Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Words from a Wordsmith

An old posting but a good one.



My Wish for My Grandchildren


We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse.



For my grandchildren, I'd like better.



I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches, I really would.



I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty

by being cheated.



I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn, and wash the car. And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.



It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.



I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.



I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.



When you want to see a movie and your little brother wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him.



I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.



On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.



If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.



I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.



When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.



I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.



May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.



I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it.



And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.



I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.



May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.



I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.



These things I wish for you -- tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness.

To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.



Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. And if I die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.



-Paul Harvey














Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Decision Makers Need to Make it Happen



This is one of my older post which needs to be revisisted from time to time.




Decision Makers Need to Make it Happen

 

In today's business environment teams, groups and committees are all the rage of the modern corporate structure. It is all about empowerment and flattening out the hierarchy and with more acronyms describing how to do it than grains of sand in an hour glass. Every year new gurus come out with their programs, which are just warmed over last year’s programs, but with a few new letters put together to make the latest and greatest acronym ever. Yet, sometimes you have to step back and remember past advice and apply it today.

When I thought of myself as a young corporate ladder climber and the team concept of management was just starting I had a manager who gave me two pieces of advice on how to implement these practices.

1. “A committee of 3 gets more done when 2 people are absent.”


2. “You don't call a committee to kill a rattlesnake, just kill it.”


In our daily business lives there are times we just need to make a decision. Not stand around and wait for others and see which way the wind is blowing. There comes a time when we need a decision maker who can step up and is not afraid to make decisive decisions. True leaders in business are becoming a rarity. I believe this is in part due to the way we are teaching our young people that everyone is equal and everyone deserves a trophy even if they lose. Leaders lead and should be recognized as such.

In the end we are the only ones responsible for our success or failure and as leaders it is time for us to step up and lead in our area of expertise.

Make it Happen Today!