The way you leave a job says more about you than the way you started it. Recently Tiger Woods fired his caddy of 13 years, Steve Williams. Unfortunately for Mr. Williams, his public reaction to the event is a classic case of how not to walk away from a job. Whether or not Tiger was…
Could my money be more useful than my non-medical skills? I had to reason with myself about the merits of going on a week-long mission trip. Rationally the answer was a resounding “yes,” but, as it turns out, the answer is a big “no.” At first thought, I have no business being on a medical…
No one like detours. If you’re an impatient type-A person like me, you really hate detours. I don’t build enough margins in my day for extra time to get somewhere. By its own nature, a detour is a slower, longer, less convenient way to get anywhere. Who wants that? But it has been in the…
The storm was at full force by the time I finished my run. All I could see were dark clouds, lighting and rain all around me. It always amazes me how storms come out of nowhere, and in a matter of minutes can wreak so much havoc. Life’s storms often behave the same way. You’re…
I’m not a Mavericks or a Lakers’ fan. This post is not about basketball, but about character. Yesterday, Lakers center Andrew Bynum was ejected in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals sweep by Dallas after a dirty foul on Dallas Mavericks reserve guard J.J. Barea. With the Mavericks winning 98-68,…
I thought I was getting out on an early flight home. Time was tight but this was a small airport and my gate was literally less than 10 feet from security. I heard my name called over the intercom as I was collecting my bags. The TSA agent wanted to do extra screening of one…
Last time I was in Hong kong I bought a couple of Rolexes. Instead of costing thousands of dollars each, they cost less than 100 dollars for both watches. These are great-looking replicas of the original. From the heavy weight of the watch to the smooth second hand movement, these watches look and feel like…
Retail is a tough business these days. Mega stores are shutting down mom & pop operations all over the world. Saturday afternoon I visited a clothing store downtown Vienna that has been in business under the same family ownership for the past 108 years. That’s staying power. It has endured two world wars, bombings, fires,…
Expectations can help you grow. Unreasonable expectations will only frustrate all parties involved, however. My college organ teacher, (yes, I played the organ during college) Mr. Shanko was a crusty, old, organ virtuoso whose expectations helped me become a much better organist. What I didn’t know, however, is that the law of expectation would carry…
This is not an educational, inspirational, or leadership post. This is a confessional note, and I’m not proud it. Sometimes you have days where there’s not much left of your brains, patience or both at the end of a long haul. Yesterday was that day for me. I got home and by the time I…