by Chris Banescu –
First and foremost, freedom and truth are inseparably linked. Without truth, real freedom begins to disappear. Like freedom, we must pursue truth in all things and at all times, otherwise we get ourselves into trouble and expose ourselves to dangerous people and situations. [Read more…]
Leadership
Power and Leadership – Authentic Leaders Give the Power Back to the People
by Chris Banescu –
Bob Davids, successful leader of six different businesses and co-author of Leadership without Ego: How to stop managing and start leading, reminds us of the right way that authentic leaders use the power they are given by the people. Rather than hoard that power, great leaders give all power back to the individuals who entrusted them with it.
In return, the people give these leaders even more power, thus creating a virtuous cycle that builds trust, empowers individuals at all levels of the organization to do great work, and inevitably leads to the long-term success of the enterprise and the people working there.
In his TEDx Talk, Davids explains that power is given to leaders by the people who support them. When individuals give power to their superiors, they observe how those leaders respond. If leaders take that power and give it all back to the people, the people then give those leaders even more power (support). [Read more…]
Organizations Ignore the Humanity of Their Employees

The human soul yearns for freedom. The human heart was created to desire happiness and joy. The human mind was designed to seek the truth. The human will is fueled by hope. These are universal truths that have been virtually ignored by most companies and organizations. Instead, management treats human beings as interchangeable parts of a machine or disposable components of a system, to exploit and carelessly toss aside on a whim. This is a human catastrophe of monumental proportions. This is unacceptable. This is wrong. [Read more…]
Pursue Your Freedom and Happiness – My New Book is Published!
My new book has been published. It pays tribute to freedom, truth, and the dignity of the human soul. It’s my way of thanking America for saving me and my family, and giving me the opportunity to thrive. I wrote it to help others seek genuine freedom and find joy. Available on Amazon now: Pursue Your Freedom and Happiness.
[Read more…]
Character is the Most Important Trait
by Chris Banescu –
Life has taught me and continues to teach me that character is the most important trait we should look for in others. If a person does not have character, nothing else matters. This is true in our personal and professional lives. It’s true in our friendships and family relationships. It’s true in business, academia, politics, religion, and all other fields of human endeavor.
In virtually all of the business and leadership courses I have taught for over two decades, the subject of character inevitably comes up. Students ask me or I ask them about the most important characteristic or quality (they can only pick one) they should look for when working for anyone, partnering with someone in a venture, or hiring great employees. [Read more…]
Southwest Airlines Schools American Airlines on Treating Pilots Fairly and Decently
by Chris Banescu –
The Boeing 737 MAX disaster provides us with an opportunity to evaluate some leadership qualities of top executives at two major U.S. airlines, Southwest and American. The CEOs of these corporations have chosen fundamentally different responses to their pilots and employees who were negatively affected by the extended grounding of the 737 MAX planes.
One CEO shows himself to be a man of character and integrity. The other one not so much. Southwest Airlines’ top leader, Gary Kelly, is treating the company pilots fairly and decently. American Airlines’ CEO, Doug Parker, could care less about the concerns of their pilots. [Read more…]
Pain of Discipline vs Pain of Disappointment
by Chris Banescu –
“There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you’ll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment.” ~ Nick Saban
We all pay a price for the lack of discipline. Whether it’s our physical or mental health, spiritual well-being, character, family life, career situation, financial status, friendships, or business condition, we always suffer if we don’t do the essential work to either improve, adapt, or deal with the changing circumstances of our life. The longer we avoid consistently doing the right things for ourselves, our families, and/or businesses, the worse things will get. We will feel the inevitable physical and psychological pains that arise when we let things slide and refuse to do the daily necessary work. [Read more…]