Bernard Sadow – that’s who! It’s a name you probably don’t recognize, and you probably couldn’t identify him if you saw his picture. He’s not well-known. He’s not famous, but perhaps he should be. He’s not an executive or an athlete, an actor or politician, a writer or professor, a doctor or a world leader. And although you’ve never heard of him, he has made life easier for millions of people around the world. Who is Bernard Sadow and what did he do that was so outstanding? As I sit at the gate of a large US airport, I see the results of Bernard Sadow’s brilliance. Bernard Sadow invented the rolling bag, that handy-dandy invention that keeps us rolling along…. [Read More]
A Year from Now
I recently came across a statement from author Karen Lamb that got my attention. In fact, I wrote it on a sticky note and put it on 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 ideas have you thought about but never executed? How many goals have you set but didn’t stick with? How many good intentions of eating healthier, exercising, saving money, building relationships, volunteering, connecting with family or friends, starting a business, writing a book, learning a language, working harder in your career have fallen by the wayside? Don’t you wish you had started a few of those… [Read More]
Just Decide
We all know people who have made major changes in their lives or their careers. Do you know someone who has quit smoking or lost a lot of weight? Do you know someone who has established a successful exercise program, improved their grades, built a profitable business, increased their sales, paid off their debts, or started a savings program? If you were to question these people about their accomplishments, nine times out of ten, they would begin telling their story by saying, “I just decided…” “I just decided…that I would quit smoking.” “I just decided…that I was tired of being overweight.” “I just decided…to exercise every day.” “I just decided…that I could make better grades.” “I just decided…to do whatever… [Read More]
Unplug
It’s summer. And because of school schedules, it’s typically the time of year that many people choose to take a vacation. The root word of vacation is “vacate” which means to empty, free, divest, remove, clear out, leave, quit, relinquish, depart, check out, resign from, depart from…you get the picture. But how many of us really do that? When you’re on vacation, do you – can you – unplug? Can you free yourself from your phone and other devices? Can you truly let go of what’s going on at the office and enjoy your time off? It’s not easy, is it? Technology makes it so easy to stay connected and so hard to let go of what’s happening “back at… [Read More]
Safe Zone
One aspect of my work that gives me tremendous satisfaction involves working with people who want to improve their presentation and communication skills. The learning is particularly effective in a group setting where people have the opportunity to work together and see the amazing transformation that takes place. As we often do, my colleague and friend, Dr. Shirley Garrett, and I recently spent the better part of a week working with a group of bright, interesting, high-level executives. We have discovered that even people who are experienced, mature professionals are often anxious – even terrified – at the prospect of presenting their thoughts, ideas, and information in front of an audience. The thought of “putting themselves out there” and being… [Read More]
