Jim Selman's Post-Pandemic Real-Time World

When author and executive coach Jim Selman published his 11th book, "Living in the Real-Time World," in November 2019, he didn't know he would get a "proof of concept" unlike any in more than a century. The pandemic brought home the basic truth that it's a fool's game to predict the future, instead we need to focus on the key capabilities (Jim lists six) that allows the flexibility and resilience to deal with the unimaginable pace of change. The book is aptly subtitled "Six Capabilities to Prepare Us For An Unimaginable Future." The book's title was taken from Jim's prior career in computer engineering, when  microprocessors became so fast that they were said to "operate in a real-time world." Selman, CEO of ParaComm International, has coached some of the world's most dynamic business leaders, focusing especially on transformational leadership and instituting change in organizations. He's worked with Werner Erhard, among others, in his distinguished career, and travels (or did travel pre-pandemic) more than 200,000 miles a year, delivering seminars and keynote speeches, as well as individual coaching with organizational leaders. When he's not on the road, he's at home in Ojai with wife Darlene, enjoying small-town life and sharpening his golf game. We talked about the nature of creating lasting change, of leadership tenets, of old Arab proverbs and fire threats and the climate emergency. We did not talk about Victorian medical devices, our favorite "Fast & Furious" films or the Battle of Marathon.