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Learning from the Disconnects
As a communicator, perhaps nothing is worse than scanning the audience halfway through a presentation only to see people fiddling with smartphones, fidgeting in their chairs, or—worst of all—falling asleep in a puddle of drool. If someone had filmed my life, my communication blunders and mistakes could be turned into hours of humorous outtakes. Learning…
Read MoreThe Disciplines of Connecting
After another masterful performance in Lincoln, Daniel-Day Lewis has an opportunity to capture his third Academy Award for Best Actor. He has been hailed as the greatest actor alive, and his peculiar style of method-acting has become somewhat legendary. The charisma he brings to the screen instantly transports moviegoers into his character’s world. The manner…
Read MoreExpansion Requires Pruning Away the Good to Give Space to the Great
Roxanne Quimby had fallen on hard times. The single mother had been laid off from three part-time waitressing jobs, and she needed a steady source of income to provide for her twin girls. In an effort to make ends meet, she scoured local yard sales for bargains and then resold her purchases at flea markets.…
Read MoreTo Expand Your Influence, Elevate Your Capacity to Think
In 1978, unemployed sportscaster Bill Rasmussen hatched an idea to launch the world’s first around-the-clock television station and to devote its programming entirely to sports. Roughly a year later, the Entertainment and Sports Network (ESPN) made its initial broadcast, and in just a few years the station rapidly transformed the way Americans watch athletics. Whereas…
Read MoreHow to Get More Done in Less Time: Purpose, Priorities, and Practices
In flying to visit family for the holidays, airline passengers across the globe stuff their suitcases full of clothes and gifts to avoid paying extra baggage fees. Some travelers are experts at using every square inch of space inside of their luggage; they meticulously roll up each shirt and pair of pants prior to packing…
Read MoreHow to Get More Done in Less Time: Perspective
As evidenced by the popularity of the following films, moviegoers are fascinated by the possibility of escaping the steady passage of time. In Groundhog’s Day, Phil Connors (Bill Murray) gets stuck in a time loop, experiencing the same day over and over again. In Back to the Future, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) must alter…
Read MoreLearning to Prevail: When Dreams Disappoint and Hopes Fail
A Dream DeferredBy Langston Hughes What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore– And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over– like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it…
Read MoreCreating a Life-List
In the film, The Bucket List, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman star as terminally ill acquaintances on a quest to complete a wish list of activities before they “kick the bucket.” As a result of the movie, the phrase “bucket list” entered into American vocabulary to describe the things a person dreams of doing sometime…
Read MoreUnscripted Leadership
The night before delivering his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. assembled his team at the Willard Hotel to finalize his script for the next day. As usual, his speechwriters and advisors debated, one last time, exactly what should be said and how it should be communicated. Based on the conversation,…
Read MoreDreaming in the Daily Grind
We use the expression, “the daily grind,” to describe the mundane unpleasantness of our work routine. Interestingly, the word “grind” has multiple meanings: 1) To wear down, reduce, or crush into powder by pounding or abrading 2) To smooth, sharpen, or polish by friction or abrasion Though we cannot escape the daily grind, we can…
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