I was listening to a great episode of one of my favorite podcasts, the TED Radio Hour. “Disruptive Leadership” was the topic and its messages were very much aligned with my thinking, as described in “Be a Leader,” the third chapter of my book, Six Simple Rules for a Better…
I made sure I taught my kids, if someone sends you an e-mail, a text message, or any other type of communication, you need to respond. If you don’t have time to give a complete reply, acknowledge receipt and tell them you will get back to them later. And then…
This is a guest post by April Boey. Growing up in a results-focused society, I went to university with the single-minded goal of acing all my exams. My parents had done a good job of drilling the idea in me. I did well in school. However, after two years of…
I recently read the book Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending the poor, the wrongly condemned, and those trapped in other ways in our criminal justice system. The book's central story is of Stevenson's fight to get Walter MacMillian, wrongly…
I don’t believe in jinxes, but for some reason I still say, “I don’t want to jinx myself, but…,” and you might find me wearing a "lucky" shirt to help my favorite professional sports team win. I also “knock on wood”when I say something in front of someone else, so…
I think someone once said, "Life doesn't come with an instruction manual" and for sure I know parenting doesn't come with one. There are countless parenting books, articles, and more; and there is plenty of advice available from other parents. Nothing totally prepares you, but I'm a strong believer in…
Last week, I wrote about a powerful empathy exercise. This week, I want to write more about some additional powerful things I've learned recently about empathy. I like to watch parts of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. It’s on too late for me, so I watch it on DVR…
In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day earlier this week, I want to share a powerful empathy exercise that took place just after Dr. King’s passing. I’m surprised I had not heard about it before recently reading about it. It was controversial because, as you will see, it was…
I recently read an article about people who don't take to the idea of focusing on happiness. I went to post a comment, but encountered a tech glitch and it didn't get posted. The following is the comment I intended to post: I have learned a great deal, about a great many…
As has happened to me many times before, I recently found myself inspired by a eulogy delivered by a friend upon the passing of their parent. Every funeral I attend leaves me a better person because of something I learn about the deceased, and their life well lived. With my friend's…
I’m a big advocate of doing what you love and loving what you do. Sometimes that’s easier said than done. If nothing else, it can take some time before you make a transition to a better situation. I recently had the opportunity to hear James Key Lim speak. James was…
I recently finished reading an extremely disturbing book, Missoula, by John Krakauer. Krakauer is the author of two other fascinating, non-fiction books I had read, Into Thin Air and Into the Wild. While Missoula was disturbing, I couldn’t put it down. Subtitled “Rape and the Justice System in a College…