Success only runs one direction....
Many are the unexpected notes I find in the mailbox each day that put a smile on my face.
This was not one of them.
For the record, I am nowhere near “a certain age” yet. I am, however, going to give my postal carrier permission to start screening my mail.
Damn.
{ 0 comments }
I was recently asked to comment on the top three qualities of a good leader. The audience in that case was a group of leadership experts, which tends to make one pause before responding. Still…was pretty easy:
1. Integrity, both personal and professional.
2. The ability to inspire others to do their best and the grace to recognize their achievements.
3. Clear vision, both of the future and the past; rewriting history robs us of our ability to learn from it.
Do you possess those qualities?
If you have employees who have been with you for years, odds are that you do. Rarely (especially in retail) do people stay put for bonehead employers.
It’s important to be the kind of leader that staff members want to work for-—right now, they’re you first line of defense against dropping sales or poor customer experience.
It’s also important to be the kind of store owner customers want to shop with-—in a world that seems to be swinging left hooks, they crave stability and confidence in their personal universe.
You owe it to them. You owe it to you. Allow your leader within to shine.
{ 0 comments }
I’m going to ask you to do something simple. Sit down, then stand up…as in Stand Up To Cancer, a campaign being run simultaneously on ABC, CBS, and NBC at 7:00 p.m. Central time next Friday night (September 5th). The three major networks are donating an hour for a sky’s worth of luminaries to demonstrate that coming together can make change. And “change” is all you need; even those unable to afford a significant contribution can help out by launching stars honoring loved ones for the bargain basement price of $1.00 each.
The lineup of actors, musicians, media folks, and artists participating is mind blowing. It promises to be one heck of an evening.
One of every three women will be diagnosed with cancer. Half of all men will be too. My dad’s been there. I’ve been there. Too many people I love have been there. Do you really want to go there too, or hedge your bet by supporting further research? We’re on the edge of so much good…every little noodge makes a difference.
So sit down, Stand Up, and let’s do something good.
{ 0 comments }
Randy Paucsh, we’ll miss you.
You stood in front of a lecture hall filled to the rafters and delivered what will go down in history as the most extraordinary lesson on earth. With a smile and with humor, you reminded us what life is really all about. And you made it fun. And you made it something we could all aspire to.
Your book sits on my coffee table as a reminder that life is short. Joy is not.
At least, not if we paid attention to the lecture.
Rest in peace, oh happy one.
Photo credit: Carnegie Mellon University
{ 0 comments }
