This article was originally published on November 21st, 2008. A lot has changed in the last 7 years - unfortunately, the prevalence of bad rhetoric in our public discourse hasn't... Like many people on election night, I found myself glued to the TV for the capstone speeches by both candidates. I have to admit, though, that I was watching for a few reasons that were probably much different than most people. I wanted to see how the candidates would use the 2,500-year-old discipline of rhetoric – the art of verbal persuasion and argument. I was not disappointed. Both John McCain and Barack Obama delivered carefully crafted messages full … [Read more...]
Understanding Your LinkedIn Brand Message in 3 Simple Steps
Updated January 2022 At the root of every ineffective LinkedIn profile and wasted status update is a lack of planning and forethought. Even with over 300+ million users, most people are on LinkedIn in a reactive capacity. They created a profile because others invited them to connect and when they post it's because they heard somewhere that they were supposed to. They are missing the strategic component that will enable them to leverage their time. They haven't thought through what they are trying to accomplish and therefore they accomplish very little. Asking and answering a few simple strategic questions can go a long way to making … [Read more...]
Stumbling on Happiness – Daniel Gilbert
This article was originally published on November 21st, 2011. It still comes up in conversations with friends, clients, and colleagues. Good stuff (even if Dan is now schilling financial services...good on him for making a few bucks!). Happiness is the ever-elusive holy grail that we keep chasing – and it seems after all of our efforts, we’re not getting any closer to achieving it. The problem, as Daniel Gilbert points out in the beginning of Stumbling on Happiness, is that we even struggle to even define what happiness is! Stumbling on Happiness is one of the few books that I’ve read that tackles the question of our happiness from a … [Read more...]
Internal Relationships Create a Well-Oiled Machine
It's common to talk about business with metaphors, and one of the most common compares a high-functioning business to a "well-oiled machine." It highlights the idea of different parts and pieces fitting together to create a moving whole that does something - more often than not, moving forward. Unfortunately, in their quest to build that well-oiled machine, most leaders ignore the most important piece of the puzzle. Let's get very specific about our well-oiled machine. Let's say it's a sports car, maybe a Ferrari. It has a top-of-the-line engine, race-quality tires, and steering and controls that respond to the lightest touch. Taken … [Read more...]
Renewal in the Wilderness – John Lionberger
This article was originally published on July 25th, 2008. John is still a good friend and every conversation we have is insightful and fun. When I played in a band, I learned an interesting quirk of human nature – when we played a gig with other bands, the degree to which we liked the people in the band influenced how much we liked the band’s music. Reading Renewal in the Wilderness by John Lionberger was a fun experience for me, as I am lucky enough to call John a friend of mine. He’s “good people” and someone I’ve gotten to know over my career. So I admit that I’m a little biased. When I gave him feedback on the book, the highest … [Read more...]
The 8 Things You Must Know or Your Life Will Totally Suck
If you don’t understand sarcasm, then please, for your own mental and emotional safety, don’t read any farther: Always remember: You are the victim. Everyone who tells you that their life is tough is full of crap because they don't understand how really tough your life is. They’ve obviously never been in your shoes for a day. If you feel that the universe is conspiring against you, it's because it is. You can’t go 20 minutes without someone deliberately making your life harder than it has to be. Throughout your life, you’ve always been the wrong height, weight, gender, ethnicity, and even when it seemed like you’ve had all of the … [Read more...]
Planting Seeds
Sometimes I have to go searching for metaphors to use in my writing. Sometimes they are right in front of my face. For example, this summer I have a small window herb garden. Nothing fancy; just some basil, mint, chives, and a few others. I wouldn't say that I have much of a green thumb (I'm becoming an expert at ruining thyme), but it been quite the learning experience and has led to some tasty meals. The care and cultivation of plants is a powerful place to practice life. It requires patience, mindfulness, and consistency. It's hard to balance just the right amount of water and sun, pruning and fertilizer. There are successes and … [Read more...]
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