Against a backdrop of greed, examples of New Zealand companies taking a strong ethical stand and "doing the right thing" are starting to emerge. This week, Keith Turner, Chair of publicly-listed company Fisher & Paykel Appliances was reported as saying that his approach was to resist trading (in FPA shares) while the Board was debating and commercially analysing ideas that could have material value implications. This strong ethical stance—based on what is best for the company—bodes well for the somewhat sullied reputation that governance boards have suffered recently.

Well done FPA Board, your ethical stance is an example that others should follow.

Earlier this year, my wife and I celebrated 25 years of marriage. When we announced this milestone to several friends and colleagues they were genuinely thrilled for us—because, sadly, many marriages don't last the test of time. Rather than working together over a lifetime, couples seem to reach for divorce proceedings when the going gets a bit tough. In our case, I could not have achieved what I have without my wife. I'd like to think I've reciprocated to help her realise her dreams.

I'm a firm believer that behind (actually, beside) every good man is a very capable woman. Together, more is possible. It's as simple as that.

Like hundreds of millions of viewers around the world, I have been watching the Olympics on television over the last week or so. Cycling, weightlifting and athletics are the sports that capture my imagination. The technical skill and mental capabilities of the athletes astounds me. How do they move so fast, throw so far, lift so high? In most cases, years and years of preparation go before a single moment, an opportunity to excel, to win.

Winning is important to competitors, and to nations. You just have to look at the response of those athletes that expected to win but didn't. At what point does winning become an unhealthy obsession? Winning needs to be held in context. Is the ultimate goal to vanquish others, to prove a point, or to fully realise one's one potential?

How confident are you when it comes to grammar?

• Do you think an apostrophe was one of the 12 disciples of Jesus?
• Or a semicolon is a regular colon with an identity crisis?
• Do you scatter commas into a sentence with all the discrimination of a shotgun?

If you struggle with grammar, you may well be doing yourself a gross disservice. Kyle Wiens, lays it on the line in this article. He won't hire people with sloppy grammar. Whether you are looking for a job, working on a report, or simply tapping out an email communique, poor grammar may see your goal missed or your message overlooked. 

Are you a reader? I used to be. But university intervened. Thirty years ago, after reading my way through university (text books, journals and articles—not novels or anything of general interest), I lost my appetite for reading. When asked "What are you reading?", I'd answer with "Nothing, university cured me." After plowing my way through heavy material for four years, I had reached the point where I simply did not want to pick up anything longer than an article. I still read a little, but my diet was based entirely on articles published in the popular press (Times, National Geographic, The Economist, HBR), and material I needed to read for work.

A few years ago, after a long hiatus, a switch flipped. I rediscovered reading again—reading for pleasure and relaxation, that is. I can't recall the time, the place or the exact trigger. Like earlier in my life, I still read to learn. But now I also read to relax. Here's a selection of titles I have read recently:

• A Beautiful Mind: Sylvia Nasar
• London, The Biography: Peter Ackroyd
• Into the Wider World: Brian Turner
• The Bridge of San Luis Rey: Thornton Wilder

The following titles are stacked up awaiting my attention:

• Titan: Ron Chernow
• Thinking Fast and Slow: Daniel Kahneman
• One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich: Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
• Created for Community: Stanley Grenz

I tend to read about times, people and places—history and biography. I've discovered that, by reading this sort of material, I relax and learn at the same time. Articles like this motivate me. Reading about the past helps me understand today's world

If you read, I'd be interested to hear your story.

When society (typically the government of the day) decides to embrace a nation-scale change, what challenges does that throw down? Some people seem to embrace change well, others tend to be much more comfortable with the status quo. Some openly resist change. Society is, by definition, dynamic. Therefore, change is normal and natural. And the way we react/respond to change can have a significant bearing on our quality of life.

How do you cope with change? Are you on the vanguard, leading change initiatives? Or are you one back, happily embracing changes that others define? Are you perhaps a bit more ambivalent, simply accommodating  change when it comes. Or, do you tend to resist change? I'd love to hear your story.