Soon our country will host a massive party, and everyone’s invited. Every July 4, we Americans shoot off fireworks, barbecue, and revel long after dark. When you think about Independence Day, it’s easy to forget that the actual signing of the Declaration was a very sober affair. Each of those 56 men knew that by […]
My husband and I took the kids to St. Louis to watch the Cubs take on the Cards. As games go, that series belongs in the “best quickly forgotten” category. But one memory of that trip will stick with us for years to come: the Gateway Arch. Soaring 630 feet high and stretching just as […]
It’s graduation month, and all around us, commencement speakers are sending our youth off with heady advice on how to lead a successful life. J.K. Rowling, as she addressed the graduating class at Harvard one year, chose a different slant. She talked about the benefits of failure. “It is impossible to live without failing at […]
From the earliest age, around that moment you hit pavement while learning to ride without training wheels, we learn the importance of never quitting. Sports figures, tycoons and politicians have written volumes on the concept of perseverance, all offering advice on how to grit past adversity. One of my favorite quotes comes from Winston Churchill, […]
Where I live, coyote sightings are pretty common. “Watch your dog” has become a catch-phrase over the years, as neighbors swap stories about the mangy creatures they spy loping along the prairie trails. In the morning, you sometimes see gory leftovers from a coyote’s late-night snack. One evening last spring, just before bed, I heard […]
Remember that scene in Rocky when he picks up his friend Paulie at the meat locker? Paulie goads him into giving the one-two to a side of beef, and Rocky pummels out his frustration with blood-splattered fists. Sylvester Stallone understood that frustration. He wrote the screenplay for Rocky at age 30 while still working at […]
Are you anything like Macon Leary? If you’ve read Anne Tyler’s award-winning novel, The Accidental Tourist, you know Macon. He’s the travel writer who offers advice on how to visit exotic places without forgoing the familiar comforts of home. Business travelers, wondering if Mexico City has a Taco Bell, can consult Macon’s guide. His logo? […]
Friday brings the first day of spring, and with it, the promise of regrowth and renewal. If you’ve read Stephen R. Covey’s groundbreaking book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, you know the last (and arguably most important) habit is renewal. Have you found the right balance between producing and actually improving your ability […]
Training sessions that will help your staff feel confident and engaged using the latest communication tools.
From texting to Twitter, people communicate much differently today than they did just five years ago. Windy business letters and all-company meetings are phasing out fast. Now most prefer their messages pithy, immediate, and typically, onscreen. Getting the Word Out Did you know you can communicate with hundreds of people, instantly, with a relatively low-cost […]