Appreciation and Gratitude
I am enjoying a third go-around with Dr. Srikumar Rao's course on Creativity & Personal Mastery. A couple years ago, I took the online course. Last year, Alisa and I -- and several friends -- took the in-person course. Now, I am in a year-long journey through the...
Bright Angel Diary (Grand Canyon 2015)
[This was originally posted in 2015. Planning for an upcoming adventure in the Grand Canyon, I have slightly edited the piece.] * * * * * * * Don't ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive, because what the world needs is more people who have come...
Strange Play
Starved for entertainment? I've been cast as the sole performer in the Saturday, December 8th Available Light production of White Rabbit Red Rabbit by Nassim Soleimanpour. I don't know anything about this play except what is written on this webpage:...
SMARTY Goal Setting for Wingnuts (2019 edition)
Here's an annual message in a bottle: it's time to set goals for next year! I'm not the goal-setting type. I prefer to wing it. That's my strength. When it comes to setting goals, I'm a wingnut. Goals seem too limiting. Or too ambitious. Or both. Or neither. In any...
W.A.I.T.
Early in marriage, Alisa asked me, "How do you determine what you say? Is everything that comes to mind uttered? Is every thought spoken? What is withheld?" To be sure, throughout our marriage, Alisa speaks more substantively. I speak more plentifully. For most of my...
Rescue Not
When someone struggles, it's gracious to offer a helping hand. Except all the time, too early, or for the wrong reason. During a videoconference of Vistage Chairs this morning, one of the Chairs was wrestling with a question. The question required consideration....
The Four Sounds (During A Meeting)
Early this morning, a few Chairs (of Vistage groups) gathered for cross-training. We call it “Chairs On Zoom Getting Coffee.” During today’s Zoom videoconference, this sudden awareness. Four Sounds There are four sounds during a peer group meeting: The voice of one of...
Forced Choice
About 15 years ago, Bill Oesterle called me. Founder of Angie's List, Bill is a role model. At the time of that telephone call, Bill was a silent partner in my advertising agency, the late Young Isaac. Bill had long watched me fail to grow the value of the company. So...
Who is your Chief Emotional Officer?
Several months ago, John Broons joined me for breakfast. We were at ChairWorld — the happiest place on Earth, the annual gathering of Vistage Chairs. I saw John sitting nearby for breakfast and, in the spirit of an international conference, we glanced at the other...
We Are All Liars Today (A Poem)
We Are All Liars Today You asked me if I'm telling the truth. We only just met. Why would I lie to you? I lie to my beloved, Lest she see me as weak. I lie to my children, Lest they see me as unwise. I lie to my friends, Lest they see me as uncaring. I lie to my dog,...