I was cleaning out the basement last weekend when I turned my attention to an old file cabinet perched in a dark corner, minding its own business. In the frenzy of my purging rampage, I decided this guy’s number was up and began tossing its outdated contents into the trash. Eventually I came across one particularly wrinkled and faded folder that simply said, “Goals.” “What’s this crap?” I thought to myself, opening it to reveal a vaguely familiar series of... Read more
It might upset some good Christian business leaders to think too much about power. “But we are servant-leaders!” they will say. “True leadership is about humility, not amassing power!” However, the authors of a very good article I read in the Wall Street Journal pose a spiritually-incorrect possibility: “Whatever else a leader must do, a leader must gain, exercise and retain power.” Why? Well, in order to become a leader in the first place, of course. Which will inevitably involve facing... Read more
When I was in third grade, there was a boy named Norman who terrorized the classroom. He was big and dumb, with a scrappy blond head of hair and the vile mouth of a middle-aged truck driver. One bright Spring morning, Norman ambled into the sun-streaked classroom prior to Mrs. Cunningham’s arrival and announced his presence by drawing a giant swastika on the chalkboard. He then turned around, pointed to the few children gathering at their desks, and shouted, “Yer... Read more
I was talking to a friend recently who is second in command at a publicly traded billion-dollar company. He was telling me about an important project he was responsible for, and how at one point he became completely overwhelmed. It had gotten complicated, he said, and he wasn’t sure what to do next. “I went into my office, shut the door, and stared at the information in front of me.” He told me. “I didn’t know what to do, so... Read more
I relished those first few years in the executive suite. Confident. Bold. That’s the image I wanted to project. But soon enough, the glimmer wore off, and I was faced with the daunting realization that everyone expected me to make some tough decisions, and to get them right. Owning that took some getting used to. When it came time to actually make those big decisions, I would frequently have second thoughts. “Do you really know what you are doing?” That’s what... Read more
By the time you read this, I will be emerging bleary-eyed in London after a red eye flight from Philly to Heathrow airport. Yes, friends, this is the much ballyhooed two-week vaction, in real time, where my faithful family and I will be embarking upon the cathedrals, cafes and museums of London, Paris and Florence. I had frantically scheduled a couple of tasty posts in my absence for the appearance of continuity, but I later decided against it. Because, really, it’s not... Read more
I recently discovered that one of my blog posts is ranked at the top of a certain Google search, which, as you know, represents the pinnacle of blogging success. God be praised! That’s right, when you tap out “Feeling Stupid” into your Google search engine, my blog lands right up there at number one with the post, “Are You Feeling Stupid at Work? I’m Here to Help.” What an honor, to be known throughout the world as the go-to resource for stupidity!... Read more
On Saturday I will be departing for two full weeks of vacation, the first time in twenty five years of work that I have dared such an extended break. My wife has been badmouthing the paltry one-week vacation for years, insisting that it barely allows enough time to begin winding down from the crushing pace of work. She makes it out to be downright barbaric. “Look at those Europeans!” she’ll say. “They take off the entire month of August –... Read more
Last week I attended a function where a friend’s daughter was the featured performer. For years I had heard about this girl’s passion for music, the special performing arts school her parents had afforded, and her brave attempts to make it as a musician in New York City. “Your daughter was wonderful!” I said to her mom afterwards, keeping to myself the fact that the performance was nice, but certainly not the powerhouse talent I had been led to believe. Her mom went on to... Read more
The other day my boss approached me and asked if I wanted to take on a side gig as a consultant, facilitating an off-site board meeting for a friend’s company. This is the type of thing I used to do before I started working for him. “Sure,” I said, as he filled me in on the details. “That would be fun.” I was thinking about the change of pace from the routine of my company and the challenge of working with an entirely different... Read more
Shrinking the Camel
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