Archive for the Big Picture

2 new books I’ve discovered that crystallize why we don’t do what we know we should, and what to do about it:

Change or Die, by Alan Deutchman, you can read about it at Fast Company  http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/94/open_change-or-die.html
Strategy and the Fat Smoker, by David Maister, you can listen to a bit of his podcast and download a […]

“The best kind of giving is thanksgiving.” Chesterton.
My dog is the most thankful creature I know. All I need to do is be with her. If there’s fetching involved, a state of bliss will likely be achieved. Wanda doesn’t hold a grudge, either. She forgets that I’m the one who takes her to the dreaded groomer, […]

On the day in question, I went to work at my office at Merrill Lynch’s US Private Client headquarters in Plainsboro, NJ. My 2 year-old was home with our babysitter. My husband went to his job in Manhattan. As with anyone in financial services in NJ, I worked with a lot of folks in NYC; they […]

There are 3 keys to reaching your goals:

Know where you’re going
Know where you are now
Know why you’re where you are now

You’re thinking that I’ve once again demonstrated my firm grasp of the obvious- yes, it’s obvious- but not easy. My job is to ensure my clients get from point A to point B. Once we’ve answered […]

Wrapping up the kayak thing…after lunch I had to get the car out of the garage and then get the kayaks back on the rack while in the middle of a narrow, busy street. Getting them off was waaaay easier than getting them on. I am eternally grateful for Donald & Steve, the garage guys who more […]

“Summer afternoon - Summer afternoon…the two most beautiful words in the English language.”  Henry James
First priority- enjoy the day. Whatever the weather, whatever your worries, find the reasons to love your day. Take care of yourself. What would it mean if you get out of the office early, really early? Leave clean- know what next […]

The “addition by subtraction” phrase came from a client; we were talking about staffing changes at the time- but there are many situations where your business and your life can benefit from subtraction. In no particular order, here are some areas to consider as you decide whether there are subtractions you might make:

A staff member is not […]

During the school year, my daughter and I walk to school nearly every day. Last year the town’s hardware store closed- couldn’t compete with Home Depot. The spot sold quickly, and rumors started to fly- what was going into the space? (not much news in Cranbury, NJ) We were put out of our […]

Old news…Sprint “fired” clients that called customer service 40-60 times a month. Whether or not you think Sprint has a good product or quality client service- this was a great move.
Two kinds of clients you should think about firing. One is the client that has unreasonable expectations, questions fees, pays late, refers other crappy business, […]

Tough week. Last Friday my gym buddy, Bob, collapsed and was taken to the hospital. Our context is the gym, so I didn’t hear anything until I went back on Monday. Bob passed away, a stroke. The last conversation we had, he was laughing and bragging, because he’d just dropped another pants size. He was going […]