harm team dynamics. For instance, a leader with an “unrelenting standards” schema might push themselves and their team too hard, causing burnout and resentment. Conversely, an “abandonment” schema might result in over-accommodation or difficulty setting boundaries, diminishing authority and clarity.

Leading individuals with EMS requires attunement, clear boundaries, and consistent, compassionate communication. It is important to recognize when an employee’s reactions may stem from deep-seated patterns rather than surface-level conflicts or incompetence. Effective leaders:

  • Provide structured feedback and clear expectations.
  • Model emotional regulation and transparency.
  • Encourage open dialogue about challenges and stressors.
  • Offer support for professional development that includes emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
  • Avoid reinforcing negative schemas through punitive, inconsistent, or excessively critical management styles.

Leaders who are aware of EMS—in themselves and in others—can foster a work environment that supports psychological growth, resilience, and healthy relational patterns. This not only improves individual well-being but also enhances collective performance, creativity, and loyalty. Ultimately, addressing EMS in the workplace is about creating a culture where people can move beyond self-defeating patterns and realize their full potential, both individually and as part of a team

About Jeffrey Young

  • Jeffrey E. Young (born 1950) is a renowned American psychologist best known for developing schema therapy and founding the Schema Therapy Institute.
  • He trained at Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania under Aaron Beck, and became deeply interested in helping clients with persistent problems not fully addressed by traditional therapies.
  • His approach revolutionized therapy for those with personality disorders, chronic depression, and long-standing relationship patterns, opening new avenues for psychological healing through an emphasis on self-discipline, daily practice, and compassion.
  • Young’s books, including Schema Therapy and Reinventing Your Life, have become primary resources for both professionals and the general public, making the process of facing and changing fundamental life patterns widely accessible.

This quote embodies the core message and method of schema therapy: change is possible, but only through purposeful, disciplined, and sustained action.

read more
Term: Early Maladaptive Schemas

Term: Early Maladaptive Schemas

Early maladaptive schemas are deeply ingrained patterns of thinking and feeling about oneself and one’s relationships, originating in childhood or adolescence and persisting into adulthood in dysfunctional way. The concept is foundational to Schema Therapy, introduced and developed by psychologist Jeffrey Young in the 1990s. Young and colleagues defined these schemas as “broad, pervasive themes regarding oneself and one’s relationship with others, developed during childhood and elaborated throughout one’s lifetime, and dysfunctional to a significant degree.”

Backstory and Major Analysts

  • Jeffrey Young is the primary analyst who identified and categorized early maladaptive schemas, integrating elements from cognitive-behavioral, attachment, psychodynamic, and gestalt models into Schema Therapy.
  • Subsequent researchers and clinicians (e.g., Mason, Platts & Tyson) have expanded on Young’s work, exploring how negative relational experiences and early childhood traumas contribute to the development of specific schemas.
  • Schema Theory now occupies a central role in understanding how adverse childhood experiences—such as abandonment, criticism, abuse, or neglect—lead to persistent, self-defeating beliefs and emotional patterns.

How This Plays Out in Life

The effects of early maladaptive schemas permeate multiple domains:

Life and Choice

  • Individuals may repeatedly make decisions based on underlying beliefs like “I am unworthy” or “others will always leave me,” which can unconsciously guide life choices towards confirming these beliefs.
  • For example, someone with an abandonment schema may avoid close relationships or, conversely, cling to unsafe partners, fearing inevitable loss.

Relationships

  • Schemas such as mistrust/abuse, defectiveness/shame, or emotional deprivation often lead people to expect disappointment or mistreatment from others, causing patterns of withdrawal, conflict, or unhealthy attachment.
  • These beliefs can trigger maladaptive interpersonal styles, influencing the ability to form healthy bonds or communicate effectively.

Careers and Work

  • Unrelenting standards and self-sacrifice schemas may drive individuals to perfectionism or chronic overwork, while also undermining self-esteem and satisfaction.
  • Early maladaptive schemas are linked to workplace anxiety, depressive symptoms, and a reduced sense of self-efficacy, which may hinder performance and well-being.

Illustration with Examples

A psychology student who experienced critical parenting may develop an unrelenting standards schema, perpetually pushing themselves out of fear they will never measure up. In relationships, a history of emotional neglect may result in a social isolation schema, prompting avoidance of social connection and reinforcing loneliness.

Schema Therapy aims to identify these schemas and shift the underlying patterns, promoting healthier ways of thinking and relating to oneself and others.

In summary: Early maladaptive schemas are enduring, self-defeating patterns shaped by early adversity, described and categorized by Jeffrey Young and other schema therapy analysts. They have far-reaching effects on personal choices, relationships, careers, and psychological health, underpinning many persistent emotional and behavioral problems throughout life

read more
Quote: Peter Senge – The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization

Quote: Peter Senge – The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization

“Today’s problems come from yesterday’s ‘solutions.’” – Peter Senge – The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization

Senge’s law encapsulates a key insight from systems thinking: the unintended consequences of solutions, especially those that address only symptoms rather than root causes, can generate even greater problems over time.

Senge illustrates this principle with vivid examples and analogies. For instance, he recounts the story of a canoer trapped in a swirling backwash at the foot of a dam: the canoer’s instinctive but misguided efforts to fight the current only make matters worse. The only path to safety is a counterintuitive one—diving down, rather than struggling at the surface. This metaphor captures how intuitive, short-term problem-solving often intensifies the underlying, systemic issues.

The broader point Senge makes is that organizations (and people) often rely on quick fixes—what he calls “symptomatic solutions”—that deliver temporary relief but fail to address the deeper forces shaping outcomes. For example, a business struggling with declining sales might launch aggressive discounting or cut costs. While these measures may provide a short-term boost, they can erode brand value or employee morale, creating new problems down the line. Over time, organizations find themselves trapped in cycles where yesterday’s fixes become the root of today’s difficulties.

Senge’s insight is that “structures of which we are unaware hold us prisoner.” Without a systems perspective, leaders and teams repeatedly apply solutions that only reinforce problematic patterns, trapping organizations in cycles of recurring crises. Only by looking for underlying structures—feedback loops, delayed effects, and hidden interconnections—can organizations find lasting, transformative solutions.

Backstory on Peter Senge

Peter Senge is an American systems scientist, organizational theorist, and Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management. He is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in organizational learning and systems thinking.

Senge’s reputation is founded on his landmark book, The Fifth Discipline (1990), where he introduced the concept of the “learning organization”—an entity capable not only of adapting to change but of continually transforming itself by learning at every level. He identifies five “disciplines” necessary for creating such organizations:

  • Personal Mastery: Commitment to individual learning and self-development.
  • Mental Models: Surfacing and challenging ingrained assumptions and beliefs.
  • Building Shared Vision: Creating collective commitment to a desired future.
  • Team Learning: Developing group capabilities for dialogue and collaborative problem-solving.
  • Systems Thinking: Understanding patterns, feedback loops, and the interconnectedness of organizational life.

Senge’s work synthesized insights from cybernetics, organizational development, and psychological research into a coherent framework for navigating complexity and change. His influence extends globally, shaping how leaders, organizations, and even educational institutions approach learning, adaptation, and long-term change.

Through his writing, teaching, and consulting, Senge has helped countless organizations recognize the pitfalls of linear thinking and reactive solutions, and guided them toward more holistic, systemic approaches to problem-solving and innovation.

read more
Term: Downward spiral

Term: Downward spiral

The “Downward Spiral” conveys the self-reinforcing nature of decline, where negative outcomes trigger further negative effects, creating a vicious cycle that accelerates organizational or business deterioration.

Description in Strategy Context:

A downward spiral (or death spiral) is a self-perpetuating cycle in which a series of negative events and poor decisions reinforce each other, leading a business or organization into deeper trouble with each iteration. Here’s how it typically unfolds:

  • Initial setback: An organization experiences a blow—such as declining sales, rising costs, or the loss of key talent.
  • Reactive cuts: In response, leadership may cut costs, reduce investment, or scale back innovation, hoping to stabilize the business.
  • Worsening performance: These moves often reduce morale, product quality, or customer satisfaction, causing results to worsen even further.
  • Accelerated decline: Negative outcomes compound: as performance drops, more resources are withdrawn, leading to further decline in capability and competitiveness.
  • Vicious feedback loop: Each round of negative results triggers even more severe responses, until the business can no longer recover—a classic vicious cycle.

The death spiral is not only a business phenomenon; it also appears in organizational health, team dynamics, and even sectors facing structural disruption. Examples include companies that fail to adapt to market changes, cut back on innovation, or repeatedly lose top talent—each bad outcome sets up the next.

Systems thinking frames this as a “cycle of disinvestment or deterioration,” where short-term fixes and narrow thinking deplete the core strengths of the organization, making it ever harder to recover.

Related Strategic Thinker: Peter Senge

Senge, through his influential book The Fifth Discipline, pioneered the use of systems thinking in organizations, identifying and describing “reinforcing feedback loops”—the underlying structure of both virtuous and vicious (downward) cycles. He showed how, left unchecked, these loops could create powerful forces driving either sustained growth or relentless decline.

read more
Quote: Jim Collins – Turning the Flywheel: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great

Quote: Jim Collins – Turning the Flywheel: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great

“Each turn builds upon previous work as you make a series of good decisions, supremely well executed, that compound one upon another. This is how you build greatness.” – Jim Collins – Turning the Flywheel: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great

The flywheel effect is central to Jim Collins’ research into organizational excellence, first articulated in his book Good to Great. Collins uses the metaphor of a massive, heavy flywheel that requires enormous effort to start turning, but with consistent, patient pushes in the same direction, it incrementally gains speed and momentum. Eventually, the flywheel’s own weight works for you—it spins faster with each push, each rotation building on the last. At a certain point, momentum takes over, and what was once slow-going becomes a force of near-uncontrollable acceleration.

“Each turn of the flywheel builds upon work done earlier, compounding your investment of effort.”

The logic of momentum underpins Collins’ flywheel: each action drives the next in a reinforcing loop, creating an inevitable-seeming sequence of growth and progress. The flywheel is not a single dramatic breakthrough or magic moment, but the result of persistent, disciplined effort and focus. In company transformations Collins studied, there was never a single defining action, no grand program, no solitary lucky break. Instead, it was turning the flywheel—consistent efforts, smart decisions, and well-executed plans compounding over time—that led to greatness.

This principle is nearly synonymous with what strategists call a virtuous circle (or cycle): a self-reinforcing loop where positive effects breed more positive effects, creating sustainable competitive advantages. In Collins’ version, the flywheel’s logic is customized for each organization; the key is to rigorously define what specific actions drive momentum in your context. Amazon’s flywheel, for instance, links lower prices to increased customer visits, which lead to more sellers, greater selection, and further efficiency gains.

Other Strategy Thinkers on Virtuous Cycles

The flywheel/virtuous cycle concept, while popularized by Collins, has echoes in earlier and parallel strategic thinking:

  • W. Edwards Deming described improvement “cycles” (Plan-Do-Check-Act) for quality and productivity—a precursor to the idea of reinforcing loops.
  • Peter Senge’s Fifth Discipline (1990) explores “reinforcing feedback loops” in systems thinking, where actions create conditions that reinforce even more powerful actions.
  • Clayton Christensen discussed “resource allocation processes” and how success can generate more resources for innovation and reinvestment, fueling further competitive advantage.
  • Michael Porter’s value chain analysis similarly identifies how interlinking activities can reinforce and sustain competitive advantage.
  • Chris Zook describes how companies that focus on their core, and then repeat and scale what works, create feedback loops where each cycle of success builds and strengthens the business, making future growth even easier and more likely.

Despite these similarities, Jim Collins is most directly associated with the flywheel metaphor and its systematic application to corporate strategy and transformation.

The Backstory of Jim Collins

Jim Collins is an American researcher, author, consultant, and lecturer focused on business management and company sustainability and growth. Born in 1958, Collins began his career as a faculty member at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he received the Distinguished Teaching Award. He later established a management laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, to conduct research into what makes companies thrive over the long term.

Collins is best known for his books:

  • Built to Last (with Jerry I. Porras), which explores what makes visionary companies endure
  • Good to Great, his most influential work, where he identifies the characteristics and behavioral patterns that distinguish truly great companies from merely good ones.
  • Turning the Flywheel, a monograph expanding on the flywheel concept.

His research is marked by rigorous empirical study. Collins and his teams comb through vast amounts of data, conducting years-long studies that compare companies that outperform their peers. His approach is analytical and data-driven, using matched-pair comparisons and case studies to extract patterns and frameworks.

Collins’ impact on the field of strategy and management is significant. His concepts—the flywheel effect, the hedgehog concept, Level 5 leadership—have become part of the modern management lexicon. His frameworks are valued for their clarity, broad applicability, and deep empirical grounding, making him one of the most respected thought leaders in business strategy and organizational development today.

read more
Term: Virtuous cycle

Term: Virtuous cycle

A virtuous cycle is a self-reinforcing loop in which a series of positive actions and outcomes continually strengthen each other, leading to sustained growth and improvement over time. In business, this means one beneficial event—such as improved performance or cost savings—leads to additional positive effects, such as increased customer acquisition or higher profits. The momentum generated by these reinforcing outcomes creates an upward spiral where each gain fuels the next, resulting in exponential growth and long-term success.

A classic example is Amazon’s business model: lower operating costs enable reduced prices, which attract more customers. Increased sales generate higher profits, which can then be reinvested in further efficiencies—perpetuating the cycle. Similarly, when a company reinvests profits from top-line growth into innovation or market expansion, it triggers a renewed cycle of revenue increases and competitive advantage.

Key characteristics of a virtuous cycle:

  • Positive feedback loop where each success amplifies future successes
  • Sustainable and exponential business growth
  • Contrasts with a “vicious cycle”, where negative outcomes reinforce decline

The best-related strategy theorist for the virtuous cycle is Jim Collins. His influential work, particularly in the book Good to Great, describes how companies create “flywheels”—a metaphor for virtuous cycles—where small, consistent efforts build momentum and translate into extraordinary, sustained results. Collins’ articulation of the flywheel effect precisely captures the mechanics of building and maintaining a virtuous cycle within organizations.

read more
Quote: Yann LeCun – Chief AI Scientist at Meta

Quote: Yann LeCun – Chief AI Scientist at Meta

“Before we reach human-level AI, we will have to reach cat-level AI and dog-level AI.” – Yann LeCun – Chief AI Scientist at Meta

Yann LeCun, a pioneering figure in artificial intelligence, is globally recognized for his foundational contributions to deep learning and neural networks. As the Chief AI Scientist at Meta (formerly Facebook) and a Silver Professor at New York University’s Courant Institute, LeCun has been instrumental in advancing technologies that underlie today’s AI systems, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs), which are now fundamental to image and pattern recognition in both industry and research.

LeCun’s journey in AI began in the late 1980s, when much of the scientific community considered neural networks to be a dead end. Undeterred, LeCun, alongside peers such as Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio, continued to develop these models, ultimately proving their immense value. His early successes included developing neural networks capable of recognizing handwritten characters—a technology that became widely used by banks for automated check reading by the late 1990s.This unwavering commitment to neural networks earned LeCun, Hinton, and Bengio the 2018 Turing Award, often dubbed the “Nobel Prize of Computing,” and solidified their standing as the “Godfathers of AI”.

The quote, “Before we reach human-level AI, we will have to reach cat-level AI and dog-level AI,” encapsulates LeCun’s pragmatic approach to artificial intelligence. He emphasizes that replicating the full suite of human cognitive abilities is a long-term goal—one that cannot be achieved without first creating machines that can perceive, interpret, and interact with the world with the flexibility, intuition, and sensory-motor integration seen in animals like cats and dogs. Unlike current AI, which excels in narrow, well-defined tasks, a cat or a dog can navigate complex, uncertain environments, learn from limited experience, and adapt fluidly—capabilities that still elude artificial agents. LeCun’s perspective highlights the importance of incremental progress in AI: only by mastering the subtleties of animal intelligence can we aspire to build machines that match or surpass human cognition.

LeCun’s work continues to shape how researchers and industry leaders think about the future of AI—not as an overnight leap to artificial general intelligence, but as a gradual journey through, and beyond, the marvels of natural intelligence found throughout the animal kingdom.

read more
Term: AI Inference

Term: AI Inference

AI inference refers to the process in which a trained artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning model analyzes new, unseen data to make predictions or decisions. After a model undergoes training—learning patterns, relationships, or rules from labeled datasets—it enters the inference phase, where it applies that learned knowledge to real-world situations or fresh inputs.

This process typically involves the following steps:

  • Training phase: The model is exposed to large, labeled datasets (for example, images with known categories), learning to recognize key patterns and features.
  • Inference phase: The trained model receives new data (such as an unlabeled image) and applies its knowledge to generate a prediction or decision (like identifying objects within the image).

AI inference is fundamental because it operationalizes AI, enabling it to be embedded into real-time applications such as voice assistants, autonomous vehicles, medical diagnosis tools, and fraud detection systems. Unlike the resource-intensive training phase, inference is generally optimized for speed and efficiency—especially important for tasks on edge devices or in situations requiring immediate results.

As generative and agent-based AI applications mature, the demand for faster and more scalable inference is rapidly increasing, driving innovation in both software and hardware to support these real-time or high-volume use cases.

A major shift in AI inference is occurring as new elements—such as test time compute (TTC), chain-of-thought reasoning, and adaptive inference—reshape how and where computational resources are allocated in AI systems.

Expanded Elements in AI Inference

  • Test-Time Compute (TTC): This refers to the computational effort expended during inference rather than during initial model training. Traditionally, inference consisted of a single, fast forward pass through the model, regardless of the complexity of the question. Recent advances, particularly in generative AI and large language models, involve dynamically increasing compute at inference time for more challenging problems. This allows the model to “think harder” by performing additional passes, iterative refinement, or evaluating multiple candidate responses before selecting the best answer

  • Chain-of-Thought Reasoning: Modern inference can include step-by-step reasoning, where models break complex problems into sub-tasks and generate intermediate steps before arriving at a final answer. This process may require significantly more computation during inference, as the model deliberates and evaluates alternative solutions—mimicking human-like problem solving rather than instant pattern recognition.

  • Adaptive Compute Allocation: With TTC, AI systems can allocate more resources dynamically based on the difficulty or novelty of the input. Simple questions might still get an immediate, low-latency response, while complex or ambiguous tasks prompt the model to use additional compute cycles for deeper reasoning and improved accuracy.

Impact: Shift in Compute from Training to Inference

  • From Heavy Training to Intelligent Inference: The traditional paradigm put most of the computational burden and cost on the training phase, after which inference was light and static. With TTC and chain-of-thought reasoning, more computation shifts into the inference phase. This makes inference more powerful and flexible, allowing for real-time adaptation and better performance on complex, real-world tasks without the need for ever-larger model sizes.

  • Strategic and Operational Implications: This shift enables organizations to optimize resources by focusing on smarter, context-aware inference rather than continually scaling up training infrastructure. It also allows for more responsive AI systems that can improve decision-making and user experiences in dynamic environments.

  • Industry Adoption: Modern models from leading labs (such as OpenAI and Google’s Gemini) now support iterative, compute-intensified inference modes, yielding substantial gains on benchmarks and real-world applications, especially where deep reasoning or nuanced analysis is required.

These advancements in test time compute and reasoned inference mark a pivotal transformation in AI, moving from static, single-pass prediction to dynamic, adaptive, and resource-efficient problem-solving at the moment of inference.

Related strategy theorist: Yann LeCun

Yann LeCun is widely recognized as a pioneering theorist in neural networks and deep learning—the foundational technologies underlying modern AI inference. His contributions to convolutional neural networks and strategies for scalable, robust AI learning have shaped the current landscape of AI deployment and inference capabilities.

“AI inference is the core mechanism by which machine learning models transform training into actionable intelligence, supporting everything from real-time analysis to agent-based automation.”

Yann LeCun is a French-American computer scientist and a foundational figure in artificial intelligence, especially in the areas of deep learning, computer vision, and neural networks. Born on July 8, 1960, in Soisy-sous-Montmorency, France, he received his Diplôme d’Ingénieur from ESIEE Paris in 1983 and earned his PhD in Computer Science from Sorbonne University (then Université Pierre et Marie Curie) in 1987. His doctoral research introduced early methods for back-propagation in neural networks, foreshadowing the architectures that would later revolutionize AI.

LeCun began his research career at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in France, focusing on computer vision and image recognition. His expertise led him to postdoctoral work at the University of Toronto, where he collaborated with other leading minds in neural networks. In 1988, he joined AT&T Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, eventually becoming head of the Image Processing Research Department. There, LeCun led the development of convolutional neural networks (CNNs), which became the backbone for modern image and speech recognition systems. His technology for handwriting and character recognition was widely adopted in banking, reading a significant share of checks in the U.S. in the early 2000s.

LeCun also contributed to the creation of DjVu, a high-efficiency image compression technology, and the Lush programming language. In 2003, he became a professor at New York University (NYU), where he founded the NYU Center for Data Science, advancing interdisciplinary AI research.

In 2013, LeCun became Director of AI Research at Facebook (now Meta), where he leads the Facebook AI Research (FAIR) division, focusing on both theoretical and applied AI at scale. His leadership at Meta has pushed forward advancements in self-supervised learning, agent-based systems, and the practical deployment of deep learning technologies.

LeCun, along with Yoshua Bengio and Geoffrey Hinton, received the 2018 Turing Award—the highest honor in computer science—for his pioneering work in deep learning. The trio is often referred to as the “Godfathers of AI” for their collective influence on the field.

 

Yann LeCun’s Thinking and Approach

LeCun’s intellectual focus is on building intelligent systems that can learn from data efficiently and with minimal human supervision. He strongly advocates for self-supervised and unsupervised learning as the future of AI, arguing that these approaches best mimic how humans and animals learn. He believes that for AI to reach higher forms of reasoning and perception, systems must be able to learn from raw, unlabeled data and develop internal models of the world.

LeCun is also known for his practical orientation—developing architectures (like CNNs) that move beyond theory to solve real-world problems efficiently. His thinking consistently emphasizes the importance of scaling AI not just through bigger models, but through more robust, data-efficient, and energy-efficient algorithms.

He has expressed skepticism about narrow, brittle AI systems that rely heavily on supervised learning and excessive human labeling. Instead, he envisions a future where AI agents can learn, reason, and plan with broader autonomy, similar to biological intelligence. This vision guides his research and strategic leadership in both academia and industry.

LeCun remains a prolific scientist, educator, and spokesperson for responsible and open AI research, championing collaboration and the broad dissemination of AI knowledge.

read more
Quote: Andrew Ng – AI Guru

Quote: Andrew Ng – AI Guru

“For the majority of businesses, focus on building applications using agentic workflows rather than solely scaling traditional AI. That’s where the greatest opportunity lies.” – Andrew Ng – AI Guru

Andrew Ng is widely recognized as a pioneering figure in artificial intelligence, renowned for his roles as co-founder of Google Brain, former chief scientist at Baidu, and founder of DeepLearning.AI and Landing AI. His work has shaped the trajectory of modern AI, influencing its academic, industrial, and entrepreneurial development on a global scale.

The quote “For the majority of businesses, focus on building applications using agentic workflows rather than solely scaling traditional AI. That’s where the greatest opportunity lies.” captures a key transformation underway in how organizations approach AI adoption. Ng delivered this insight during a Luminary Talk at the Snowflake Summit in June 2024, in a discussion centered on the rise of agentic workflows within AI applications.

Historically, businesses have harnessed AI by leveraging static, rule-based automation or applying large language models to single-step tasks—prompting a system to generate a document or answer a question in one go. Ng argues this paradigm is now giving way to a new era driven by AI agents capable of multi-step reasoning, planning, tool use, and collaboration—what he terms “agentic workflows”.

Agentic workflows differ from traditional approaches by allowing autonomous AI agents to adapt, break down complex projects, and iterate in real time, much as a human team might tackle a multifaceted problem. For example, instead of a single prompt generating a sales report, an AI agent in an agentic workflow could gather the relevant data, perform analysis, adjust its approach based on interim findings, and refine the output after successive rounds of review and self-critique. Ng has highlighted design patterns such as reflection, planning, multi-agent collaboration, and dynamic tool use as central to these workflows.

Ng’s perspective is that businesses stand to gain the most not merely from increasing the size or data intake of AI models, but from designing systems where AI agents can independently coordinate and accomplish sophisticated goals. He likens this shift to the leap from single-threaded to multi-threaded computing, opening up exponential gains in capability and value creation.

For business leaders, Andrew Ng’s vision offers a roadmap: the frontier of competitive advantage lies in reimagining how AI-powered agents are integrated into business processes, unlocking new possibilities for efficiency, innovation, and scalability that go beyond what traditional, “one-shot” AI can deliver.

Ng continues to lead at the intersection of AI innovation and practical business strategy, championing agentic AI as the next great leap for organizations seeking to realize the full promise of artificial intelligence.

read more
Term: AI Agents

Term: AI Agents

AI Agents are autonomous software systems that interact with their environment, perceive data, and independently make decisions and take actions to achieve specific, user-defined goals. Unlike traditional software, which follows static, explicit instructions, AI agents are guided by objective functions and have the ability to reason, learn, plan, adapt, and optimize responses based on real-time feedback and changing circumstances.

Key characteristics of AI agents include:

  • Autonomy: They can initiate and execute actions without constant human direction, adapting as new data or situations arise.
  • Rational decision-making: AI agents use data and perceptions of their environment to select actions that maximize predefined goals or rewards (their “objective function”), much like rational agents in economics.
  • Learning and Adaptation: Through techniques like machine learning, agents improve their performance over time by learning from experience.
  • Multimodal abilities: Advanced agents process various types of input/output—text, audio, video, code, and more—and often collaborate with humans or other agents to complete complex workflows or transactions.
  • Versatility: They range from simple (like thermostats) to highly complex systems (like conversational AI assistants or autonomous vehicles).

Examples include virtual assistants that manage calendars or customer support, code-review bots in software development, self-driving cars navigating traffic, and collaborative agents that orchestrate business processes.

Related Strategy Theorist – Stuart Russell

As a renowned AI researcher and co-author of the seminal textbook “Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach,” Russell has shaped foundational thinking on agent-based systems and rational decision-making. He has also been at the forefront of advocating for the alignment of agent objectives with human values, providing strategic frameworks for deploying autonomous agents safely and effectively across industries.

read more
Quote: Ilya Sutskever – Safe Superintelligence

Quote: Ilya Sutskever – Safe Superintelligence

“AI will do all the things that we can do. Not just some of them, but all of them. The big question is what happens then: Those are dramatic questions… the rate of progress will become really extremely fast for some time at least, resulting in unimaginable things. And in some sense, whether you like it or not, your life is going to be affected by AI to a great extent.” –  Ilya Sutskever – Safe Superintelligence

Ilya Sutskever stands among the most influential figures shaping the modern landscape of artificial intelligence. Born in Russia and raised in Israel and Canada, Sutskever’s early fascination with mathematics and computer programming led him to the University of Toronto, where he studied under the legendary Geoffrey Hinton. His doctoral work broke new ground in deep learning, particularly in developing recurrent neural networks and sequence modeling—technologies that underpin much of today’s AI-driven language and translation systems.

Sutskever’s career is marked by a series of transformative achievements. He co-invented AlexNet, a neural network that revolutionized computer vision and triggered the deep learning renaissance. At Google Brain, he advanced sequence-to-sequence models, laying the foundation for breakthroughs in machine translation. As a co-founder and chief scientist at OpenAI, Sutskever played a pivotal role in developing the GPT series of language models, which have redefined what machines can achieve in natural language understanding and generation.

Beyond his technical contributions, Sutskever is recognized for his thought leadership on the societal implications of AI. He has consistently emphasized the unpredictable nature of advanced AI systems, particularly as they acquire reasoning capabilities that may outstrip human understanding. His recent work focuses on AI safety and alignment, co-founding Safe Superintelligence Inc. to ensure that future superintelligent systems act in ways beneficial to humanity.

The quote featured today encapsulates Sutskever’s vision: a world where AI’s capabilities will extend to all domains of human endeavor, bringing about rapid and profound change. For business leaders and strategists, his words are both a warning and a call to action—highlighting the necessity of anticipating technological disruption and embracing innovation at a pace that matches AI’s accelerating trajectory.

read more

Download brochure

Introduction brochure

What we do, case studies and profiles of some of our amazing team.

Download

Our latest podcasts on Spotify

Sign up for our newsletters - free

Global Advisors | Quantified Strategy Consulting