Truths Are Caught, Not Taught
I believe that the task of a leader, as a parent at home or as a supervisor at work, is to find ways to bring…
…a time to fold ’em
Winners DO quit. They just quit rarely, selectively, intelligently, and for the right reasons. There is even scientific terminology to cover the topic: “Practicing Selective…
There is a reason to do every deal…
There is a reason to do every deal. And there is a reason NOT to do every deal. I do real estate deals. No deals?…
“There is a tide in the affairs of men…”
“There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life…
The Grass is Always Greener
Oh, we humans! We are soooooo predictably irrational. We keep making the same mistakes over and over and over again. It would be funny if…
“A fool with a plan can beat a genius without a plan” – T. Boone Pickens’ father
Every summer session I teach a module to the incoming students of the University of Florida Master of Science in Real Estate program. Just like…
Always Present Options: Focus on what you can do, rather than what you can’t do
“It is a central tenet of the Marines’ war fighting philosophy that each subordinate must provide options to his boss——tell him what you can do,…
Accessing Collective Intelligence
A lot of smart people (approximately 350 of them) work for The Collier Companies. My fellow Team Members possess an incredible collective storehouse of knowledge…
A good outcome does not always mean a good decision…
A good outcome does not necessarily mean a good decision was made, nor does a bad outcome necessarily mean a bad decision was made. While…
Responsible = Response Able
When you are “response able” you are able to choose your response. No “But I had no other choice.” No arguing for your weakness, no…
The Shortcomings of Superman
Okay, Superman is my favorite comic book character. Don’t ask me why. There really is no rhyme or reason to these things. If you were…
Expect Success, Plan for Failure
The more complex a system or situation, the more true this phrase is. I am a firm believer in having backups within backups for all…
Portion Control: Making Empowering Choices
A while back, I was at a dinner for a large group of people. I mean large both in terms of number (15 plus) and…
Coat & Tie vs. Global Warming: Which One Wins?
A recent New York Times article dealt with a 30-day experiment raising the thermostat settings (72 to 77 in general, 70 to 75 in conference…
You can’t win if you don’t play
You can’t win the game sitting on the bench. It’s hard to impact results standing on the sidelines. You have to get involved. You have…
Debt: Friend or Foe?
Debt: Friend or Foe? In some respects this is a silly question. I might as well ask “Food: Friend or Foe?” In moderation, consumed intelligently,…
Four Ways to Spend Money
There are four ways you can spend money: 1) “You can spend your own money on yourself. When you do that, you really watch out…
“Culture Matters: How Values Shape Human Progress”
“Culture Matters: How Values Shape Human Progress,” is a collection of essays edited by Lawrence E. Harrison and Samuel P. Huntington. Its axiom is that…
“I intend to” vs “Immediate I have”: Empowerment and win-win performance agreements
Empowerment has been globally defined as “the process of increasing the capacity of individuals or groups to make choices and to transform those choices into…
A Plug For Contentment
I think of contentment as the stepsister of happiness. If happiness is the swan, contentment is the ugly duckling. Everyone is pursuing happiness. Happiness gets…