Get your “ASK” in gear
What is this?
Why do we do that?
I don’t understand, can you answer more simply?
Who in your organization is most […]
Quick make a decision!
Are time and information the allies of smart decisions or enemies?
It depends.
Balancing time and information requires keen judgment which, when successful, is a thing of […]
Checking your blind spot
An automobile has a “blind spot.” (Seen Note 1) We know this. Therefore, we check our blind spot before changing lanes as an added precaution. […]
Are you crossing the street to get your ass kicked?
When we were toddlers everything was new and exciting. Luckily (and tragically) we have since learned life’s patterns and therefore live in a relatively predictable word – […]
White Space: Friend or Foe?
White Space: Unscheduled Time
If every minute of your day involves a meeting which is back-to-back-to-back, white space is an ally you must find and embrace. In this […]
A vegan that eats steak. True Story.
I am a vegan – I say it loud and proud. (As all good vegans do)
You know what I ate for dinner last night? A big juicy […]
Environment Versus Behavior
In a sociological experiment, seminary students were placed in a “Good Samaritan” situation. The students were sent to a location across campus with a task. One […]
Your life as a sandwich
Two carpenters, Bill and Bob, break for lunch on a steamy summer day. They rest their bones in the shade and break open their lunch pails. Bill’s […]
Life is hard.
Life is hard, complicated and unfair. We agree, right?
Wrong.
Life is horribly easy. Breathe, eat, sleep – this is life, literally.
We have all won the jackpot of the […]
Who has the microphone?
The information about our world is provided to us by companies who must profit financially to survive.
If you are not paying for a product, you are the […]
Do Actions Speak Louder than Thoughts?
“John” harbors hateful and despicably racist beliefs but hides them under a cloak of good deeds and a graceful demeanor.
Is he a “racist”?
“Bob” spends hours plotting hypothetical […]
Running from (to) your Mind
I don’t enjoying running. When I do run, I must listen to music. Must.
This weekend my iPhone ran out of juice, 2.5 miles into a 5 mile […]
Remember what peace there may be in silence . . .
Here is another poem that I often find therapeutic. Enjoy.
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
What if Character was a Muscle?
Lifting heavy weights is difficult. Not lifting heavy weights is easy.
The decision to repeatedly choose difficult over easy builds muscle. When I see your bulging biceps, I know […]
If You Can . . .
I’ve turned to this poem during the most painful times in my life. I’d be unforgivably selfish if I didn’t share it.
If
The Secret Rude Habits (you are probably guilty of)
We are often rude without knowing it. Here is a list for your consideration I will leave the rational behind each up to you.
—————-
– If you compliment […]
What the Internet Took From Us
I am grateful for having access to every person, thought, and song at my fingertips.
However, I miss:
– Getting lost while driving
– Making mixed tapes from the radio
– […]
Do You Want to See the Kitchen?
When I’m at a restaurant with cloth napkins, I do NOT want to see the kitchen.
I want to idealize the chef’s appearance, the kitchen’s cleanliness, […]
How to Be Greedy and Gracious
Assume:
1. People are selfish.
2. Conversation is the exchange of information and ideas. When we speak, we give them and when we listen, we receive them.
3. Most […]
The One Word to Eliminate
Stop saying and writing the word “very.”
You are exhausted not very tired.
She is devastated not very disappointed.
They are eccentric not very odd.
Give it a […]
Congratulations for doing NOTHING!
“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” – Blaise Pascal
Experiment time – I sit quietly alone with no […]
The 80% Theory of Communication
Introducing the “80 Percent Theory of Communication” …
80% isn’t horrible. […]
How many pounds can a 20-pound bag carry?
There are 168 hours in a week, not 169.
There are 31,560,000 seconds in a year, not 31,560,001.
Your brain has “x” neurons, not “x+1” neurons.
In the last year, […]