Socrates’ Secret
Socrates didn’t really say that he knew nothing, but he did share his secret for becoming wise. Learn what it is in this brief article.
Mark holds the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association (NSA) and is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame. He was recently honored with the Cavett Award, the highest honor the NSA bestows on its members, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the speaking profession. In 2019, Global Gurus named Mark the #5 Leadership Authority in the world.
Vacation Mistakes and Worklife Implications
Coming up, as we are, on the official end of summer, I’m probably a little late writing this particular article. I think, however, that this research has implications beyond vacations. According to a survey I ran across these are the biggest vacation mistakes workers make: Took off too little time 43% Kept thinking about work…
Great Moments in Customer Disservice
I begin with an apology to the fine men and women who work at United Airlines, some of who are personal friends and many who have provided me with exceptional service over the years. They provide a counterbalance to the three examples of service goofiness that I share below. Three cases in point: on a…
The Danger of Drifting
Years ago, on one of the first cruises I ever took, I visited the bridge of the behemoth ocean liner and spoke with the captain. I asked him about the biggest seas he’d ever sailed in with that particular boat. He told me he had been in seas with 90 foot waves. I was quite…
Leadership Issues
Years ago I heard John Bradshaw, the relationship guru of the day, say something that even as a single guy then stuck with me: he said that no matter how long you were with another person, there would be issues that two of you would bump up against only after you got married, and that’s…
Let the Spin Begin
If you didn’t see the article a couple of weeks ago in USA Today about Howard Dean’s anger fueling his hope, you missed one of the great political spins in recent history. Dean’s response when questioned about his apparent anger on the campaign trail, and I paraphrase here only because spin so eloquent is hard…
The Danger of Corporate Secrecy
You’ve seen the business news: NYSE chairman Richard Grasso was forced to resign his position on September 17th. A compensation package of $140 million hastened his demise. Grasso asked for a vote of confidence from his board of directors and didn’t come close to staying. Thirteen voted to boot him versus seven who thought he…
Why Is Jesse James so Popular?
Always Remember… Why Is Jesse James so Popular? Who is the hottest ticket on cable TV? Many would agree that his name is Jesse James. So who is Jesse James? He’s the heavily tattooed, foul-mouthed, chopper building, former criminal, married to a porn actress star of Monster Garage, a reality show on The Discovery Channel.…
One Difference Between the Quick and the Dead
One measure of organizational effectiveness is the shelf-life of problems. Weak organizations suffer from unsolved problems long after they’ve been identified. A corollary would be speed to implementation. Everybody has good ideas. The best implement those ideas quickly. A good example of this is the Golden, Colorado-based burger chain Good Times Burgers & Frozen Custard.…
Leadership Development Quiz
1. Do you have a formal, structured and recognizable leadership development program? 2. Is it supported by senior leadership and are they actively involved? 3. Do you have a method of identifying future leaders and do you regularly use it? 4. Have you discussed opportunities for potential leaders, gained agreement for participation and set expectations?…
