David L. Peterson

International Speaker, Bestselling Author, Serial Entrepreneur, Shipwreck Survivor

Innovation ThinkTime

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Why Making Assumptions is Almost Always Wrong

I am all for ridesharing. I’ve found the cost of Ubering to the airport and back is less than parking at the airport for any trip at least three days long, and a lot less stressful. The majority of drivers are both pleasant to chat with (if you want) and get me where I need to be with precision. But I’m not sure yet about all the unwritten rules of etiquette regarding drivers for Uber, Lyft, etc., and their responsibilities. For example, since you are riding in someone’s personal car, when you get in, you generally listen to whatever they were listening to. Most of my drivers have kept what they have on the radio unless you direct them to change the volume, station, or whatever. OK, I can deal with that. But let’s back up a step. Say you order your Uber. The app gives you updates on …

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I’m Not as Innovative as I Thought …

Despite my quest to look for innovation in all aspects of everyday life, I often amaze myself at the number of instances I remain oblivious to it, even when it is staring me right in the face and working in my favor. For instance, there was the time I rented a beautiful new car from Hertz.It wasn’t long after I had the XM going that I found myself smoothly cruising the highway. My trip was supposed to be relatively short, but required driving not just on the highway, but through cities as well. The cruise control was set, but the car was behaving strangely, periodically slowing down for no apparent reason. The first couple of times, I attributed the sudden fluctuations between deceleration and acceleration to engine problems. I decided to reset the cruise control several times, …

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It Was Bound to Happen – My 1st Surly Southwest Flight Attendant

I fly a lot. So I encounter many of the good folks who keep our airplanes and airports remarkably efficient, given the number of flights, people, and bags that run through a major airport on any given day. Since I’ve moved to Sugar Land, Texas, I now wind up on more Southwest Airlines flights in a year than I would have typically when I was based in Georgia, where Delta dominates. As loyal as I have been to Delta over the years, I truly love flying Southwest. They have never put on airs and pretended they have an upscale flying experience. They safely get you from here to there, and in the process, generally have a lot of fun with their passengers. Whether it’s the goofy message on the intercom, or  their whimsical vibe (they used to offer peanuts that said “FRILLS” on the package, and …

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Making Business Meetings Unique and Fun

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you know I periodically talk about having fun at work. I truly believe when we make our workplace fun, our team members enjoy their work and their environment more. This translates into more productivity and also transfers to our clients. Trust me, even if it is just over the phone, your customers know whether your staff enjoys their work or not. So, you should be looking for any reasonable way to make the work environment more fun. As a strategic planning facilitator, I am also looking for ways to break up the sometimes tedious nature of sitting in a meeting room, simply talking with one another. I use interesting and thought-provoking exercises to break up the brainstorming and ideation; most often, an evening of strategic planning is a good …

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Preparing for the Worst

I attended the American Bankers Association’s Annual Conference in October in New York City. One of the sessions on the opening night was a vendor showcase, where seven presenters were each given five minutes to present their solution. There was an open bar and the session was standing room only. Now, as a professional speaker, I am always interested in watching other presenters give presentations. I just like to study the craft. I know speaking is more of an art than a science, but just like art, there are some basic rules and “not to do” elements. The first speaker rocked, had a smooth delivery and easy to read and understand visuals. Another speaker constantly poked at his inability to be a good speaker. Now self-deprecating humor can be very effective, but only in moderation. …

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