Bespoke Bay Blog

A periodic exploration of the philosophy and psychology of modern leadership, anchored in research and translated into action.

Written by: Matthew Kurkjian

Tall Ships = Tall Orders: A Framework For Reflecting After Taking Out The Ship (Or Minivan)
Matthew Kurkjian Matthew Kurkjian

Tall Ships = Tall Orders: A Framework For Reflecting After Taking Out The Ship (Or Minivan)

In my free time, I volunteer with Call of the Sea, crewing aboard the brigantine Matthew Turner out of the Bay Area. We take students out sailing to experience the maritime environment, local history, and something increasingly rare in the classroom: learning by doing.

This year, I had the opportunity to blend my passion for sailing-driven education and my Ph.D. dissertation focus.

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Character Is the New Competitive Advantage in Hiring.
Matthew Kurkjian Matthew Kurkjian

Character Is the New Competitive Advantage in Hiring.

AI is making intelligence cheap. What now, if we, as a hiring and labor force with a focus on indicators of intelligence in candidates, must continue to make intelligent hires, if intelligence itself is so concretely and fervently being imitated? The currency of intelligence has entered hyperinflation. 

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When Plans Fall Apart, Growth Begins
Matthew Kurkjian Matthew Kurkjian

When Plans Fall Apart, Growth Begins

Your plans will fail you, but the act of planning will never. The value is the adaptable mind you build while planning. The journey, is in fact, the destination.

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The Problems of Incentives
Matthew Kurkjian Matthew Kurkjian

The Problems of Incentives

When every action has a price tag, purpose starts to lose its signal. Incentives can move work forward — or drown out what made it meaningful in the first place.

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Have We Forgotten Ockham and His Blade?
Matthew Kurkjian Matthew Kurkjian

Have We Forgotten Ockham and His Blade?

“I apologize for such a long letter - I didn't have time to write a short one.” - Mark Twain

Clarity is not only found in what we say, but also in what we cut away.

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Rethinking Intelligence Before We Fake It
Matthew Kurkjian Matthew Kurkjian

Rethinking Intelligence Before We Fake It

As AI becomes more capable and culturally normed, your greatest competitive advantage may lie in the style of intelligence and uniquely human experiences you choose to develop.

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