Recently a grocery chain in our area announced they were closing their doors after 75 years of business. The specialty foods store was recognized for their selection of local cheeses, fruit, and produce. They sited changing economic factors and increased competition as the reason for their demise. News was met with mixed responses when it … Continue reading “Why Awesome is Easy”
We’ve finally arrived at the true golf season, for those both serious and casual golf fans out there. The sun is shining, the grass is green, the weather’s warm and your favorite summertime drink probably tastes just a little better when enjoyed during a great round of golf (or for those of us who never … Continue reading “Fix Your Divots”
We live in a mobile economy. Pensions have given way to the 401k, the gold watch at 20 years of service has been replaced by limited term contracts and one year performance incentives. My father had never heard about corporate recruiters; I get several notes a year from them looking for talent for the next … Continue reading “The New Loyalty”
I wrote previously about the need to have a shared vision and trust within an organization in order to break down work silos. Clients that I have worked with generally understand the issues surrounding shared vision. Frankly, it’s not a hard concept to convey, both in terms of its importance and how to create and … Continue reading “Trust Matters”
We owe a great deal of who we are and what we can accomplish to the Industrial Revolution. The ability to mass produce products brought with it a change to how we thought of and treated labor, lowered prices on once unattainable goods due to economies of scale, raised the wealth of the middle class, … Continue reading “Breaking Down Work Silos”
I continue to be impressed. Granted, that may sound slightly odd in the wake of what can only be considered a terrible week for our country. Everyone’s attention has been consumed by the horrific bombings at the Boston Marathon, and rightly so. Sadly, that wasn’t the only thing that went wrong. Flooding in the Midwest … Continue reading “We Are More Resilient Than We Know”
Happy Easter! If you celebrate this holiday then you know it’s grounded in the idea of rebirth. From the Bible’s words to the fact that spring is right around the corner (though that’s not quite so apparent right now), this is the time of the year to reflect on the idea of overcoming great obstacles, … Continue reading “Our Failures Don’t Define Us”
Have you heard that phrase? My grandmother used to say it all the time, whenever someone would ask her how she was doing. The only other answer she was fond of giving, especially toward the end of her life, was Fat and Sassy. She wasn’t politically correct, couldn’t care less about it as a matter … Continue reading “Happy and Healthy”
I came across one of my favorite scenes from the movie “Austin Powers” recently. Dr. Evil gloats to Austin Powers and his colleagues about the means of their impending doom; sharks with lasers. However, he’s quickly informed by his henchmen that they were unable to provide the sharks. At this, Dr. Evil produces one of … Continue reading “Sharks with Lasers”
My last post explored the idea of great problem-solvers as great leaders. I said that when I think of great leaders, I tend to come up with people who made their mark on history by solving the big problems of their day. These are the kind of people that inspire great admiration. We also tend … Continue reading “Our Role Models, Good and Bad”