I really, really, really want to see Henry Kissinger. The Secretaries of State; Henry Kissenger, James Baker, Warren Christopher, and Madeline Albright are coming at the end of this month. I enjoy famous people.
Cynthia Cooper was in town this week. Got to have dinner with her after the presentation and the North Tower reception. The East-West Bistro was quite an experience. Dean Sumichrast attended; He and Dennis Beresford were at my table, along with Dr. Gauthreaux from ILA. Very classy gentlemen. I was honored and very much impressed.
I haven't met many famous people in my short career. Peter Singer from Yale signed my copy of One World, his liberal globalization-ethics-issues book. Malcolm Gladwell signed my copy of The Tipping Point, another classic and New York Times Bestseller. Terry Bradshaw came to Atlanta to speak for Maximum Impact; some of us ILA students took pictures with him.
It's a barrage of B-list celebrities, but meaningful none the less. These are interesting people to engage, and I'm fascinated by how much we can learn from those who have traveled those roads that lie before us.
Dabblings & Diatribes
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Notes from Good to Great
His placid persona hid an inner intensity, a dedication to making anything he touched the best it could possibly be - not just because of what he would get, but because he simply couldn't imagine doing it any way. p.25
The real problems....lay in the fact that management had failed to keep pace with innovation. p.34
If people join the bus primarily because of where it is going, what happens if you get ten miles down the road and you need to change direction? You've got a problem. But if people are on the bus because of who else is on the bus, then it's much easier to change direction: "Hey, I got on this bus because of who else is on it; if we need to change direction to be more successful, fine with me....Great vision without great people is irrelevant."
"Waiting to see which way the wend blew."
"steeped in the traditions..."
How to be rigorous:
1. When in doubt, don't hire - keep looking
2. When you know you need to make a people change, act
3. Put your best people on your biggest opportunities, not your biggest problems
The real problems....lay in the fact that management had failed to keep pace with innovation. p.34
If people join the bus primarily because of where it is going, what happens if you get ten miles down the road and you need to change direction? You've got a problem. But if people are on the bus because of who else is on the bus, then it's much easier to change direction: "Hey, I got on this bus because of who else is on it; if we need to change direction to be more successful, fine with me....Great vision without great people is irrelevant."
"Waiting to see which way the wend blew."
"steeped in the traditions..."
How to be rigorous:
1. When in doubt, don't hire - keep looking
2. When you know you need to make a people change, act
3. Put your best people on your biggest opportunities, not your biggest problems
Words of the Day;
ne·far·i·ous [ni-fair-ee-uh
s] –adjective extremely wicked or villainous; iniquitous: a nefarious plot.
sa·ga·cious [suh-gey-shuhs] adjective
s] –adjective extremely wicked or villainous; iniquitous: a nefarious plot.sa·ga·cious
[suh-gey-shuhs] adjective | 1. | having or showing acute mental discernment and keen practical sense; shrewd: a sagacious lawyer. |
| 2. | Obsolete. keen of scent. |
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Quit that Talking
What makes a better team for raising issue-based conflict and debating strategy; groups of total strangers or a collection of old friends? Maybe I made a mistake...
Me + Coffee
I biked here tonight. Was close to staying home, but the infectious lure of coffee dominated complacency. I guess its the conviction that my caffeine investment needs redemption. Otherwise I wouldn't bike here; I'm too lazy. I don't have anything really to write about; I'm just tired of Jim Collins...
Sunday, February 17, 2008
accounting is...
molding my character to be exact, precise, and accurate.
(which all mean pretty much the same thing)
(which all mean pretty much the same thing)
Lyrics - My Morning Jacket
Mmm... people always told me. that bars are dark and lonely
And talk is often cheap and filled with air.
Sure sometimes they thrill me
But nothin' could ever chill me.
Like the way they make the time just disappear
Song: Golden
Album: It Still Moves
And talk is often cheap and filled with air.
Sure sometimes they thrill me
But nothin' could ever chill me.
Like the way they make the time just disappear
Song: Golden
Album: It Still Moves
Word of the Day for Sunday, February 17, 2008
pestiferous \pes-TIF-uh-ruhs\, adjective:
1. Bearing or bringing disease.
2. Infected with or contaminated by a pestilential disease.
3. Morally evil or dangerous to society; pernicious.
4. Bothersome; troublesome; annoying.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Target Case Study
I'm optimistic tonight. We might be able to pull through on this one. So I want to talk through wants going on in my head. There's a bundle of good ideas floating around...
1) Attract Talent. Well we need a more professional presentation on campus. First the recruiters need to wear business attire. They over-brand "Target" (red) at the expense of professionalism. College graduates are not attracted to the idea of wearing a red polo, and if they see recruiters wearing red polos they will be turned-off.
Speaking of on-campus presence, there seems to be a niche for college freshman and sophomores. They can implement a "Leadership Rotation Program" to kick-start college students. If nothing else it exposes college students to the career opportunities at Target. This is what is needed; they have the resources and the opportunity, but they don't target the right audiences.
2) Retaining Talent seems to be the hard part. Perhaps the key is to know how to merge Generation Y with the baby-boomers. It helps to be aware that the #1 reason people leave their job is that they don't get along with their superiors. So if we can address this it makes sense it would score points. What else would score point? Well obviously having something empirical or academic would provide strong support.
More later...
1) Attract Talent. Well we need a more professional presentation on campus. First the recruiters need to wear business attire. They over-brand "Target" (red) at the expense of professionalism. College graduates are not attracted to the idea of wearing a red polo, and if they see recruiters wearing red polos they will be turned-off.
Speaking of on-campus presence, there seems to be a niche for college freshman and sophomores. They can implement a "Leadership Rotation Program" to kick-start college students. If nothing else it exposes college students to the career opportunities at Target. This is what is needed; they have the resources and the opportunity, but they don't target the right audiences.
2) Retaining Talent seems to be the hard part. Perhaps the key is to know how to merge Generation Y with the baby-boomers. It helps to be aware that the #1 reason people leave their job is that they don't get along with their superiors. So if we can address this it makes sense it would score points. What else would score point? Well obviously having something empirical or academic would provide strong support.
More later...
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