Reading a Fox “News” “article” criticizing America’s support of Ukraine, I was struck by the heavy use of a tactic often seen in the courtroom: the use of non-given “givens”. But this isn’t a Faux News rant, it’s a rant about the slippery use of “Given that…” In court, counsel will look the judge right…
Being agreeable and getting along are wonderful traits, but as with everything in life, you can have too much of a good thing. Coming from a guy who celebrates consensus and collaboration, you might think that that’s a bit of heresy, so bear with me. Going with the flow has been bred into us for…
Like all self-respecting couples in their seventies, Karen and I have had “the discussion”. In fact, we’ve even “made plans”. And while you may not be anywhere near us in age, you too should have plans. About “you know what”. While I may not be as nuts-and-bolts about death as a funeral director, my history…
A recession is definitely coming, of that much you can be sure. But let’s be honest: so is Christmas and so are broken promises. As long as the world remains and human activity continues, economic cycles will come and go. You can predict with certainty that snowstorms and recessions will arrive, it’s just that you…
The more critical the decision, the more it should be made for sensible reasons. But unless your decision making process is fairly cleancut and streamlined, you can find yourself in a “paralysis by analysis” doom loop. So what we need is a simple, tried and tested method to help make solid yet efficient decisions. For…
I don’t get it – do you? Every day I receive communications from banks and lawyers and governments and tech companies, and most of them paint a picture of pompous, self-important asses. Not the kind of people I want to hear from. Yeah, this is another “Norm rant”, but I know this is an issue…
You’ve undoubtedly noticed that many tunes for children’s songs serve multiple lyrics. The Bear Went Over the Mountain, for example, shares the tune with For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow. (I’ve just ruined your day, by the way, because you’re going to try those out and have them stuck in your head for hours. Sorry!)…
My friend Michael Hughes has been a very important influence in my life as I entered retirement from law and transitioned to the world of speaking, writing, and coaching. Michael’s recent “e-tip” struck a note, and I’m reproducing it entirely below. If you want to know more about effective business networking, Michael’s your guy, not…
Public speaking is one of those things that quickly and neatly divides the crowd into those who love it and those who hate it. Personally, I love the platform– there’s no rush like it. But most of my friends hear this and look at me as if I had two heads. Fortunately or unfortunately, we…
Lady Astor was an irascible old soul, one who always marched to her own tune. Even her family held her at arm’s length, so when she woke up in a hospital bed to see her loved ones gathered round, she asked, “Is this my birthday, or am I dying?” Jack Daniels, of whiskey fame, had…