"My view, having done this for a long time, is you never know. You make the best call with the judgment you have." Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates
What did Gates, a lifelong Republican, asked Obama when the then president-elect asked him to stay on as Defense Secretary? "I asked him if he could trust me."
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Twitter Phenomenon
From Twitter Blog:
"Folks were tweeting 5,000 times a day in 2007. By 2008, that number was 300,000, and by 2009 it had grown to 2.5 million per day. Tweets grew 1,400% last year to 35 million per day. Today, we are seeing 50 million tweets per day—that's an average of 600 tweets per second."
Check this out: http://tinyurl.com/yap52km
Incredible growth. Former CEO of Coca Cola was once quoted as saying he would like to get every person in China to drink a can of coke a day. That's like 1.2 billion cans per day. If that happens, there probably wouldn't be enough factories to churn out enough cans of coke.
What would happen if the number of tweets reached 1 billion a day? Talk about information overload.
"Folks were tweeting 5,000 times a day in 2007. By 2008, that number was 300,000, and by 2009 it had grown to 2.5 million per day. Tweets grew 1,400% last year to 35 million per day. Today, we are seeing 50 million tweets per day—that's an average of 600 tweets per second."
Check this out: http://tinyurl.com/yap52km
Incredible growth. Former CEO of Coca Cola was once quoted as saying he would like to get every person in China to drink a can of coke a day. That's like 1.2 billion cans per day. If that happens, there probably wouldn't be enough factories to churn out enough cans of coke.
What would happen if the number of tweets reached 1 billion a day? Talk about information overload.
Monday, February 15, 2010
A different way to look at the word "Vulnerability"
Excerpt from article on BW magazine by Patrick Lencioni:
"Vulnerability isn't a word that shows up on lists of ingredients for business success. Here's why it should: Without the willingness and ability to be vulnerable, we simply can't build deep and lasting relationships in business and, come to think of it, life.
Vulnerability is often seen as a weakness; it's actually a sign of strength. People who are genuinely open and transparent prove that they have the confidence and self-esteem to allow others to see them as they really are, warts and all. There's something undeniably magentic about people who can do that.
When it comes to the workplace, vulnerability is critical in the building of teams. When teammates feel free to admit their mistakes, ask for help, and acknowledge their own weaknesses, they reduce divisive politics and build a bond of trust more valuable than almost any strategic advantage. Another great venue for vulnerability is the one I work in, the world of service. When consultants and advisers are willing to ask dumb questions, tell the unvarnished truth, or broach the painful, elephant-in-the-room topic, then engender loyalty and trust with clients."
"Vulnerability isn't a word that shows up on lists of ingredients for business success. Here's why it should: Without the willingness and ability to be vulnerable, we simply can't build deep and lasting relationships in business and, come to think of it, life.
Vulnerability is often seen as a weakness; it's actually a sign of strength. People who are genuinely open and transparent prove that they have the confidence and self-esteem to allow others to see them as they really are, warts and all. There's something undeniably magentic about people who can do that.
When it comes to the workplace, vulnerability is critical in the building of teams. When teammates feel free to admit their mistakes, ask for help, and acknowledge their own weaknesses, they reduce divisive politics and build a bond of trust more valuable than almost any strategic advantage. Another great venue for vulnerability is the one I work in, the world of service. When consultants and advisers are willing to ask dumb questions, tell the unvarnished truth, or broach the painful, elephant-in-the-room topic, then engender loyalty and trust with clients."
Just another ordinary hard working employee
He is seen eating in the corporate cafeteria or pouring himself coffee in a small pantry where someone has taped a sheet promoting employee weight-loss challenge. He doesn't even have a parking space; often he has to walk across the lot. BW magazine describing Tyco's CEO, Ed Breen.
Friday, February 12, 2010
No robots allowed
“Our motto is this: Live on the edge, play on the edge. Look over that edge. See that cliff. When you start to fall off, I’ll be there to grab you. Until you get there, we won’t be any good. You’ve got to be able to make the play. You can’t be afraid to make a mistake in this league, otherwise you’re a robot. I don’t want to coach robots. I want to coach football players. I want to coach guys who are fearless. I’m never going to get on a kid for getting aggressive. You can’t be paralyzed out there.” New Orleans Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams
Thursday, February 11, 2010
True Leaders Defined
6 Personality traits to admire and acquire
byI’ve written numerous articles and posts on difficult people, personalities and relationships: Everything from Manipulative Marys to Bullies in the workplace to people who break boundaries to toxic personalities. Let’s face it: In life, we come across all kinds! As humans, we often focus on those who are negative or toxic leaving it difficult to appreciate those who are positive and healthy. Seeking out individuals with healthy, positive traits, however, may do a lot of good. The more we can surround ourselves with those who are positive and healthy, the more we may model those positive behaviors.
If you really think about it, once in awhile you come across a person who knocks you off your socks…legitimately. Maybe they have a fantastic outlook on life, even during difficult times. Maybe they are really humble, although they are extremely gifted. Maybe they make you feel special. All of these are good.
Below, I've listed some of the traits I admire most in people. Although I could probably list a dozen characteristics, I thought I’d list those that seem to be the rarest or most difficult to find.
- Selflessness: In a world where many people don’t have the time or the interest in others, selflessness is a quality that seems to be less and less common. People can be selfless in the time they give, the ability to listen, their level of patience and the love that they give. Those who are giving and generous in nature have the power to make others feel loved, appreciated and special. While those who are self-absorbed tend to do the exact opposite.
- Tolerance: Those people who are tolerant make us feel comfortable with who we are and special as individuals. All of us are different, and many of us have quirks and idiosyncrasies. After all, these differences make the world go round. Having the ability to accept people for who they are and not expect them to be who we want them to be is important in life, happiness and in the health of our relationships.
- Genuineness: Having the ability to be real, authentic and honest is unique in a world where we put so much emphasis on the superficial. Feeling comfortable in one’s skin and being true to one’s self is one of the most beautiful traits one can possess. To have a REAL relationship with someone requires honesty…it requires hearing and giving input or feedback that may not always be popular…it means having the strength to tell it like it is and to not be afraid to face the consequences for doing so…it means loving people for who they really are…deep down…and not for what they appear to be.
- Sensitivity: So often we are focused on what is important to ourselves that we can forget about those around us. Those who are sensitive are often thoughtful, appreciative and loving, in a way that makes you feel understood, valued and respected. Often, sensitive people are also self-aware, making them mindful of how they impact others with what they do and say.
- Integrity: Call me cynical, but I think this characteristic is especially difficult to find. In a time when people will do things that are underhanded to make an extra buck (Bernie Madoff…can you hear me?), expose their personal lives to the public so they can be famous (balloon boy’s dad and any other reality TV mongers) and do what feels good in the moment without necessarily thinking of the consequences (Tiger Woods), integrity is a characteristic that is especially unique today.
- Humility: Whether someone is super-smart, extremely talented or drop-dead gorgeous, there is something extra special about them if they don’t come across as though they know it all the time. Humility in those that possess extraordinary traits make others feel special too.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Rice makes his mark
During Rice’s rookie season, he struggled with a steady succession of dropped passes, and fans were questioning whether Walsh had made a sound decision.
Rice took his game to a level that may never be matched. In 20 seasons with the 49ers, Raiders and Seahawks (for whom he played his final 11 games as a 42-year-old), Rice caught 1,549 passes for 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns – all records by a wide margin. No player has crossed the goal line more – Rice, with 10 rushing TDs, is the league’s all-time leader with 207 scores.
Rice took his game to a level that may never be matched. In 20 seasons with the 49ers, Raiders and Seahawks (for whom he played his final 11 games as a 42-year-old), Rice caught 1,549 passes for 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns – all records by a wide margin. No player has crossed the goal line more – Rice, with 10 rushing TDs, is the league’s all-time leader with 207 scores.
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