Friday Briefing on a Saturday?

Some of us are ecstatic about Donald Trump’s Second Coming. Some are in terror and mourning. All of us need to take a pill. In the course of human history it may be a big game changer, or it may be flatulence. In all likelihood, a century from now, it will get mentioned in second…

It’s difficult to say what quality is most important for success in a profession, in business, or even in life, but the more I read and write and research and interview, the more I think that groundedness is an essential ingredient. Put in the obverse, I can’t think of a single success story where the…

Who gets rich in a gold rush? Not who you think. In point of fact, most miners go home with little to show for their blood, sweat, and tears. And therein is a lesson for professionals and entrepreneurs. In a typical gold rush, rumours begin to trickle out about a mother lode in a remote…

The call from the Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Home started out like the usual professional courtesy call about circulation issues or sugar levels. But then I heard the words “no vital signs”. “No vital signs?” The nurse confirmed no breathing, no pulse. Dad was gone. It’s a funny thing when someone reaches 102 and can…

Traps, by their nature, are unnoticed and unnoticeable until it’s too late. Computational and linguistic traps are no exception. One of the most dangerous linguistic traps is that of ambiguity – a word or expression which, without further clarification can have multiple meanings. “You can’t have too much of that” might mean that it’s impossible…

(extracted from the upcoming book “The Alignment Doctrine”) Understanding the difference between client wants and client needs is critical to professional success and safety. Failing to grasp and monitor the difference often leads to grief, while a clear understanding offers real opportunities for professional and business growth. Client needs are those things the satisfaction of…