Caring For The Vineyards
In April, my husband and I visited Napa Valley, California for the first time and as you would expect, we toured the vineyards and wineries of this region. The first thing you notice in Napa Valley is the beauty of the area – rolling hills covered with grape trellises, classic farm homes, two-lane country roads. […]
Narcissism Comes Naturally
I worked for a narcissist early in my career. He shall remain nameless. He was a smart, experienced, and capable businessman. He was highly organized, disciplined, and paid close attention to details. He ran a good meeting, had a good planning process, and kept us on track to meet budget. He was married with a […]
Made For A Purpose
Earlier this year, I had the once in a lifetime experience of attending the Academy Awards. It was not something I’d ever aspired to do, but as a girl who loves a beautiful gown, I accepted the invitation and had a wonderful time. One of the top award winning movies, with five Oscars, was Hugo. […]
What Is The Meaning Of Your Work?
My favorite question to ask lately is “why do you do the work that you do?” Most people look at you blankly, as if this question has never been considered. Not wanting to appear shallow, they quickly recover and explain that they work to pay their bills or put their kids through college, of course. But every […]
The Downstream Effects of our Work
I heard this story some years ago that has stuck in my mind. It was about a village that depended on a mountain stream for their water. For years, at the top of that stream, there was an old man who made it his work to keep the stream clear of debris, twigs and logs […]
The Problem with Hurry
Full disclosure: I suffer from what psychologists’ call “hurry sickness.” I didn’t know it had a name until recently, but nonetheless, I’ve always known that I suffer from it. I jam-pack my days. I overschedule. I say “yes” way too often. The benefits of my disease include getting a lot done, being admired by others […]
Collaboration Lessons From A Jazz Band
In seventh grade, I played piano in my junior high Jazz Band. It was six or seven budding musicians – a sax, a couple horns, a clarinet, a bass, a piano and a drum set – and the band leader was our teacher. Our sound probably fell short of New Orleans quality jazz, but looking […]
Deliberate Dignity
Last week I was getting ready to board a flight at Newark airport. The arriving plane was late and the gate crew was rushing around to quickly get that plane ready to go. The gate agent called the first group of passengers to board, but as they got down the ramp to the door of […]
With Deep Respect for Execution
If you know me well, you know how much I love big ideas – those inspired daring destinations. I love innovation in every aspect of the business – new products, new advertising, new technology, new designs, new distribution systems. The bolder, the more innovative, the better. You also know my convictions about serving people and […]
Strong & Secure Leaders
A couple of weeks ago my daughter was teaching me how to make a chocolate soufflé. She is amazing in the kitchen – and I am barely functional. As part of my soufflé training, she was explaining to me why you put cream of tartar in the mix instead of baking soda. Apparently cream of […]