My wife Samantha and I love the sea. We try to boat, sail, or generally get into the salt water as much as we can. We recently had an opportunity to spend a week on the island of Antigua (we were scouting for a 2020 sailing trip) and we did a lot of snorkeling. We […]
Category Archives: Self Improvement
Change in Perspective Reveals New Insight
Something fun I get to do with my wife Samantha is go to the west coast of Florida and just chill out. We like the area of Bald Point and Alligator Point near the town of Panacea. We keep a small fishing boat at the marina in Panacea so we can have a down-and-back trip […]
Innovation in Charitable Giving
Charities are finding it increasingly difficult to raise the money they need. Changes in tax laws certainly have had an effect, but the biggest adjustment is merely the march of time. Think about it: how do most nonprofits raise money? They have an annual fundraiser—some big event where well-heeled, high-networth individuals are wined, dined, or […]
Efficiency Doesn’t Mean Someone Gets Fired …
Once again, my perusal of PYMNTS.com yielded a great story. The story highlights the changes retailers have experienced throughout the use of self-service. The early assumption for self-service was it would reduce headcount and be a money saver. However, that turned out to be untrue. Instead of merely letting those performing transactional services (i.e. check-out) […]
Innovation Needed – Marriott Are You Listening?
It seems I have a never-ending supply of stories from mainline companies who just can’t get their customer service act together. Here’s my reasoning for sharing them: since I try to highlight the good and innovative things companies do, it’s only appropriate that when there is a customer service failure, I call that out, as […]
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 […]
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, […]
When Innovation is Not Needed …
I pride myself on being an innovative thinker, looking for innovation in every situation. But recently, I learned the hard way that there are times when innovation is not needed or warranted. Let me explain. I recently replaced a double oven in my primary residence. After removing the old oven, I carefully measured the opening […]
Making a List, Checking it Twice
As a speaking coach, I consistently remind my students that their performance from the platform is only a small part of what it takes to be a great professional speaker. One of the elements I stress is a checklist of details they must carefully address right before their talk. These include checking in with the […]
To React is Human, To Respond Divine
Our natural human instinct is to react to external stimuli—what would it take for you to convert your reactions into responses? There is a huge difference between a reaction and a response. Suppose someone walks up and punches you in the arm; your reaction is to punch them back. But if you pause, even for […]