Bassam Salem
I woke up rather dismayed a few days ago. It was still super-early and dark. You know how things can feel especially distressing before the sun comes up? I don’t dream often; I suppose I should say that I don’t remember my dreams often. But I do entertain philosophical thoughts in those early hours, most […]
I’ve been writing a book for the last 18 months. I’m nearly done. I decided to share an author’s note that is part of the book; it outlines my personal philosophy on the use of AI in the process of writing. I hope others might find it useful as they develop their own philosophy. _____________ […]
I usually prefer the aisle seat if I can choose it on a flight. It’s always seemed more practical, more…convenient. But yesterday, on a short-hop flight, I was given a solo seat–one that was both an aisle and a window on this particular regional jet. I was traveling alone, and since it was such a […]
I’m going to do my best to be blunt but kind in this message. I’m sharing this publicly because I suspect others may feel what I’m feeling and, if that’s true, naming it might help us reflect on why things feel different now than they did even a few months ago. If you know me […]
My close friends know that, while I may have unconventional points of view, I’ve genuinely tried to stay open-minded to diverse, informed perspectives. After all, on most so-called “controversial” positions, it’s the nuance that makes them so. But on leadership, whether in people or in countries, I have a deep conviction. We tend to admire […]
The human mind, and its nervous system, are staggeringly impressive. For those of us with typical sensory access, this framework is familiar: 1. Sight 2. Smell 3. Hearing 4. Touch 5. Taste But I only recently came to appreciate that neuroscience recognizes at least five more: 1. Proprioception – the awareness of body position and […]
Over the past few years—and especially in recent months—sociopolitical divisiveness has become nearly unbearable. It’s no longer just disagreement; it’s grievance, cruelty, dogma, and tribalism.It’s grown so sharp, it now slices through friendships, families, workplaces, and communities. It’s in my feeds. It’s in my DMs. It’s in our conversations.It’s exhausting. It’s corrosive. And it’s hurting […]
Given my inclination to overplanning, most won’t be surprised that I spend my Decembers evaluating and learning from the current year while, more importantly, contemplating and planning the following year. But, it feels different this time; the 2024 to 2025 transition feels more significant, even monumental, to me…and, after some contemplation, I understand why. If […]
It’s a bit of a preview of the rubric I’m using for the book, adding a fifth H to create “personal culture”. These 5 Hs (Happy, Humble, Hungry, Healthy, and Horsepower) extend the team culture we built at Atlas, and form the basis of a playbook of habits, best practices, and tools that guide my […]
It’s hard for me to fathom that, 20 years ago, I was already an adult. After all, I was in my thirties, I was married, I had a two-year-old son, I was working an adult job, and I had adult responsibilities. Oh, and I even had a little hair back then. Boy does that feel […]