My first boss in the professional working world was a good-natured woman named Suzanne, who had a full figure and the mouth of a drunken Nantucket sailor. She was always at the ready with a brilliant new business scheme or the latest corporate gossip, and had an uncanny ability for knowing how to make inappropriate conversation seem completely appropriate. I was part of a small department of eight, and she made all of us feel like we were the most... Read more
I once did an exercise for a leadership coach where he asked me to write out a vivid description of my ideal life in the future. It was one of those visionary-things which is supposed to force you to come to grips with your enormous potential for achieving super-sized goals in life. I obediently wrote it all down, and upon reading it he simply said, “It all sounds very nice, but where’s the fun in this?” “Fun?” I was thinking. “You didn’t say anything... Read more
In honor of Father’s Day… I am still getting used to the fact that my daughters are now full-fledged teenagers. It has been hard for me to accept the fact that they are growing into young women, even though it apparently has been going on for quite some time now, right before my eyes. I suppose this is just another adjustment I need to make. Hopefully, one that I will make soon, before they are out of the house and... Read more
Yesterday, while washing the dinner dishes, I heard my wife call over from the other room. “Brad, can you come here? Tell me what you think of this.” She was sitting at the computer, reading her email. A friend had forwarded a message with a subject heading that said, “This is incredible!” A sure prompt for heavy eye-rolling. Scrolling down the contents of the screen, I could see that this friend had forwarded a message from another woman, who had... Read more
Like many bloggers, I like to read as well as write. We are a high-minded group of people, after all, what with our advice-giving and over-sharing and generally know-it-all approach to the world. I do a bit of each, here and there, as I find time. A little reading, a little writing. As a result of this start-stop approach to things, I usually have many books and writings all going on at the same time, and thus, I may not be as literally productive... Read more
For years I would say this very simple prayer every day before work: “God, please bless the work of my hands.” I discovered those words one day while reading the bible and latched on to it hard, since it was one of the few scripture verses I ever came across that directly spoke to me about God’s interest in my work. I know it is not very fancy or theologically sophisticated, but it had a very spiritual and ancient ring to it, which I liked.... Read more
I must be growing more spiritually mature. I say this because of the surprising response I’ve had recently to receiving two incidents of bad news at work. Bad news, as in a call that says, “Hi Brad. There’s been a complication. The deal is off.” You know how it is. You spend weeks and months working hard to bring an important project to the finish line so that everyone can cheer you on as you bring it home. “Here’s one for the team!” you’ll shout... Read more
I don’t consider myself much of a writer, since I have only been at this blogging thing for a couple of years. But that doesn’t keep me from daydreaming about it sometimes during my commute home from work, when I imagine myself as a celebrated author and much sought-after thought-leader. I picture the many calls and emails I would get from agents and publishers, all clawing to get a piece of me because my work is in such great demand. “These... Read more
What I know about Barbie I mostly learned from raising two rambunctious and unconventional daughters, who are now well into their teens. I remember that there are many colors, sizes and vocations for Barbies, and that they all looked like they could pass for good Presbyterian girls. A decent role model, I thought. Nothing wrong with that. Although they are still all rather anorexic-looking, as far as I’m concerned. But every little girl must have one or two or ten as they entered... Read more
There is a rule of thumb at my company when forecasting large projects. It says that whatever one has budgeted for time and money, add at least another 30% on top of it. That’s just the reality of most complex projects – they almost always take longer and cost more than what we think at the onset. I have found this to be true. That huge real estate deal that was supposed to close in nine months? It took over a year. The... Read more
Shrinking the Camel
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