In 1945, Solzhenitsyn was a decorated Soviet officer who made a small, private joke about Stalin in a letter.
The state opened it, read it, and treated it as a crime. Within weeks he was arrested and stripped of rank. He was fed into the camps, and sentenced to eight years in the Gulag.
The camps were designed to teach one lesson: say nothing, remember nothing, become nothing. He shoveled frozen concrete until his hands split and bled.
Years later, Solzhenitsyn would write, “Bless you, prison, for having been in my life.” It sounds insane until you understand what he meant. Prison showed him the truth of the regime in its purest form.
After his release, the punishment did not end. He lived under constant surveillance, moving from place to place, knowing that writing a single page could mean death. So he did not write. He memorized. Whole chapters of The Gulag Archipelago lived only in his head. Friends hid scraps of text. Wives memorized passages. For years the book existed only in human memory, as fragile and dangerous as a secret prayer.
When it was finally published, it did not argue that Soviet communism had gone too far. It showed that this was exactly where it led. Solzhenitsyn had learned that systems built on lies survive only if people agree to repeat them, and that the simplest refusal… to stop saying what you know is false… is the first and most dangerous act of resistance.
Delighted to connect with @ebase for @learningnowtv to discuss the vital role of social collaborative learning communities in organisations - something we both share a passion for!
A sign of maturity is caring more about being respected than being liked.
Liking is shallow affection. It comes from being pleasant—you bend over backwards to accommodate others.
Respect is deep regard. It's earned by being principled—you consistently stand up for your values.
Abusive bosses don't drive performance. They undermine it.
471 studies, 149k people, 36 countries: in aggressive workplaces, we do poorer work, collaborate less, and shirk more. Incivility breaks confidence and breeds resentment.
The best way to get results is to show respect.
Develop the practical skills, global connections and collaborative outlook needed to make a real difference in the development world with a 100% online Masters created jointly with the University of Melbourne.
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A message from Ben Johnson
“Hello everyone,
Thank you to everyone associated with West Ham United for supporting me over the last 17 years and developing me into a first-team player.
I have been blessed to have come through the Academy of Football and to play for the first team in the Premier League, domestic cups and in European competitions.
I just want to be known and remembered for my time at West Ham for having played with a smile on my face and having really enjoyed my football. That’s really important to me.
I would say the most special memory I have is winning the UEFA Europa Conference League. To be involved in a European trophy win doesn’t come around frequently, so to be around and be part of it, and to be able to achieve that with West Ham was incredible.
My dreams were exceeded by what happened two seasons ago and I’m just so, so pleased I did it as a West Ham player. I’ll never forget that night.
I wish West Ham every success for the upcoming season under the new head coach and of course I’m going to miss all my teammates and the staff, along with the supporters.
West Ham will always be a part of my life which I’ll remember with fondness and a lot of love. I’ve developed into a young man and better player because of West Ham, so finally a huge thank you to the Club!
See you all soon.
Johno”
@HelenBevan I completely agree @HelenBevan Culture is a reflection of what people do and how they behave. Start with focusing on what stops people from doing great work, and you begin a process of culture change without even using the word.
The Great Reset: Why We Need to Rethink Organisational Learning https://t.co/WnsSAvgaey
I hope you will join me on Thursday at 12.00 for the first of a series of webinars based on the ideas from my new book that will be out in 2024
As you watch the Aurora this evening, it’s worth reflecting that you’re getting a rare direct glimpse of the power of Nature. Those charged particles causing the atmosphere to glow came from a sunspot complex 17 times the diameter of Earth and traveled across 90 million miles at a million miles an hour. Without our magnetic field to protect us, our atmosphere would have been lost to space long ago. Those colours in the sky are Nature reminding us that we’re very lucky to be here amidst the violence. And perhaps therefore also reminding us not to shite it all up :-)
Would anyone be interested in buying my season ticket for the year? I’d send every home ticket to you and early access to cup games. Block 111, £535 for the year. I need to save money this year but don’t want to give up my seat. Please retweet ⚒️🙏🏼