Joe Gerstandt | keynote speaker, freedom fighter, freak-flag flier

“Words do matter.  Language is messy by nature, which is why we must be careful in how we use it.  As leaders, after all, we have little else to work with.  We typically don’t use hammers and saws, heavy equipment, or even computers to do our real work.  The essence of leadership — what we   [Read More...]

I think that we have done ourselves a great disservice with this idea of authenticity. We have turned it into a buzzword and we throw it around very casually as if it were a safe, simple and common thing. I do not think that authenticity is safe and simple, I think that it is actually   [Read More...]

My second podcast, in which I discuss Just Kids, by Patti Smith, the story of my life, my work, Talent Anarchy, The Frontier Project, the Diversity Summit this Friday and my next Skype Day. Enjoy. Be good to each other.

My very first podcast!! Let me know if this works! Freak Flag Flying w/ joe gerstandt:

There is a company that invites me in for a song and dance every year or two. Same story every time… they have grown tired or bored or disappointed with their current diversity efforts and are ready to take things to the next level. They keep getting referred to me, and I keep going in   [Read More...]

I came across the above quote earlier this week and it reminded me of the topic of my last few blog posts and some of the responses and e-mails that they have generated. Thanks for those, by the way. It seems to me that there might be something important to be sorted out here. Mr.   [Read More...]

“Men are alike in their promises. It is only in their deeds that they differ.” – Moliere I continue to wrestle with this tension between principles and compromise. I think it is a false dichotomy as compromise itself is a principle, but I think that there is some good conversation to be had around the   [Read More...]

Got some great responses from the last blog post regarding principles and compromise; and on a national level this seems to be something that we are really struggling with right now. I think the idea that you cannot be a person of principle and compromise is dangerous, I think that it invites unnecessary drama and   [Read More...]

I recently watched “The World According to Dick Cheney.” Interesting guy, interesting film. Something that struck me was a statement made by the former Vice President toward the end of the film. “If you’re a man of principle, compromise is a bit of a dirty word.” This belief (regardless of who holds it) seems reckless   [Read More...]

Potpourri 1-Looking forward to heading to Austin this week and participating in TalentNet Live on Friday. Cool event with a lot of cool folks involved and I am looking forward to doing the closing keynote…hoping to make some new connections between diversity and talent. I will slap my slides up on slideshare when they are   [Read More...]