About this time each year, my local newspaper – The Dallas Morning News – opens its request for nominees for the area’s “Top 100 Places to Work”. The survey is conducted by The News’ research partner, Energage, LLC, an organization that works with 50 media partners across the country including Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and Boston Globe. Anyone can nominate any organization – public, private, nonprofit or government that employs at least 50 people, and the “winners” are recognized in different size categories – small business (50-149 employees), medium (150-499), and large (500 or more). To be named to the “Top 100 Places to Work” list is a coveted prize, and recognition on that list provides companies with a greater… [Read More]
$11,200,000
“How much?!!?! You gotta be kidding!” That was my response when I learned the cost of one minute of advertising for Sunday’s Super Bowl. Yep, $11,200,000 a minute! (For those like me who are unaccustomed to such large numbers, that’s $11 million, 200 thousand!) That’s a lot of money, and it’s the price that advertisers paid to get your attention and deliver their message. Advertisers know that messages are powerful. They know that presenting the right message at the right time in the right way to the right demographic can cause viewers like you and me to fork over our hard-earned money – be it $1.85 for a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos or $185,000 for a Porsche Taycan Turbo… [Read More]
Identify Theft
We’re all aware that identity theft is a growing concern. In 2018, the Federal Trade Commission processed 1.4 million fraud reports totaling $1.48 billion in losses. And according to a 2019 Internet Security Threat Report by Symantec, cybercriminals are diversifying their targets and using stealthier methods to commit identity theft and fraud. Scary, isn’t it? But perhaps a more dangerous concern is people stealing their own identity. That sounds strange, doesn’t it? It sure does. But it happens all the time. Let me explain. At a recent speaking engagement, I asked the attendees to create a name tent and place it in front of them. I’ve learned that having a visible first name helps individuals at a table connect with each other… [Read More]
How Did That Happen?
When I woke up this past Sunday morning, my first thought was, “December 1st. How did that happen? How can it be the last month of the year?” It seems that only yesterday we packed up the Christmas decorations for their annual trek to the attic, and now it’s time to bring them down again. How did that happen? I don’t know about you, but for me, 2019 has flown by. The year has been full of work, family, friends, travel. It’s been full of the expected and the unexpected, accomplishments and disappointments, ups and downs, joys and sorrows. But isn’t that just the way life is? Yes, it’s December already – certainly one of the busiest months of the… [Read More]
The Ferguson Curve
Like many of you, I live in a major metropolitan area. The Dallas/Ft.Worth area, or the “Metroplex” as it has been labeled, has experienced a population explosion in the last few years, and with that growth, traffic has increased exponentially. It seems that every freeway, tollway, road, street, and even residential lane is packed. Interstate 30, one of the major thoroughfares in Dallas, is no exception. And the bane of every I30 driver is a particular west-bound 1 ½ – 2 mile stretch of road. About a mile before the Ferguson Road exit, the freeway curves slightly to the right and about the same distance past the exit, it curves back to the left. Not a sharp curve – just… [Read More]
How Do You Measure Up?
When I was growing up, at least once a year my parents and I would get together with my uncles, aunts and cousins on my mother’s side for a gathering with another family named the Hunters. The adults from all the families were long-time friends, their friendship dating back to college and pre-marriage days. In total there were seven children, no more than about four or five years apart in age. While getting together with the Hunters was a highly anticipated event and looked forward to by all, there was one part of the gathering that I dreaded. I knew, however, that this activity would occur, because it was as much a part of the festivities as my mom’s baked… [Read More]
How Smart Are You Really?
You may have been Valedictorian of your high school class. Or graduated magna cum laude from college. You may have aced the SAT, ACT, GMAT, LSAT, and every other exam that measures one’s intellectual acumen. If so, congratulations. Good for you. But your good grades may not be as important a factor in your success as you think. According to Harvard Business Review, the real key to your professional success, and I will add your personal happiness as well, is your Emotional Intelligence. First identified in 1995 by psychologist and scientific journalist Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence (or EQ) is defined as “the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically”…. [Read More]
Get Serious!
Do you ever feel that you’re wasting your time…and your life? Do you ever feel that time is passing quickly and that you’re not living the life you want? Do you ever feel that you’re not at your personal best? That there’s more you want to do or be? Well, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get serious! It’s time to focus, to make a plan, to get on track, and GO! Maybe you want to get off the path you’re on and head in a different direction. Maybe you feel stuck and need a fresh perspective of the path you’re on. Or maybe you need a jump start to add some energy, enthusiasm, and enjoyment to your… [Read More]
Isn’t It About Time…?
Isn’t it about time to make a move? To get unstuck? To stop making excuses? To recognize and live up to your potential? To get what you want? To be your personal best? Author Karen Lamb made a statement that got my attention. In fact, I put it on a sticky note and attached it to my computer monitor where I see it every day. Karen Lamb said, “A year from now, you may wish you had started today.” Thought-provoking, isn’t it? How many plans have you made but never executed? How many goals have you set but never followed through to achievement? How many good intentions of eating healthier, exercising, saving money, improving relationships, volunteering, starting a business, writing… [Read More]
I’ve Got Your Back
When it comes to battles and warfare, you can’t beat the Romans for their innovative strategies. One of their most effective defenses against enemy attack was a tactic called the tortoise. To protect themselves from enemy spears and arrows, Roman legionaries would form a square with their backs in and shields out. They would then lock their shields to form four walls and a roof. It was called a tortoise because it looked like the impenetrable shell of a tortoise. Doing so provided protection for soldiers. Most importantly, their backs were protected. We frequently hear the term “I’ve got your back”. What a reassuring phrase that is to hear. It refers to the idea that when one is in a… [Read More]
