Healthy Disagreement vs. Criticism

Giving and receiving honest, critical feedback is a skill that we all have to hone. It’s essential to provide the best results. This spring I sent a note to NYU IT leaders titled “Healthy Disagreement vs. Criticism.” I thought it might be helpful to share it with all of you. Healthy Disagreement vs. Criticism We’ve […]

Summer Wellness and Juneteenth

Summer is the season for rest and vacations, but for many of us, summer is our busiest time of year. A smaller population on campus means we spend June and July undertaking major projects that are difficult to complete when the residence halls and classrooms are at capacity. This summer, that includes upgrading the Wi-Fi […]

Good to Great, Part 4

Even though Good to Great is over 20 years old and many of the companies profiled have fallen from greatness, I hope that you have caught some of my enthusiasm for the concepts. I think the major challenge that we face in applying these concepts is that they were written from the perspective of a […]

NYU Pride Month and Thoughts on AI

The academic year is over, and it’s now June, which is NYU’s Annual Pride Month. There are a number of talks and other interesting events that you can attend, both in person and remotely, including NYU Campus Services’ 5th Annual Pride Celebration, which focuses this year on the history of Christopher Street. We have accomplished […]

Good to Great, Part 3

A Culture of Discipline I touched on this in part 1 but I think it is so important that I want to discuss it in more depth. In Good to Great, author Jim Collins explores the concept of disciplined thought and action. He believes that great companies have a culture of discipline that is embedded […]

In Celebration of Commencement Day

Since the dawn of history, we have taken the time to mark milestones and accomplishments. This gives us the opportunity to pause and savor our accomplishments. They also give us a reason to celebrate—and who’s against a celebration?  Yesterday at Yankee Stadium, the class of 2023 marked the end of their academic journey. It was […]

Good to Great, Part 2

First Who, Then What The chapter “First Who, Then What” from Good to Great focuses on the importance of hiring the right people before developing a business strategy. Jim Collins, the author, argues that companies that prioritize hiring the right people, and then focus on getting them into the right roles, are more likely to […]

Sense of Awe

I was listening to a podcast that said that a sense of awe was an important ingredient in being happy. The happiest people periodically paused to marvel at something much bigger than themselves. Many get a sense of awe from nature, some from their spiritual beliefs, some from the accomplishments of others. There are many […]

Good to Great, Part 1

Good to Great by Jim Collins is another book that has influenced my approach to leadership. It explores why some companies are able to achieve sustained greatness over time while others fail to do so. The research led to the identification of a set of characteristics and behaviors that distinguish great companies from their good […]

A Challenge to all of IT: Digital Storage Spring Cleaning

I want to personally thank and congratulate those of you who are participating in our Digital Storage Spring Cleaning Challenge—now through Friday, April 21. The Challenge, part of the 2040 Now Climate Pledge, is an important step in reducing climate emissions by promoting practices that will make the technology we use, and how we use […]