For several years, I had the unique privilege of working with my friend and colleague, Dr. Shirley Garrett, as an adjunct faculty member at the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, VA, a facility that provides leadership training for high-level government executives. I was fortunate enough to be Shirley’s assistant in teaching a class on executive communication. One of the benefits of that experience was getting to interact with government executives from every department – from Agriculture to Transportation and the Treasury to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Through our interactions and each person’s presentations to the class, we learned about fisheries, education, energy, food and drug safety, healthcare, weather, Medicare, national parks – almost every US government agency. The… [Read More]
Burned Out?
For almost a year now, we’ve been dealing with a pandemic that has drastically changed the way we work, shop, worship, socialize, and learn, i.e., it’s changed our lives. From nursery schools to nursing homes, people in every sector of the population have been affected. It’s put a strain on our relationships, finances, businesses, health. Most people I talk with say that they’re just tired. Maybe not physically tired but emotionally tired. People are running on empty – burned out. With the emergence of the Covid-19 vaccine, there’s an inkling of optimism, a hope that maybe, just maybe, we can return to some semblance of normalcy. But most of us aren’t naïve enough to believe that we’ll ever return to… [Read More]
Just One Thing
In what has become a classic scene from the movie City Slickers, Billy Crystal’s character, Mitch Robbins, is riding the range with a Curly Washburn, a crusty old ranch hand superbly played by Jack Palance. Their conversation turns philosophical when Curly begins to talk about “the secret of life” and tells Robbins that it’s “one thing – just one thing”. “What is the one thing?” Mitch asks. To which Curly replies, “That’s what you’ve got to figure out.” As we begin a new year, perhaps it’s time to get a little philosophical, and while we may come to no conclusion regarding the secret of life, perhaps discovering your “one thing” could impact your life in 2021. What is your “one… [Read More]
An “A” Player
Our oldest grandson Jack, age 10, plays on a 4th grade football team. Having played flag football for a couple of years, this is the first season in pads, and it’s a whole new ballgame. His position is wide receiver – out on the fringe. At this level, hand-offs are more successful than passes, so he doesn’t see a lot of action and has few opportunities to touch the ball. In spite of this, Jack loves the game and loves playing with his teammates. The first game of the season, his team won handily, defeating the opponents by more than three touchdowns, and Jack was excited! He called to give us the play-by-play. The exhilaration in his voice made us… [Read More]
Stop It!
How quick we are to criticize. How quick we are to seek out a weakness in someone in order to shine a light on it or become defensive when our own weaknesses are pointed out. How quick we are to find fault rather than look for what is good and right and positive in others. How quick we are to judge without knowing all the facts. Maybe we think that by tearing down others, we elevate ourselves. Maybe our own feelings of self-doubt create such insecurities that we try to make ourselves look good by making others look bad. Maybe it’s human nature, or maybe we’ve been influenced by those in the public eye who take the faultfinding, disparaging approach… [Read More]
Eager to Learn?
Although it looks totally different from years past, it’s “Back to School“ time once again. Students from kindergarten to grad school are embarking on new ways of learning, and these new ways are being met with excitement by some and resistance by others. That’s usually the way it is with learning, isn’t it? There are those who view it as an adventure – exploring new information, facing new challenges, and expanding horizons. For them, acquiring knowledge is new, exciting, fun! And then there are others who push against learning – regarding it with dread, fear, trepidation, and blatant resistance. Some folks may feel they already know everything they need to know. Or maybe they’re just lazy. After all, learning requires… [Read More]
Derailed
I recently witnessed the aftermath of a train derailment. It could have been worse. No one was hurt. The train wasn’t carrying chemicals or hazardous materials. No homes or businesses were destroyed. But the derailment triggered immense havoc. It… Created a big mess. Interrupted train travel for several days. Caused traffic congestion and detours. Negatively affected commerce for the shops, restaurants, and businesses located near the tracks. Complicated the lives of the people who live and work in the area. Produced stress for both the railroad and the community. Was costly in terms of time, money, and energy. Sound familiar? Currently many people are feeling that their lives have been derailed. Perhaps that’s you. Do you feel that circumstances over which… [Read More]
She’s a Grand Old Flag
I’m excited! For some time now, I’ve wished for a flag for our home. And several weeks ago, my wish came true. We’re now proudly flying an American flag! It’s positioned right outside my office window, so on windy days, which we seem to have quite often, I can see and hear the flag flapping in the breeze, and I love it. Every time I see that flag, or any other American flag, I’m reminded of how grateful I am to live in this country. Is it perfect? Far from it. Are there things I’d like to change? You bet. Are there serious and important issues that need to be resolved? Absolutely. The current situation of a pandemic, civil discord,… [Read More]
Who Was That Masked Man?
If you’re of a certain age, or if you enjoy watching early-era TV shows, you no doubt recognize the title of this article as a frequently asked question at the end of many episodes of The Lone Ranger, a popular TV western that aired from 1949-1957. The show was based on the premise that the Lone Ranger, who disguised his identity with a mask, was the only survivor of a group of massacred Texas Rangers and that he and “his faithful Indian companion Tonto led the fight for law and order in the early West.” Part of the show’s mystique was that the Lone Ranger never removed his mask or revealed his true identity. Thus, when he rode off at… [Read More]
It was the best of times….
“It was the best of times…. …it was the worst of times.” If you studied English literature, you probably read – or at least read the Cliff Notes – of Charles Dickens’ classic work A Tale of Two Cities. Written in 1859, Dickens’ historic novel opens with these famous words that seem appropriate today. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking about this statement as our country, and the entire world, has been focused on a situation we’ve never experienced and could have never imagined. For many people, the COVID 19 epidemic feels like “the worst of times”. Many are paralyzed by the fear of illness. Some have experienced the death of loved ones. The closing of schools and… [Read More]
