Hi Reader, Let the Holiday Fun Begin This week, we've been celebrating the historical 250th birthday of these great United States of America. I hope you're also planning some fun - BBQs, burgers, boating, beaches and partying par excellence ... IN ADDITION TO completing your assignment to read the Declaration of Independence out loud, Good. You should enjoy the holiday – but in the meantime, I'll offer a meager contribution by sharing a few interesting and humorous items for this holiday....
4 days ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, I've spent most of my career helping leaders make difficult decisions. America's 250th Birthday got me thinking about a group of leaders who faced decisions unlike any before—or since. The kind it took to launch an entirely new nation 250 years ago. The Founding Fathers weren't perfect. They disagreed. They compromised. They wrestled with enormous challenges. Yet they shared a remarkable belief—that freedom could endure only if citizens were willing to accept the responsibility...
6 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, But, I digress. It's OK to be a little sentimental about the United States – the incredible country in which we live. It is an ongoing experiment that began 250 years ago – and continues to challenge us to find common ground across an increasingly complex world. It was founded on principles of freedom and liberty — then challenged by the powerful forces of slavery and immigration — forged in the blood of patriots and soldiers — and grounded in a shared consciousness ... the...
8 days ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, As we discussed on Monday – If you don’t take time to think, someone else will do the thinking for you … maybe your competitors. Protect the Castle from the Intruders From the unusual amount of email I received over the last few weeks, I'm reminded once again that we share a universal frustration for the distractions that confound our days. A lot of folks have ideas about this, but a good first step to taming this behemoth is to understand these forces and how they derail your...
12 days ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, Most of the time when we sit down to work, maybe in our favorite chair, we have a list of some kind along with a stack of papers and files. We then proceed to "work" as we've always defined it ... plow through the stack and "get 'er done". Let's try a different approach. This time, sit down with a blank sheet of paper, as I did again this morning. Nothing else. No lists. No other papers. Then, sit back and noodle on the issues that are clogging your brain and keeping you up at...
14 days ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, I have many fond memories of my father who passed away almost 25 years ago. He was a living lesson in many of the characteristics that make great leaders. I'll get to that in a moment. My Dad's sense of humor always puts a smile on my face, even though on occasion I bore the brunt of it. I still have a copy of the parking ticket that I may have forgotten to pay while in college. The car was still registered to my dad, so the final notice showed up in his mailbox. You'll love the...
17 days ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, Why Dads Drink A father passing by his son’s bedroom was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up.Then he saw an envelope propped prominently on the pillow, addressed simply to: Dad With the worst premonition, he opened the envelope with trembling hands and read the letter. Dear Dad, It is with great regret and sorrow that I’m writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you. I have been finding...
17 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, I don't know if you're a fan of Sylvester Stallone and/or his movies, but by entertainment standards, he's been a blockbuster success with his films grossing over $7.5 billion worldwide. What you probably don’t know is that he was once so broke he had to sell his dog, Butkus, for $50 at a nearby 7–11 because he couldn’t afford dog food. (Stallone later bought him back for $1,500, and Butkus went on to starring roles in Rocky 1 and 2.) You also may not know that the lop-sided grin...
19 days ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, Who do you think is the enemy? Before the Internet, I remember a woman coming to our office to sell a program to eliminate distractions. She was promoting the concept of a "quiet hour" during an era when the principal distractions were people hanging from your door frame, the usual phone calls and the "connectivity" of a newfangled intercom system. She was well-intentioned, but the gimmick was to hang a bright red stop sign on everyone's office door announcing that a certain hour...
21 days ago • 2 min read