Below is a collection of Dr. McGlaughlin’s most recent observations (500+). Most of these observations are made throughout the course of everyday life, captured by dictation, and added to FlintsNotes.com. You can read more about the observation capture process here. The content here changes 5 days a week, so be sure to check back often. Also, feel free to leave a comment in the comments section of each observation.

June 20, 2017

On Leadership and Assessing Risk in New Hires

When the leader places someone in a strategic position, the first question they should ask is not the standard question: is this the right hire? But […]
June 20, 2017

On Love and the Three-Word Promise that Preserves Relationships

The three-word promise, “I love you” can start a relationship, but only the three-word promise, “in spite of” preserves a relationship. Transcendent love moves from proclamation, […]
June 9, 2017

On Leadership and the Essential Elements of a Good Strategy

The artful leader develops strategy with four key insights in mind: 1. A good strategy mitigates its downside. Great leaders don’t take enormous risks unless they […]
June 7, 2017

On The Illusion of Optionality

The artful leader does not mistakenly equate the number of options with freedom. The inverse is true; the number of options can produce restrictions on freedom. […]
June 1, 2017

On Leadership and the Viscosity of Candor

As a leader, I am fascinated by the notion of viscosity. We create giant machines built of strong materials (steel, titanium), and yet, these machines for […]
May 26, 2017

On the Beauty and the Horror of Life

Those who try to fathom life cannot truly understand until they have joined those who sing the song of grief. It is a chorus that all […]
May 25, 2017

On the Difference between being “Male” and “Man”

Never confuse being male with being a man. The former is a biological definition; the latter is a spiritual definition. The defining characteristic of a man […]