When Sly & The Family Stone released the song “Everyday People”, which included the line “different strokes for different folks”, few people in the business community understood the word “diversity” as it applies to the workplace. That was 1969. But in today’s business world, diversity is recognized as an important and necessary component of an effective organization. Diversity is defined as “differing from one another; composed of distinct or unlike elements or qualities”. In business, it’s the coming together of people of different backgrounds, cultures, education, skills, and experience to create a broader, more effective organization. I once worked with a CEO who, in a previous job, was an award-winning, high- school choir director. At first glance, you might say… [Read More]

We had driven by the sign for years, actually decades. A small sign on the left side of US Hwy 84 about an hour north of Santa Fe. Just before the sign, on the right side of the road, is another sign that points to a lavender farm. There’s also a picturesque inn and a Georgia O’Keefe Museum. Those attractions on the right side of the road are enough to divert travelers’ attentions away from the sign on the left side. We had driven by it for years, actually decades – that small sign on the left side of US 84 that simply said, “Abiquiu”(ABBEY-cue). We had often said, “Someday we should drive up that way and see what’s there.”… [Read More]

I love to read the advice columns. “Ask Ann Landers” and “Dear Abby” first appeared in newspapers three months apart in October, 1955 and January, 1956 and immediately gained huge followings. Written by twin sisters Esther Pauline “Eppie” Friedman (“Ask Ann Landers”) and Pauline Esther Friedman (“Dear Abby”), the sisters – who were fierce rivals – dealt with every subject imaginable. After the author of “Dear Abby” died, the column was taken over by her daughter Jeannie Phillips and continues to appear in newspapers today. When I saw this one a couple of weeks ago, my first response was, “This has to be a joke”. And yet, when my clients tell me about the attitudes of some of their employees, I… [Read More]

I’m curious. When you saw the title of this month’s e-Tip, what did you think of? For some, it may have been the musical ensemble of the same name. This award-winning band’s music, first introduced in the early ‘70s, has been described by some as country, by others as western swing, and still others as boogie-woogie. (How long’s it been since you heard that term?) If you’re a fan of any of those genres, your mind no doubt went immediately to this Austin-based group. On the other hand, you may have thought of the thousands of traffic accidents, injuries, and deaths caused by sleep deprivation, a growing national epidemic. According to 2017 figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association,… [Read More]