Peter Jackson’s new documentary Get Back, which is now available to stream on Disney+, chronicles the Beatles through never-before-seen footage during the band’s waning days as they struggle to write, produce, and perform a new album across just a few short weeks. The three-part series is a brilliant case study of professional relationships and shines a light on the (dysfunctional) inner workings of the greatest selling rock band of all time as its members reach the ends of their collaborative ropes.

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On social media last week, a disappointed guest visiting Disney World shared a photo of steel-clad walls that now comprise the new Ratatouille ride in Epcot’s France World Showcase pavilion. A photo of steel-clad walls should be otherwise unceremonious; however, the photo showed the backside of the ride. In other words, the guest was able to clearly photograph the “backstage” area of the renowned theme park, something Disney has always been masterful at covering up.

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Let’s get this out of the way – I watched Deadpool for the first time last week. Yes, it was released to massive acclaim a few years ago; yes, I realize that most of the world has watched not only the original film, but also the sequel, not to mention the PG-13 re-release… I’m late to the party, I get it, but big budget superhero movies aren’t always my thing. (Deadpool was hilarious, Black Panther was exceptional, the Avengers storyline makes no logical sense, Superman will always beat a rich guy with toys, and Michael Keaton is still the best Batman.)

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There is a pervasive “common cold” affecting the world of work: the ruthless pursuit of numbers and productivity above all else. The only thing capable of deconstructing the inhumanity present in today’s professional world is humanity. And what uniquely defines us as human beings? Our ability to think, talk, and create.

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My best friend got married over the weekend and, in keeping with the superlatives, I had the honor of serving as his best man. Though the particulars of the best man role may vary from wedding to wedding, one constant is typically the toast or speech made during the reception.

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As the news from Kabul flooded onto our phones at breakneck speed, a veteran – with two Afghanistan deployments under her belt – reflected on the experience. At one point in her article, she highlighted the complexity of strategic decision-making in a country where the options were often A) worse B) more worse or C) most worse.

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Even the most casual of Olympic enthusiasts are by now aware of the saga surrounding Simone Biles, the GOAT of modern gymnastics who temporarily stepped away from competition in Tokyo due to a case of what she termed the “twisties” - a dangerous lack of spatial awareness when soaring through the air.

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The wildly successful week of shark overload is back on the Discovery Channel. And to watch a great white shark nicknamed Fred attack a smaller shark decoy off the coast of New Zealand was a sight to behold. Fred, a massive creature measuring 21 feet, is known amongst local fisherman as a particularly rude fellow with strong territorial behavior.

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A good friend and former colleague introduced me to the television experience that is Below Deck, a hit reality series on Bravo that follows the (often dramatic) happenings amongst service crew aboard a private charter yacht. Wealthy guests, beautiful surroundings, young and free-spirited crew members… you get the drift.

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Not many MBA programs reference Aristotle in their course reading material, but it may be time to reconsider. The renowned Greek philosopher put forth a concept over two thousand years ago that is remarkably relevant for professional life in the 21st century. It’s called telos and, while ancient, the concept has the potential to revolutionize how we approach our work.

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About five years ago, researchers at the University of Southern California crisscrossed the globe to ask business leaders what attributes aspiring executives must have to be successful in today’s digital, globalized economy. They identified five essential characteristics: adaptability, cultural competence, intellectual curiosity, empathy, and 360-degree thinking.

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For several years now, I’ve staunchly advocated for business schools to offer humanities classes to their MBA students. The reasoning is simple: the humanities are broadly characterized as the study of human experience and culture. Effectively, they serve as case studies, much like the cases I pored over when interviewing to become a management consultant.

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A few years ago, I sat in a meeting with the senior leadership team of a financial services organization. They were making a substantive creative decision about the firm’s new marketing campaign, which had the potential to drastically reshape public perception of the organization if done well.

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I first met Ryan Stelzer over Zoom- he was giving a workshop on how the apply the humanities lens to the business world. His perspective struck me because he possessed a clear passion and understanding of humanities studies.

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Several years ago – during the good old days before Covid – I was speaking with an HR executive at a large insurance company. She was about to meet with the CEO to propose a revolutionary change for employee schedules.

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It was exhilarating to read of Bill Miller's generosity, a former philosophy doctoral student at Johns Hopkins turned Wall Street legend. In January of 2018, the philosophy department of Mr. Miller’s alma mater formally announced his $75 million gift, “the largest by far to a philosophy department anywhere in the world.”

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Much has been made in recent years about the powerful force of habit. As these theories often go, if you’re able to master a certain set of behaviors and turn those behaviors into sustainable, repeatable action, then you’ll be in a better position to run that race, or play that instrument, or enjoy the experience of crawling into the taut sheets of a freshly – and routinely – made bed.

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McKinsey’s leadership is suffering from self-delusion, or so stated last month’s Schumpeter column – a regular feature of The Economist covering business, finance, and management. The firm’s partners are “in a clueless mess” wrote the authors, and to make matters worse, “they don’t get that they don’t get it.”

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