Finders keepers

TechnologyLeave a comment

Could it be… that the ability to “find knowledge” is now more important than to “know knowledge?”  I can recall all-night cramming sessions in my school years, trying to memorize factoids in history, literature and science.  But with Google and Wikipedia literally at your fingertips now, why bother?   My childhood library had a Dewey…

Dress to impress

CommunicationLeave a comment

“Hey, you got a job interview today?” “You must have an important presentation today.” “Oooooh, lookin’ sharp!” By simply adding a sportcoat to my usual button-down shirt and dress pants, I got these reactions from co-workers yesterday.  But why?  The correct response was #2, a presentation, which I made more important by dressing up a notch. …

Recession pep talk #2

MotivationLeave a comment

The economy is good, then its bad, then it’s good again.  You are getting veeerrry sleepy.  The hypnotic effect of this giant pendulum swinging back and forth can hypnotize you into a “do nothing” trance… worried if things will ever get better, frozen with inaction when you really should be capitalizing on it. Crisis brings…

No shortcuts

Motivation2 Comments

The entire fitness industry can be traced back to one marketing genius – Charles Atlas. He placed full-page ads in the back of 1960’s comic books to be read by 12 year old boys like me (with bad complexions and serious self-esteem issues) promising the shortcut to a magnificent physique.    I remember silently agreeing…

Good timing

CommunicationLeave a comment

“If you’re going to speak in front a large audience, tell a good joke to warm them up first.”  That’s the advice that many company presidents follow when they get up to present in front of their quarterly all-hands meetings.  And that’s what my company president…let’s call him Bill… did in January of 1992.  I’ll…