Welcome back! On this day in 1504, Michelangelo unveiled in Florence his 17-foot-tall, 12,000-pound statue of David. The block of marble from which it was carved had been cast aside by other artists due to what they perceived as flaws. And once Michelangelo got his hands on it, he spent about three years making it into the masterpiece it’s considered today. Just something to keep in mind the next time a performance issue crosses your desk. Weaknesses can become strengths—just don’t expect it to happen overnight.

In today’s edition: