Traffic.

There is something to be said for solitude. For everything from a few hours to a lifetime, from momentary retreat to persistent seclusion -- we decide how we shall grow. The contemplation yielded by time alone is always useful, even in organizations; it gives leaders and teams the room to consider the shared purpose and where they see the organization going. Productive strategy comes from consideration of context, so when we take the time to think, we understand the landscape: the market opportunity, the stakeholders we serve, and our relevance.


Street at Night, Meudon. Gwen John. 1910s. Watercolor and gouache over graphite on wove paper. Gift of Mimi and Sanford Feld, National Gallery of Art.

Is your vision guiding or misguiding your strategy?

Steve Wunker: Your vision doesn’t need to change the world. But it will likely alter your industry and company. Clear and specific visions show the direction of the road even while you give most of your attention to the traffic that surrounds you.

Did this doorway once lead to Shakespeare's dressing room?

Vittoria Benzine: Upon removing the underlying 18th-century brick wall, they uncovered an archway. FitzHigham figures it must date to the theater’s original construction, because it helps hold up the roof.

All the questions you're too afraid to ask at the wine bar, answered

Eliza Dumais: In large part, this breed of bar was designed to reject exclusionary, buttoned-up wine culture and replace it with more casual, exploratory service (read: make it fun). Nonetheless, a certain code of conduct still does, indeed, apply...