I woke up this morning to no power and no heat for the second time in two weeks. A Nor’easter snowstorm hit the Maine coast and knocked out the power again (last time it was an ice storm). Despite what you may have heard about Maine, my experience of winter in Portland isn’t much different…
Newsletter 37: Ignorance amid abundant knowledge, traumatic writer’s block, burgeoning book bans, plus three people to follow and three books to read. The problem with ignorance Ignorance bugs the hell out of me. The urge to eliminate ignorance is the driving force in my career and much of my life. This is a good thing….
Looking back over 16 years and 57 book projects, one big favorite is a book I edited: Outside In: The Power of Putting Customers at the Center of Your Business by Harley Manning and Kerry Bodine. If you’re a writer or editor, this reflection about that book may get you thinking differently about your own…
I’ve met thousands of people over my long career — colleagues, clients, direct reports, bosses, executives, and “influencers” of every stripe. I also have a really poor memory for people. So I’m a decent test case for the question, “Who will remember you?” If I remember somebody after decades of work, they were truly memorable….
Here’s the scene. Two analysts have been tapped to address the San Francisco chapter of an industry organization. The rules are: you have ten minutes to speak, and you cannot use slides. The organization is for executives and managers of the cable television industry. One of the analysts is me. I analyze the television industry…
I know if you’re going to be a good client in 15 minutes. I’m not prejudiced. I’m experienced. How I know Before our discovery meeting, I check out your LinkedIn profile and posts, as well as your web site if you have one. I can tell if you have something useful to say, or if…
Imagine your retirement. What are you doing? Traveling around and hanging out with grandchildren? Sounds boring to me. Sure, after the end of a frenetic work life, it sounds attractive to have few actual responsibilities. You can think of it as a longer vacation. But people who are active workers, thinkers, and problem-solvers aren’t likely…
One of the best things about being 65 is the full set of experiences I have to look back on. That includes what I regret and what I don’t. I don’t know if these would be the same for you, but they’re at least worth considering. I regret all the people I treated badly, even…
Your children will not be who you think they will be. They will not grow up to be the people you fantasized that they would. They will not like the same things that you like. They will not vote the way that you vote. They will not love the people you think they should love,…