In the early days of TechSoft Systems, I remember sitting down to write a proposal for a large prospective client. I had done the research, I had talked with my staff, and I had crunched the numbers. The proposal we developed was a work of art. It was savvy, eloquent, even poetic. It stated all [...]
I’ve noticed that many of us are rapidly moving from one task, one project, and one event to another. We move like a high-speed train headed to our next stop. We don’t pause, and we surely don’t stop to notice our surroundings. I suspect you are like many, moving at a rapid pace because everyone [...]
I just returned from a working trip to Jamaica. No, I don’t expect you to feel sorry for me; I can think of few places better than Montego Bay to conduct business. The meetings were good, but the laid-back culture was what really impressed me. I relished in it with the same appreciation that a [...]
Common phrases have a bad habit of taking up residence in our psyche. Unfortunately, many of them, though well-intended, actually do more harm than good. From time to time, it’s important to remind ourselves that there is no easy path to success. Trite maxims will not get you to where you want to be. They [...]
Most of us, at one time or another, suffer from the struggle to keep up with the Joneses. The house, the car, the education, the dream job, the luxurious vacations, the blissful marriage, the well-behaved kids with perfect teeth… We spend so much of our time and energy working hard to gain that next thing, [...]
My son recently called me to inform me of “how bad it is out there.” When I asked him to explain, he said simply, “You wouldn’t understand, Dad. It’s really hard.” I took a deep breath before responding in a slow, steady tone. “Son, I’m sorry. I have let you down. I have done you [...]
I never saw my great grandfather angry, even when he had tremendous cause to be so. As a child, I wasn’t sure what to make of this. I wondered why he wasn’t reacting to what was around him. As an adult, I now respect and esteem this great and honorable man, because I understand the [...]
While shoveling the snow from my driveway a couple of weeks ago, I was tempted to quit at several points. You see, I have a very long driveway. I had cleared enough to get my car through the toughest spots, and it probably would have been fine if I had quit mid-way through. Probably. But [...]
I believe that in every interaction between people, there is a transaction of energy. In healthy relationships and normal transactions, there is give and take on both sides. Participants oscillate back and forth between being energy givers and energy takers. We give and we receive ideas, counsel and encouragement. We lean on others, and they [...]
A friend of mine shared with me recently one of her mother’s favorite quotes. It was so powerful that I didn’t even have to write it down; I remembered it instantly. Octavia Charlery said, “Self-praising is no recommendation.” Wow! Four words that speak truth on many levels. I contrast Ms. Charlery’s quote with one from [...]