Putting the "old" into Oldenburg
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- Written by Karen Smith-Will
- Category: The Consulting Arts
No doubt any student who has ever studied modern art has had some exposure to the larger-than-life sculptures of Claes Oldenburg. His death on July 18, 2022 brought to my attention how narrow my awareness of his art had been.
Lily Safra, Art Collector & Benefactor, Dies
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- Written by Karen Smith-Will
- Parent Category: Tryptasemia & Co-Morbidities
- Category: HATS Stories
When reports emerged that Lily Safra had passed away, I knew I recognized the name, though I wasn't sure why. As it turns out, she was for many years one of the top 200 art collectors in the world. As I read through her obituary and several articles about her, I suddenly realized a more specific reason her name was so familiar to me: She was a major patron of the Edward Safra Family Lodge at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Vacations & The Enigma of Arrival
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- Written by Karen Smith-Will
- Category: Main
"The enigma of arrival" (V. S. Naipaul) refers to that feeling you have when visiting a place where you've never been--even more enigmatic, if you are less-than-fluent with the language. You don't know the codes, the mores, or the secrets.
Valutivity's Companies & Products
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- Written by Karen Smith-Will
- Category: Main
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The Nurturing Leader
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- Written by Karen Smith-Will
- Category: Main
For the past 40 days, my family has taken care of 3 crabs. Managing Eco-Earth and sand habitats, supporting fresh- and saltwater environments, and monitoring eating habits takes research, time and even expense. (We even try to give our crabs a little ocean-spray “tide” in the evenings.) As the first pets we’ve had in years, these critters have reminded us what it means to nurture. Nurturing just might be one of the most undervalued concepts in leadership. And that could be a problem, because nurturing is a critical component to the DNA of servant leadership.
Recruiting Emotional Change Agents: President Obama’s Jobs Plan
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- Written by Karen Smith-Will
- Category: Main

On Friday, September 9, 2011, my 12-year-old son and I attended President Barack Obama’s speech at my alma mater, University of Richmond in Virginia. He discussed his Jobs Plan, as a follow-up to his similar pitch to both houses of Congress the previous night. President Obama demonstrated a change management technique I call acquiring “emotional change agents,” individuals who will respond to an emotional appeal and voluntarily become ambassadors for change.
Read more: Recruiting Emotional Change Agents: President Obama’s Jobs Plan
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