Chris Brown Channeling Oliver North

Wasn’t it back in the 80s during the Iran–Contra affair that Oliver North successfully used the, “I have no recollection” defense? We knew Chris Brown was an idiot but now with his, “I remember beating her”, “I don’t remember beating her” story about his attacks on Rihanna he achieves an even lower scum rating. Is this guy for real?

http://blogs.tampabay.com/juice/2009/09/suddenly-chris-brown-remembers-beating-rihanna.html

Chris Brown Channeling Oliver North

Have You Bought any Underwear Lately?

Who knew that underwear could be such an economic indicator? According to this piece in the Washington Post, men’s underwear sales, or MUI, men’s underwear index, is a good indicator of what is going on with consumers. Hmmmm, it does make some sense don’t you think?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/30/AR2009083002761.html

Have You Bought any Underwear Lately?

1991 kidnapping suspect: Story is 'heart-warming'

I am not so sure about 'heart warming'. This story had me so outraged. My first instinct was to want this man dead. To bring back the death penalty for anyone who rapes a child. Then my dear friend Heather reminded me how that would be an easy way out for such an animal. An animal like this should suffer more. We have all heard how people who hurt children are treated in prison. We can only hope he gets what he deserves.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-08-27-calif-kidnap-victim_N.htm?csp=15

1991 kidnapping suspect: Story is 'heart-warming'

People Skills More Important Than Technical Skills

I often coach and teach people that your ability to deal effectively with people contributes greater to your success than your technical ability, especially as a leader. This is supported in a recent survey listed in Training Magazine:

When training participants were asked about the types of courses that would greatly increase their effectiveness at work.

1. Leadership skills
2. Dealing with conflict or difficult people
3. Technical knowledge related to my job

http://www.trainingmag.com/msg/content_display/publications/e3idb69280d465a66a25701da301b2a2d11

People Skills More Important Than Technical Skills

Women at Risk

Well said and worth a read...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/08/opinion/08herbert.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=bob%20hebert%20women%20at%20risk&st=cse

Women at Risk

10 Lessons on life from an MD

10 Lessons on Life

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.

Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.

Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.

Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.

Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.

Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.

Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.

Give the world the best you have anyway.

10 Lessons on life from an MD

The Platinum Rule

One of the top comments I get from managers and leaders I work with is, “Mark, today’s young people don’t have a work ethic”. My response to that is, YES they do, they just don’t have YOURS. If you are going to be an effective leader it means understanding how different generations think, how they communicate, what motivates THEM. Too many of us were brought up with the old Golden Rule mentality – Treat people the way you want to be treated. That is exactly the reason we have so many relationship and communication issues. Not everyone wants the same things as you or me.

In some organizations today we are dealing with three, four and even five generations. And then you factor in the four different personality/behavioral styles of the people in our lives. It’s important to be multi-lingual, and I don’t mean by ethnicity. To effectively lead people you must understand the wants, needs, desires and communication style of each generation and personality style, then speak THEIR language. It means dropping the golden rule and adopting the platinum rule – Treat people the way THEY want to be treated.

Feel free to contact me if you would like to learn more about personality styles or working with different generations. Here are a few helpful links for dealing with Generation Y (born between the years of 1982 and 2000 and are currently ages 7-26)

Managing Generation Y

Managing Generation Y as They Change the Workforce

Communicating with Twentysomethings

A Boomer's Guide to Communicating with Gen X and Gen Y

Gen Y v. Boomers: Generational Differences in Communication

The Platinum Rule