Archive for September, 2017

Each of us, I’m sure, has known individuals who have made an impression or significant contribution to and on our lives. Sometimes these individuals are with us for a long period of time and sometimes their tenure is short. The impact can be immediate or it might take years for the lessons to be learned and to become part of who we are.

When I was a young man I had the pleasure of working for and with a mentor. At ...

Here’s a cautionary tale about planning, execution and getting your team to buy in to your goals for your company; it applies to the smallest of businesses and the largest of
organizations.

Towards the end of the year, the company held a planning retreat. All company managers were invited to a local hotel for an all-day meeting. No agenda was sent out. The owner simply told everyone to be there by 8 A.M. sharp.

When the session started, she announced that the ...

Jack Welch, the former CEO of GE, said, “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”

Whether leading one or thousands, the responsibility is the same. Yet I think it is rare today to conduct an interview with someone for a leadership position with an attitude of helping others become more ...

Imagine walking into your local grocery store, favorite restaurant, museum or movie theatre, your dry cleaners, bank, or hardware store, your school, college, or church, your business or even your home, to find everyone wearing a sign around his or her neck.

The sign says, “Make me feel important.”

Then imagine your surprise when you look down and see the same exact sign hanging around your ...

Four quick stories to set the tone for my column this week:

First, at the beginning of a highly publicized college bowl game a few years ago, one of the television announcers commented on how driven one of the teams was to win the game. He said, “Great teams have a clear mission.”

Second, in his book, “The Best and The Brightest,” author David Halberstam recapped a conversation between General James Gavin, a highly decorated combat veteran, and then-Vice President Hubert Humphrey, ...