Last week vandals threw paint inside the Lincoln Memorial. Lincoln freed the slaves and won the Civil War. Lincoln did what he thought was right, even though it meant losing half the country. This week congress went home for summer recess. What did they accomplish during the most recent session? Leaders must make tough choices. [Continue Reading]
Ideas and Originality
Tom Peters is credited with the idea. “Steal shamelessly.” In our world the 24/7 news cycle, 2-3 billion tweets every 48 hours, 50 million blogs with 1.6 million posting everyday; what is an idea? John Locke, in his An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, defines idea as “that term which, I think, serves best to stand [Continue Reading]
Not all Evolution Mandates Revolution in Family Business
Family businesses enjoy a success rate far greater than for other kinds of businesses. In the U.S., family businesses provide 65% of all wages. In Pennsylvania, family businesses form the backbone of most local economies. Family businesses possess ingredients for tremendous success – a common purpose, shared values and a tolerance for risk. There are [Continue Reading]
Founding Fathers – Mentors?
This week we celebrate the 4th of July, The Founding of our nation. I’m embarrassed to share how little I know or the real history. Do you know who was on General Washington’s military staff? Do you know who was in his first cabinet? Was he a Mentor? Consider these facts- Would it surprise you [Continue Reading]
Mentor
Recently Jessica Brondo had a piece in Fortune. Brondo founded the EDGE, just a year after she graduated from the Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, from which she garnered the hallowed Susan M. Huffman Senior Thesis Prize. She was also honored with the Women with Wings Award, bestowed upon [Continue Reading]
Learn, Earn and Return
During a recent roundtable with CEOs from eleven local firms, one of the leaders proposed this evolution, or career phases – “Learn, Earn and Return.” David Dietrich offers these ideas, explanations. “Learning is where it all begins. In order to begin building a successful life, you must have the prerequisite knowledge to start earning, then [Continue Reading]
“Make no small plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood”
“Make no small plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood” Last week, I had the opportunity to hear Randy Lewis, a Walgreens Vice president speak on “Talent Management.” Walgreens has made big plans and executed them. It’s Simply Good Business In 2007, Walgreens opened its 14th distribution center in Anderson, S.C. The DC, [Continue Reading]
LA Carr’e, Clancy and Covey Talk Tradecraft
Tradecraft is skill acquired through experience in a (typically clandestine) trade. Within the intelligence community this means the techniques used in modern espionage and generally, the activity of intelligence. This includes general topics or techniques (dead drops, for example), or the specific techniques of a nation or organization (the particular form of encryption used by [Continue Reading]