Peruze

Seventy-nine percent of smartphone owners check their device within fifteen minutes of waking up. Industry insiders believe we check our phones up to 150 times a day. If you’ve ever found yourself mindlessly opening an app or scrolling through a feed without a conscious decision to do so, you’re not alone. This isn't a personal failure; it's the result of intentional, sophisticated design.

Many organizations, from global corporations to local schools, are good. They function, they serve their purpose, and they achieve respectable results. But very few ever become truly great. Why is that? A key reason is that it's just so easy to settle for a good life, a good school, or a good company. The leap from good to great is a massive undertaking, and the path is not always obvious.

When you picture military leadership, you might imagine a rigid, top-down system of barking orders and blind obedience. The common perception is of a commander on high, dictating every move to subordinates who simply follow without question. But in the crucible of modern combat, where adaptability and initiative are paramount, the most effective leadership principles are often surprisingly counter-intuitive and deeply human.

You start a conversation with your spouse about a minor issue, and within minutes, you’re in a tense, emotional standoff, wondering what just happened. You try to discuss a project with your boss, but the moment you disagree, the air gets thick and the discussion grinds to a halt. You mention to a neighbor that their new fence is three inches over the property line, and suddenly you’re in a heated argument. We’ve all been there—in a day-to-day interaction that suddenly becomes tense, emotional, and profoundly unproductive.

Have you ever found yourself saying, “I’m just not the creative type”? It’s a common feeling. Many of us believe creativity is a rare gift, reserved for artists, designers, and a select few geniuses. We see ourselves as analytical or practical, leaving the imaginative work to the "creatives" in the room.