Motorcycle Crash
By Gordon Grant (guest writer) “Last month I spent a week motorcycling back-country roads in Oregon, California and Washington. Unfortunately one of my friends had an accident that broke a few parts on both the bike and the rider. The trip was over for them. The morning after the accident, we met in the lobby […]
Five Ways to Manage Toxic Relationships
I’ve heard it said that relationships give us a mirror to see ourselves, and boy was that true for me last week at my regular Sunday drop-in volleyball group in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Here’s what happened.
The Truth About Inconvenience
Some years back while teaching English in Japan, I found myself speeding along on a bullet train down to Nagasaki to visit a friend whom, I’ll admit, I had a bit of a crush on. While there, my friend introduced me to one of her buddies: a successful, local architect who shared with me an […]
Pay it Forward–With Pepperoni
Back in 2000, the Kevin Space movie Pay it Forward popularized the idea that giving can be viral. In the film, young Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osmont) receives a school assignment to somehow “change the world”. In response, Trevor comes up with an innovative plan: to encourage people to pay a favor forward…not just once, […]
“Jazzing” Up Your Leadership Style
I first met today’s guest writer, New York jazzman Tim Armacost, in college almost 30 years ago, at a time when both of us were grappling not only with what kind of careers we wanted to pursue, but also with what kind of adults we wanted to become. While I eventually chose team development, training […]
The Seahawks’ Super “Mistake”
“You’re either a mistake maker or a life learner.” –Anonymous Given that over 120 million viewers were watching the end of Super Bowl XLIX this past Sunday, the chances are fairly good that at least some (if not most) of you witnessed the puzzling play calling from Seattle Seahawks’ coach, Pete Carroll. Here was the […]
The Samurai and the Zen Master
A noted samurai general in old Japan visits a venerable Zen master at his temple in imperial Kyoto. Says the samurai: “Master, I have spent my entire adult life waging war after war with my enemies. I am ready now to turn my attention to my salvation. The Zen master — bald, 70 years old, […]
Life’s Three, Hidden Opportunities
As many of you probably know from reading my articles and blogs over the years, I’m a long-time volleyball player. Not that I’m an “A+” player, mind you… At 5’9”, I’m not exactly spiking the ball over people. But whatever the outcome, I do love getting out there and running around with my Sunday group […]
You’re Driving Me Sane
Ask most any Canadian and they’ll confirm that Montreal hosts some of the most aggressive drivers in the world. But let me tell you, my Uncle Stan has them all beat.
Energetic Leadership
In spite of anything you’ve heard to the contrary, you ARE a “leader” in your “organization”. There’s just no denying it. “But wait just a second,” you say. “I’m only an admin…or a mid-level manager…or a soccer mom. I’m no leader.” This is an understandable reaction, to be sure – and yet completely inaccurate. Leadership […]