Lessons in Negotiation: What Tariff Wars Teach Us About Strategy
The current tariff war news immediately made me think of Clashing Over Commerce, a book that brilliantly maps out the long history of U.S. trade policies and their impact, I read during my Econ101 days. One recurring theme in trade wars—and negotiations in general—is the concept of self-induced pain as leverage, especially when dealing with allies. It’s counterintuitive but...
The Productivity Crisis: Why Emotional Adaptability Beats Long Hours
Extended Work Hours Debate From Investment Banking to Tech, Mental Burnout is Costing Billions In today’s fast-paced corporate world, the glorification of long hours has become a badge of honor for many industries, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley. But while executives continue to push for extended workweeks, evidence overwhelmingly shows that excessive hours come at a significant cost—not only...
The Genius of Mistakes: How Evolution’s Copy-Paste Errors Built Humanity and Why Trial and Error is Our Greatest Strength
Somewhere in the vast, unfolding story of life, a small mistake rewrote the script. A microscopic copy error in DNA—a misplaced letter in the genetic code—gave rise to something new. Over time, these accidental typos created stronger limbs, sharper minds, and, eventually, humans who could think, build, and dream. Nature doesn’t fear mistakes. It depends on them. From the tiniest mutation...
Trump vs. Zelensky: How the HAPI Framework Exposes the West’s Geopolitical Meltdown
We recently released the Human Adaptability and Potential Index (HAPI) framework to measure adaptability and potential as key indicators for building a resilient workforce. As a fun exercise, I applied the HAPI framework to analyze the diplomatic engagement between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The outcome is a fascinating assessment of leadership adaptability in a high-stakes...
Masterclass in Negotiation: The High-Stakes Playbook from the Oval Office
Before we dive into analyzing the tense Oval Office exchange between President Trump and President Zelensky, let’s be clear about the approach: 👉 We are not here to judge whether this was a disaster, a success, a miscalculation, or a power play. Instead, we assume—as is always the case in high-stakes negotiations—that every action was intentional, every reaction was calculated, and...
The Resilience Imperative: Mental Health and Productivity in the Age of Automation
Automation is reshaping the modern workplace at an unprecedented pace. From AI-driven decision-making to robotic process automation, technological advancements are streamlining operations but also disrupting traditional job roles. While automation promises efficiency, it also introduces stress, job insecurity, and skill obsolescence, making mental health and resilience more critical than ever. The Human Adaptability and Potential Index (HAPI) offers valuable...
Policymaking in the Age of AI: Leveraging Data to Address Workforce Displacement
The United States stands at a crossroads in the face of rapid artificial intelligence (AI) advancements. Once a topic confined to science fiction, AI is now deeply embedded in nearly every sector of the economy, transforming industries ranging from finance and healthcare to manufacturing and retail. While these innovations drive economic growth and efficiency, they also introduce a pressing...
Breaking Down the Human Potential Index: A Game-Changer for Workforce Evaluation
As organizations navigate an era of rapid technological disruption, workforce evaluation methods must evolve to ensure resilience, innovation, and adaptability. Traditional performance assessments, static competency models, and outdated skill inventories fail to capture the dynamic nature of modern talent. Enter the Human Adaptability and Potential Index (HAPI)—a transformative framework designed to measure not only current competencies but also an...
