Leadership Insights | The Prizefighter & The Preacher
I've written several columns about Mom, but what about Dad? Dads never get any credit, yet they offer unique insights into the world and how we should live.
Leadership Insight | Lessons learned from my 94-year-old mom
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
~ Winston Churchill
Yes, I know Mom doesn’t look 94. (Full Disclosure: This picture was taken when she was 92. 😛 ) Why do you think I don’t like to stand next to her among strangers? She looks so young they may think we’re the same age. That’s not possible, of course, but do they know that?
Patience, Perspective & Preparation
In our infancy, mom and dad made sure that our clothes were clean, that we were fed, that we got our vaccinations and regular checkups. They made sure our clothes were mended, our beds were made and we were as safe as possible.
Some 40 … maybe 50 years later, it’s our turn. We make sure our parents have clean clothes and linens, that they get to their doctors’ appointments and take their medications according to schedule. We make sure they’re safe and nourished and we visit regularly.
When this cycle makes its turn, we are reminded of life’s fragility as well as our own mortality, aren’t we? (more…)
Leadership Insight | What are we doing to help you?
“There is nothing more exhilarating than to be shot at without result.”
~ Winston Churchill
Why do you have your own business?
Winston Churchill could have been an entrepreneur to have so eloquently dramatized the thrill associated with building a business.
Whether you own it yourself or share it with partners, it’s yours to build, to mold according to your dreams and values.
You may be building it from scratch or seeking new opportunities to jumpstart a mature company. In either case, I hope this will help you on your journey.
Want to build your own boat?
Why do you have your own business?
Independence, many will say, the chance to run my own show?
Be my own boss?
Do things my way – maybe because you’ve seen them done the wrong way and you can do better? (more…)
Leadership Insight | First rule of a mistake: Admit it
“A lie will easily get you out of a scrape, and yet,
strangely and beautifully, rapture possesses you
when you have taken the scrape and left out the lie.”
~ Charles Edward Montague
Everyone makes mistakes.
We know this for a fact, don’t we? It’s pretty clear —like crystal.
Why are we are so unwilling to admit our mistakes?
So, why do so many persist in their insistence that they did no wrong?
Despite the lessons that cover the waterfront — from Watergate to the Catholic Church — the cover-up is always worse than the crime.
What appeared to be minor tributaries turned into a rushing river of a failed presidency and international scandal, yet the stream of lies and denial from those who fail to heed these lessons continues unabated in both our public and private lives.
The truth will never come out … will it?
For some reason, we persist in believing that the truth will never come out. (more…)
Leadership Insight | Don’t Gamble with the Storm Clouds
Fly to the Light!Just after obtaining his pilot’s license, a dear friend from the Midwest found himself surrounded by unexpected thunderstorms. He clambered for every streak of sunshine he could find, ultimately zigzagging his way to a safe landing:[quote]“That principle is a metaphor for my life. It seems that I…
Leadership | Flying blind? Assume Crash Position!
Do You Need to Start Your Own Bonfire? Barely 500 years ago, Girolamo Savonarola was an outspoken and strident critic of the current order, angrily vilifying the worldly possessions that tempted people to become sinners. He was ultimately excommunicated from the Catholic church, condemned for heresy, stripped of his priestly garments, hanged, and his body burned in the town square in Florence, Italy, a stark and ignominious ending to a life committed to vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
Leadership Lessons | Does Mom think you should be a snitch?
“God grant that men of principle shall be our principal men.”
– Thomas Jefferson
Does Mom think you should be a snitch?
Some of you may be familiar with the famed but controversial West Point Cadet Honor Code: “A cadet will not lie, cheat or steal or tolerate those who do.”
But didn’t somebody say: “Don’t be a tattletale?”
Few of us would doubt the wisdom of “will not lie, cheat or steal”, the core of many of the values we learned as children.
One of the other things we learned as children, though, was, “don’t be a tattletale.”
Be loyal to your friends, don’t snitch on them, and don’t go running to mommy when you observe a small infraction of the rules. It doesn’t help that we’ve seen countless movies since then where a snitch ends up on the wrong side of the grass.
What about the part, “or tolerate those who do”?
Thus, the controversial phrase, “or tolerate those who do.” (more…)
Leadership | Can we really trust you to fake authenticity?
If you’re not authentic, who are you?
What a surprise!
Years ago I was traveling regularly to Asia, and wanted to buy my wife a Cartier tank watch, a style that was very popular at the time.
I visited a reputable jeweler where most of my partners had been shopping for over 20 years, and found exactly what I was looking for. My wife was ecstatic, and I saved a lot of money over what I would’ve spent here.
… and a bummer!
[pullquote]“If you seek authenticity for authenticity’s sake you are no longer authentic.”~ Jean-Paul Sartre[/pullquote]
One day, it stopped working. Cartier is a highly reputable brand, so I didn’t hesitate to send it to their New York facility for repair.
Imagine my stunned surprise when several weeks later they returned it with a note that said it was a reproduction.
A fake.
I not only bought the watch from an established retailer, but I had the beautiful Cartier box, a written certificate of authenticity and a warranty card. All of it was fake.
(more…)