As I stood outside the auditorium after my recent speech in Toronto, a striking grey-haired man beelined toward me and made a comment that made me twing. “I need a word with you. Stay here.” I immediately began worrying. Had my speech offended him? He returned from the rest room and began his apparent complaint. [...]
Here’s a list of the ideal plans: 1. Excellent 2. Really good 3. Best 4. Not good 5. Too ugly to ever mention again. Why does “best” fare so badly? Because getting to ‘best” always gets complicated. First, can everyone agree on what “best” is? If they can agree, how long will it take? Once [...]
View PostWhen the telephone first appeared, experts predicted that it would promote peace, put an end to Southern accents, and revolutionize surgery. H.G. Wells predicted they telephones would eliminate urban traffic congestion, because people would not longer need to work in cities. The men who invented the phone were even less prescient. They envisioned the phone [...]
View PostSeveral hundred million of us grew up with the word: “Progress.” John Kennedy announced an Alliance For Progress and General Electric declared that “Progress is our most important product.” Theodore Roosevelt launched a Progressive Party, and his fifth cousin Franklin launched the Works Progress Administration. Our belief in progress naturally led us to imagine a [...]
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David often feels overlooked and insecure. Sharon owns seven cats named after the Seven Dwarfs. David loves Tom Clancy novels and adores his six-year old blonde Labrador Retriever. Sharon wishes she had more time. David wishes his business was better, but doesn’t want his employees to see his concern. Sharon wishes she laughed as often [...]
View PostThere are six peaks in Europe taller than the Matterhorn. Name one. Get ink.
View PostOf course you take whatever you do “to a new level.” Of course you are “proactive” and “committed to cost-effective solutions.” And of course you have a “commitment to excellence.” Why wouldn’t you? But really: When someone pitches those words to you, do you listen? Do you care? Do you believe a word of [...]
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