Give DTUs, not IOUs
Mar
1
DTUs are the antithesis of IOUs. DTU is my shorthand for Do the Unexpected. When you have an IOU, you do it because you have to -- it is simply expected or required. When you have a DTU mindset, you act because you really want to. You genuinely want to perform a selfless act the right way and make a lasting impression. ... Read more
Opportunity: See it! Seek it! Seize it!
Feb
28
At my house, sometimes to the chagrin of my youngest daughter, especially during the winter months of the school year, we call the alarm clock the opportunity clock. When it goes off for the day, opportunity knocks. I think the opportunity formula is simple. See the opportunity. Seek the opportunity. Seize the opportunity. ... Read more
The speed of news… faster than a tsunami?
Feb
27
Right now I am 35,000 feet above the U.S. heading toward Los Angeles, final destination Kauai. But as we head west, a major tsunami is also crossing the Pacific headed for Hawaii. Modern connectedness on Delta is allowing us to watch CNN live and check online for flight updates. This scenario is a stark reminder of how fast news spreads and how many ways we have to get news. Within a foot of me, I ... Read more
Me vs. myself – the wrong pronoun is winning
Feb
26
I’m a grammar nerd. And a music fan. That’s why I always got a chuckle at the title of the mega popular 90s jam band Phish tune called “You Enjoy Myself.” The intentional misuse of the reflexive pronoun “myself” was meant to be cheeky. Nowadays, I think people are starting to miss the joke. The recent example of “myself abuse” that led to this post came from New York Governor David Paterson, a politician and ... Read more
A hang-up I’d like to share
Feb
18
For a long time, I have thought to myself that cell phones needed a warning label, much like we find on beer cans and other consumer products. What disturbs me the most are the hundreds of motorists who seem to think that calling and driving are compatible activities. That’s why I was thrilled when 11Alive asked us to help get the word out about the 11Alive Great Hang Up to educate Atlantans about the dangers of texting and driving. ... Read more
CEOs seek honest advisers
Feb
17
If you were to select only eight words that you would like others to use when describing yourself as a leader, what would they be? We recently had three CEOs in our office speak about leadership. They were asked questions such as how is managing and leading different, what traits do they look for in their inner circle, whom do they admire as leaders. A common thread in the answers was the importance of honesty. ... Read more
Three keys to effective communication
Feb
8
In a blog post last week, I asked two questions: What makes for an effective communicator? What makes for effective communications? This week, I want to explore some of my thoughts on how to answer those questions. ... Read more
Fresh Look at Familiar Leaders
Feb
1
If you have not read the book 1776 by David McCullough, I recommend you put this Pulitzer Prize winner on your 2010 reading list. Or if you already have read it, take it off the bookshelf, dust it off and give it a second pass. ... Read more
If Gutenberg had invented the Internet instead
Jan
25
Try this little thought experiment: imagine if the Internet had been around a lot longer. I mean since Johannes Gutenberg kind of longer. No such thing as the printing press. Straight to broadband. You get the idea. Would anyone have questioned the idea of charging for the written word just because it was made available online? ... Read more
