Make an Impact

Way back when I was in my first “real” job out of college, a quirky fellow came into my life. He was from India, tall and lanky. There was little hair on his head, and he used what I could...

The Final Step…

The last step is where too many stumble: EXECUTION! You’ve planned, prepared, and put everything in writing. Now you’ve got to execute. If you haven’t completed the four steps we talked about over the past few posts, you aren’t yet...

2023 Planning – Step 2

After his great disappointment (the bonus check that ended up being a membership to the Jelly of the Month Club) and Uncle Lewis burning down the Christmas tree, Clark Griswold determined that in spite of it all, he would give...

2023 Planning – Step 1 Asking the Right Questions

In one of the scenes from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” Clark Griswold receives something quite unexpected. He had pinned all his hopes on a huge bonus so that he could surprise his family with a down payment on a swimming...

Fasting & Feasting

On a sweltering Texas day this past summer, a friend, in all seriousness, warned me that there was going to be a considerable turkey shortage come November. She had already bought hers and advised me that I’d best do the...

I love my country!

I love my country! Unabashedly. Wholeheartedly. Warts and all. How could I not? You see, I was a war baby, conceived when my dashing sailor/father came home on a brief leave from the South Pacific during World War II. Nine...

Tell. Teach. Involve

If you aren’t a fan of “Undercover Boss” you should be. The premise is that the CEO of a major corporation gets into disguise and heads out to several of his or her business locations to see how well they...

Be A Magnet

Warren Bennis wrote the following about leaders: Where there are leaders, work is stimulating, challenging, fascinating, and fun. An essential ingredient in organizational leadership is pulling rather than pushing people toward a goal. A “pull” style of influence attracts and...

You Join a Company, but Leave a Boss

“Most of us say we want to work for a [great] company…. Let’s say you score the interview and land the job—congrats. But once you’re there, you’ll see that you don’t actually work for the company; you work for your...