The holiday season is hectic, so I will keep this issue even shorter than usual. Here is my favorite poem that keeps things in perspective for me. I hope it does the same for you... Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, Today is a Gift, That’s why they call it the Present. May you…
Video of 8oAzdbd0J2A Gladys Ingles was a member of a barnstorming (not brainstorming!) troupe called the 13 Black Cats in the 1920's. Ingles was a wing walker. In this film, she shows her fearlessness in a classic barnstorming fashion to save an airplane that has lost one of its main wheels. With a replacement wheel…
There is no better example of "getting better with age" than the first lady of real estate, Ebby Halliday. Although she has the sharp mind and quick step of a 29 year old, she turns 99 on March 9, 2010. "Happy Birthday, Ebby!" It was a pleasure to interview Ebby, BUT I thought you would…
It’s easier to teach leadership that it is to model it. This certainly holds true when it comes to the most important trait for a leader, or anyone else for that matter – Integrity. No one I know walks the talk better than Zig Ziglar. He is a perfect reflection of integrity. Even as times…
Can you recite the Flight Attendant's safety speech? I bet you can. You know, the one that goes something like, "...In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will drop from above. If you are traveling with a child, place your mask on first..." I found this version of the…
Three months ago The LETTER was titled By the Numbers. In that issue I shared the significance of 14 different numbers and mentioned the fact I really enjoy the heady television drama "Numb3rs." So, I am a sucker for a good mathematical calculation that yields a practical answer (I am no theoretical mathematician). Unlike the…
A zillion more job cuts, no credit available, healthcare costs keep rising, and on and on and on. No laughing matter for sure... well, maybe. I contend that taking this economic downturn or any form of adversity 100% seriously won’t help you reverse your situation any faster, so you might as well laugh a little…
Thank you for your overwhelming response to the new 3-minute movie, "The Nature of Excellence." If you haven't had a chance to view it, take a look now at: http://www.NatureofExcellence. One of the themes of this inspiring movie is Perseverance. Just last month as I was watching CNN I was struck by a wonderful current-day…
Taking a stand, for anything, requires courage. Courageous leadership is knowing what's right and then acting on it. For instance, during the Nazi occupation of his country in WWII, King Christian X of Denmark noticed a Nazi flag flying over a Danish public building. He immediately called the German commandant, demanding that the flag be…
