The Everything Store?

When I was growing up in Philadelphia, whenever we needed something we went to Wanamaker's (or sometimes Gimbels).   I can remember wandering through their book department, their perfume and cosmetic section routinely when I was going anywhere downtown.  When I moved to the Twin Cities in my 20s, Dayton's performed the same function.   We bought everything from appliances to health and beauty products there.

But, times have changed.  The old department stores  narrowed their merchandise as more and more specialty stores arose.  They focus on clothing and some products for the home.  One goes here for books, there for electronics, still another store for home goods, etc.   Life has become more complicated.   Going from store to store takes a lot of time.

In her classic book, Simplify Your Life,  Elaine St. James talks about simplifying your shopping life, by combining as many errands as possible into one trip or mall.   She strikes a chord with me, and obviously with a lot of other people, or the outlet malls would not be so successful.   When we travel to Orlando for Disney World, we probably spend almost as much time perusing the outlet malls as the parks.

When online shopping began to emerge, a store that originally specialized in books broadened its inventory and now is widely called the "everything store."   I know when I need something unusual, the first place I look is Amazon.com where I buy everything from generic allergy medicine to the filters for my refrigerator and for my humidifier.   Anyone who has shopped for a humidifier filter in town knows what frustration is.
And even the appliance store where I bought my refrigerator does not stock that model filter.  

Amazon filled a niche, empty for years, with the decline of the all-purpose department store, and it is available with the touch of a few keys and two day delivery.    I love Amazon.   It has saved me a lot of time, energy, and money.   And its Kindle app has opened the doors to literature at your finger tips.  If someone suggests a new book, I immediately open my amazon.com link and either order it or download a sample to my Ipad.   Yes, it is the everything store, and I, for one, am grateful for it.

Tactics as a Substitute for Good Leadership

I just finished the new book Double Down: Game Change 2012.     This detailed analysis of the 2012 election is riveting.  I could not put it down.   I loved the book.
At the same time, it was depressing to reflect on the real story.  Most of the time, the election narrative discussed tactics each campaign used (all candidates were treated).  
While there were a few major strategic decisions, there were few signs of leadership on the part of the candidates.  The eye was on the prize: election, and how to get there.   From the weakest to the strongest candidates, the agenda was clear:  to get elected.
The majority of the time was on tactics.
Whether the focus was on campaign infighting or conflicting advice from consultants, the campaigns were about winning, not leading or governing.

I then thought about the examples all around us.  So much of "leadership" is tactical -- how we appear before others, how to achieve our short term goals.  Very little is strategic or long term.  Very little is true leadership.

How Early Do we Shop for Christmas?

First a disclaimer.  Generally, I shop for Christmas presents year around.  Yes, I am one of those people everyone hates.   I have done already most of my Christmas shopping (I also use gift cards a lot!!!).  And I have a relatively small family.
This year, there is one less shopping week between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  That may be the reason all the stores began to put up Christmas displays early (September, in some stores) and pre-Black Friday specials are everywhere.  Today I received a preview version of Target's Black Friday catalog.   Many sales assert current prices are the Black Friday prices.   So we buy.

..Christmas shopping is an essential part of the American economy and the year-end balance sheet.  I had a discussion with some people in the spring as to whether all the Christmas displays, etc.  unduly favored one religious group in the population.  I argued no because much of this has lost all (not some) of its religious significance.  It now is a matter of the economic balance sheet.  

The number of Christmas themed objects seems to grow.  I bought gingerbread flavored breakfast bread this morning (just having finished my pumpkin swirl breakfast bread).   I just returned from an errand where I saw mini Christmas trees made of every conceivable material.  Enough to decorate every room in the house.

Is it too much?  Yes.  Is it fun?  Yes.   I love Christmas so I don't have a problem with this but many do.   The shopping extravaganza tempts us all, and many people spend more than they should.  

it's fun.   Use discretion.  Enjoy the decorations!  Put things in perspective.  Relax and enjoy!

Making decisions in the public eye

Last week, like many other people, I was suffering over the issue of Syria.   The media had zeroed in on the decision process, trying to analyze and over-analyze every morsel dropped by a member of the administration.

I thought to myself, how can we make good decisions in this way?   At one point, the president said he was undecided.   Everyone is undecided until a decision is reached.   But, in the media it was treated as symptomatic of indecision.  

As was discussed on last Sunday's Reliable Sources (CNN) the media are excited when possibilities of or military responses are raised.   The media were sounding the drums of war, as some of the analysts noted. One international report I read even mentioned that Frday night, August 30, was the anticipated moment to strike.    Fortunately that moment came and went.

I am glad that the weekend served to cool responses, after the president mentioned that he would consult Congress.   That in itself will delay any response.

Good decision making requires one to sift possibilities and discuss options and their possible repercussions.  As one analyst phrased it today,  these sorts of decisions have to be treated as a chess game, not a checkers game.    An unintended consequence of the war in Iraq has been to leave Iran as the most important power in Middle East since Iraq, once its equal, has been weakened immeasurably.

An attack on Syria, however surgiical or brief, may have a ripple effect throughout the Middle East.  To do nothing may also have a ripple effect.  It is not an easy decision.

It is a decision that needs to be made by cool heads, considering all the ramifications of any move or inaction.  It needs time and time away from the media eyes, insofar as possible.

Film Critics

Ever since I wrote about the new book on trends in film (see my earlier blog), I have been watching the film scene more closely.  I fail to find any film currently playing the major theaters that I would pay to see.  I see films that I would have to be paid to endure!!!

Recently Hallmark launched its delightful series Cedar Cove.   It is refreshing and wholesome and very interesting.  Some of us look forward eagerly to each week's new episode.   But, if I  read the critics' reviews first, I would have never have watched it.  

It is dismissed as saccharine fluff  in sarcastic language.  

The latest gruesome first run films deserve panning, but Cedar Cove  is a breathe of fresh air.

The film critics need to sit back and think about society.  What makes a better contribution to society?  The latest gruesome thriller or the refreshing Cedar Cove that makes us think about the best in our own lives?

We have become sophisticated and brittle in  society and dismissive of films that espouse small town life and good values as "Hallmark."   We should be glad Hallmark is willing to make these films, unlike the major part of the film industry that wants only violent serials and blockbusters.

The Vocation of Leadership

Many aspire to be leaders.   The reasons vary.  Fame. Glory.  Service. Personality.  Drive. Money.  I can go on and on.

But, if we feel called to lead where we are here and now, that may very well be our vocation.   It is not a matter of seeking a lofty position.or making a lot of money.  It is a matter of serving here and now, where we are, and in what we are doing.  

It may not be lofty.   It may be heading a bake sale at a school or church.  It may be coaching a kids' team.  It may be leading a PTA.   In these examples, serving is the key.   Someone has to lead, but few want the responsibility.   Assuming the responsibility for the task is a leadership role, and it may very well be our vocation.  

Leadership opportunities come up every day.   Often we tune them out or ignore them.   If we listen for those opportunities, we may find our calling.  In every day life.  Without glory.  Without recognition.  But it is true leadership and it may be out calling.  

Whatever happened to the movies???

Have you gone to the movies lately?  I have not.  There seems to be a festival of violence, animated films, and a lot of serialized films, such as Pirates of the Caribbean and others like it. 
I have not had the urge to go to the movies for a long while even though I have a major theater nearby.   I have not seen Lincoln yet, but will see it when it is available on Netflix.  
Even the new films on Netflix do not seem to appeal to me, and I go back to  old classics. 
What has happened?   Lynda Obst, in her new book, Sleepless in Hollywood,  a noted Hollywood producer, tells us that the criteria for  a new film are whether it will sell abroad and whether it can be serialized.   An occasional exception is made for superstars such as George Clooney and Brad Pitt.  
What we think of as women's films have essentially disappeared.   The rationale is that women will go to see men's films, but men will not go to see women's films.  This woman refuses to go to the intentionally violent, spooky, bizarre, and outerworldly.   I also think there is enough animation on TV that it is unnecessary on the big screen.

I wonder whether the executives in Hollywood watch the films they make or whether they confine their viewing to the $$$$ on the spreadsheet.
Film as an art form is vanishing.    I am a long time film buff and film collector.   I am frustrated as are many other people.   Attendance at films is going down and has declined for a long while.   It is time for Hollywood to reconsider its role.   a

Be careful what you wish for....

We all have items on  our wishlist that we would like to acquire.   Then perhaps we get some of them, and we wonder: why did I want this?
I have a funny case in point.

A few years ago, a well-known retailer advertised a multipurpose cake server, salad bowl, hors d'oeuvre server, and punch bowl.   I had to have it and put it high on my Christmas wish list.  I received, and everyone commented, as I did, how wonderful.  Can we borrow it for such an event?
Fast forward to a couple of years later;  the dish set was still sitting in the original box, which clearly showed all its uses.  I decided to unpack it.   It is huge and heavy.  Now I have to figure out where to store it.  Yes, its multipurpose functionality is impressive, but it is HUGE.   Where do I put it?   I am not sure it will fit in my one empty Christmas shelf.  Empty because I have given away a lot of stuff to friends and charities in recent months.

Minor pet peeves

We all have pet peeves and they shift over time.   A couple of my current pet peeves are the following:

Iconic.  Have you noticed that everything currently is iconic?  Performances, films, appearance?   Listen at how often this word comes up in the media.

Another pet peeve.  When you ask someone for a website or a link, they start out with www.    Why?  All websites have www.  Do they think you have never looked something up before?  Don't they realize that the various systems (explorer, google, firefox) all insert the www. automatically?

Why are we surprised?

With the latest data revelations about the federal government, the most surprising element is the surprise that people are expressing.

We are in an era of social media, where many details of our lives are publicly displayed on the internet, from our birthday to our feelings of frustration often expressed publicly on Facebook.   Retailers know our preferences and market them accordingly.   Amazon regularly tells me about products/books related to earlier purchases.  
It is only natural that with all these resources that the government can monitor as well as Amazon or other retailers.
The only surprise for me is why they did not uncover the Boston bombers earlier, with their international calls, trips, etc.   Hopefully, the next time the Russians send a tip, our security agencies will heed it.  

Defining and Living Our Priorities

Most people (including me most of the time) tend to think that defining your priorities means sitting down seriously with pen and paper (or perhaps a notebook computer) and outlining your life's priorities.   That is a good exercise and useful to do from time to time.  I recommend it in some of my leadership classes and workshops.  It can be good to do a "time out" to define and re-define one's life priorities.

But our priorities in reality are manifested in what we do on a daily basis.   Just a few examples.  If we choose to linger over the newspaper and coffee in the morning before work instead of going ahead with our chores, that demonstrates a priority.   If we choose to go to the gym or grocery shopping on Sunday morning instead of church that too demonstrates our priorities.

If a man chooses to go out with the guys instead of playing with his children, he is revealing his priorities.  If  a woman prefers "girls' night out" to playing with her children, she too is revealing our priorities.

Instead of sitting down and thoughtfully planning the "ideal" life priorities, it is a better, more realistic exercise to sit down and record how we actually live our days.   Then we can look it over and ask:  what can I change?  What can I eliminate?   What are my priorities?    There are some givens:  work, sleep, etc.   Look at  your life.   Don't eliminate the basics but think about the other things in your life.  What is essential? What is dispensable?

A key is simplifying our life.  It can be done.  Not overnight, but a little at a time, perhaps over years.

We can start now by examining our lives and then asking:  what does my life say about me?  What are my priorities?   This is what I have chosen.   Is this what I want?     It is up to all of us to define our priorities by living them.

Why Do Little Things Bother Us?

I have spent years getting myself to be calm in most situations, and most of the time I succeed.  However, not always.   Sylvia Boorstein, the noted author and consultant, who combines Buddhism and Judaism, once said she is two words away from losing her equanimity.   She has spent years cultivated calmness and inner peace, as I have I.
In Sylvia's case, the two words are : "Hello, Ma," at the other end of the telephone!

Yesterday, I lost my calmness as well, when a charity to which I regularly donate wrote a letter telling me I was behind in my long-term pledge.   The fact is that I paid off my pledge early, and that apparently has caused havoc with their bookkeeping. 

For the next couple of hours, off and on,  as my tension rose, I checked three years of files on my current computer, and then went to my back-up hard drive to find older records.  By 11 last night I had reconstructed the whole pattern of giving, but had also given myself a good tension headache and a tenseness throughout my whole body.

Why?   Why do we let this happen?   I have no easy answers.  I think it is a dilemma that everyone faces.    So, we keep trying not to sweat the small things, but in the meantime, what do I do about this tension headache? 

Have we lost our moral compass?

Of late, I have been pondering what many have pondered before.  Have we as a nation lost our moral compass?
It seems as if  in our search for acceptance, freedom and inclusion, anything goes.   We not only have left our sense of judgment, we seem not to know what to judge.

We see more and more examples of erratic and bizarre behavior.   Sandy Hook, the kidnappings in Cleveland, the bombings in Boston, and countless other events have come to our attention.   Plus all of the business malpractices of the past decade, which may not have directly killed people, but indirectly shortened their lives through stress, loss of life savings, etc.

Where is the indignation? Have we become desensitized so that nothing bothers us?

There is a tendency to protect the rights of the individual to the extreme.   In defense of freedom we are perhaps becoming one of the most dangerous countries in the world.
It is time to wake up and ask ourselves.  What do we believe?  Whom do want to protect?  What do we want to protect?  Where are we going as a nation?

Reflection and Leadership

It does not matter which leadership "advice" book you read.  Everyone mentions the role of reflection.  Invariably as I teach my graduate students who are working professionals, I find that most balk at the suggestion of finding time for reflection in their daily schedule.

All of us are busy.  We all understand that.   Over the years, I have had students mention every conceivable reason why they have little or no time for reflection.   I look deeply into my own life and find the same thing.  There were months and years in which I had little time for reflection.  When I would eventually find time to reflect, I found that it did make a difference.

Now that I have been teaching about leadership for numerous years, I am more aware (of course) of the importance of reflection and make time for it.

I don't do daily reflection, but I try to make reflection a part of my life.   Finding even 10-15 minutes alone (even 5) during the day can help.   At work, sometimes close the door (or if there is no door), take a walk during lunch and sit on a park bench or walk along.

Drop the iPhone or Android phone for a few minutes.   There are few people more devoted to e-mail than I, but I avoid taking out my iPad, Blackberry or other tools in social settings.    I don't text.  I send e-mails instead.  It achieves the same thing but does not signal the person and does not require a separate word structure.     Instead of looking at your mobile device during breaks, close your eyes and reflect.  Reflect on your life, your goals, your progress.  Good luck.

Pope Francis as Servant Leader

We all read a great deal about servant leadership as part of our work on servant leadership.  But, it is rare to observe it.
In the life of Padre Bergoglio, now Pope Francis,  servant leadership comes alive.  I recently read one of the new biographies (the one by Andrea Tornielli, an Italian journalist).
In his life, there are so many examples of servant leadership:  his simplicity, his personal outreach to many, and his refusal to compromise his beliefs and principles.   A man of great integrity and knowledge, Padre Jorge has lived  fully a life as a follower of Jesus.  Bergoglio's life in Argentina was never easy, but it claimed his full dedication to the work of the Lord.

Attempts to demean his work in Argentina were politically inspired, since prominent political leaders did not appreciate his opposition to their policies and acts of suppression.

As apparent from his homilies since becoming Pope, he is a man of relatively few words.  I appreciate his pithy homilies which are more memorable than a lengthy exegesis might be.  A scholar and author, he appreciates the value of words, but uses them sparingly, even quoting St. Francis about preaching the Gospel and when necessary, using words.   Padre Bergoglio has preached by action and example, as well as words.  Recognition of his direct approach to the Gospel is the reason that he has evoked quiet enthusiasm among Christian observers, both Catholic and those from other denominations.  

The "cost" of commuting

In the present era many of us work at remote sites from from the workplace, but are connected by computer, e-mail, phone, fax, skype, and so on.
More and more people now work at home or at locations far from the work site.    There is a temptation of course, many say, to "goof off" more than in the structured workplace or to wear pajamas all day, but in the long run, perhaps one gets more done.  It may depend on the discipline of the individual.

For me, there is no danger of lounging in pjs all day.  I have always been a person who gets dressed immediately in the am.   I don't even go to breakfast in a robe except for a rare occasion when I have a dress-up event early in the day and want to avoid soiling a fancy outfit.   And yes, I do some tasks during the day like laundry but these normally take less time than a coffee break.  

On the other hand, now that I am semi-retired, I rarely go to the office except for class or special meetings.   The other day I had to go to the office to observe a class.   On the whole it took 3.5 hours.   I left at 9:30, the latest one can leave and hope to get a parking space.   I had some time in the office, and reviewed the class, then picked up my coat and supplies and drove home.  Lapsed time was 3.5 hours.  An entire morning         plus most of the noon hour taken up to observe a one hour class.  

A lot of time on the road -- About 1 hour roundtrip in the non-rush hour.  Plus the physical toll that a long drive in traffic takes cannot be understated.

I am becoming an enthusiast of working at a distance when possible.  I hold numerous conferences with colleagues and students from a distance and found them useful and productive.  Since my graduate students are working adults, most of our consultations occur while they are at their workplace and I am working at home.  It is efficient for them and for me.  If they have to come to meet me in the office, most of them also have an hour roundtrip commute and lose an hour out of their workdays.  
It is a win-win situation for us both to consult at a distance.

Efficient and less costly in terms of time and effort.

The Death of A Great Leader

As someone who studies leadership, I use the term great leader sparingly.   There are a lot of wannabe great leaders, but few truly great leaders.   Margaret Thatcher was a great leader.  Her death today brings to the end the life of the first female prime minister of a major western country.   I did not always agree with either her policies or her leadership style.  But, she was determined and uncompromising.   She was often called "the iron lady," which was both a tribute to her determination and a slur against women leaders.   Men are rarely if ever called "an iron leader."   Stalin cultivated the notion of being the man of steel, but few male leaders are compared to metal.  
At the present time, Angela Merkel is sometimes called "the iron frau."   When a woman leader is determined, she is likely to be labeled in some way that can have a double meaning.  

If Hillary Clinton ever becomes president, I suspect she too will be labeled with some variant of "the iron lady."

Margaret was  a path breaker.  The Iron Lady, the film about her life that came out in the last couple of years did little to tell the story of the real Margaret Thatcher.    It had selected flashbacks from a frail elderly lady who appeared to suffer from dementia.  Some events were highlighted but the film, despite Meryl's fabulous acting, gave us a distorted view of  Margaret Thatcher in power.   It was a powerful film on dementia, but not a true political  statement of her contributions.

Farewell, Margaret, and rest in peace.  

Pope Francis and Servant Leadership

This has been an exciting week for Catholics around the world as they waited to learn who the new Pope would be.
The selection of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, a man considered by some as "too old" to become Pope, was a bold step.   The new Pope is a man known for his commitment to servant leadership who has led a life full of challenges and in keeping with humility and modesty.   In his life he has already demonstrated servant leadership for many years.
In less than two days, he has shown what he will do.  Wearing only the white cassock, not the elaborate cape of the Pope, wearing ordinary shoes, paying his own hotel bill, and riding in a mini bus rather than in a limousine were small notes.  Today for the meeting with cardinals, he asked them to wear their black cassocks, not the more elaborate red cassocks of cardinals.
These are all symbolic acts, but symbolism sometimes tells us more about a leader than do words.  

A corporate CEO who tells his employees that there  will be cutbacks and lives a lavish jet set life style gives a strong message.  A non-profit CEO who asks for our funds and takes a huge salary himself also sends a message.

Pope Francis is sending a message that he will pursue a path of humility.   At the same time, in our age, we have to remember that security needs may require him to have more isolation than he may want.  Pope Francis may have to acquiesce to the limousine or popemobile for security against his own preferences.  Such is the tragedy of modern life.

Knowing when it is time....

An important point for leaders  is to know when it is time to leave... Often the perks of a position make it too attractive to stay even beyond one's effectiveness.


This morning the world heard that Pope Benedict XVI plans to resign at the end of the February (18 days from now).   As Cardinal Ratzinger he observed the long, slow decline of Pope John Paul II.   I believe that a couple of years ago he indicated that he was open to resignation if he could not continue at full strength (I don't have the exact information).  
Now he has taken a bold step:  the first Pope in 600 years to resign.  It is a courageous step.  It is a rational step by a man who has devoted his life to careful, rational thinking.   I applaud his courage...

Would that many political leaders would have similar courage!

The Leadership Persona: Image or Illusion?

Do you ever see someone who looks like a leader and who talks like a leader?  I do.   Recently I have been reflecting on what I call "the leadership persona."    This can be defined as the public face of the leader.   But, do we look beyond the public face?
Often what we find is that the image is only an illusion.   One can cultivate  leadership dignity and a careful way of speaking and thus project an image of leadership.  

As I thought about some positional leaders, I wanted to probe more deeply in their persona. In some cases, there is very little below the surface.  The surface has been carefully cultivated and groomed to project "perfection."  It is a performance that has become part of the person's very self.

But, as one goes more deeply, one finds there is almost nothing of the deliberative, thoughtful leader below the surface.  There is caution, yes, but also uncertainty rather than decisiveness.

So much attention has been placed on creating the outer leader image that there is little of substantive leadership below the surface.

As a classic movie buff, one of my favorites is Cary Grant.  Grant never won an Academy Award for a single performance although he may have won some sort of lifetime achievement award.   But, he deserved an Academy Award for his greatest performance, that of the creation of Cary Grant.   Grant focused very much on creating that public persona.  Sometimes when filming he would respond to a request thus: Cary Grant would not do that.  Grant had a firm image of the persona he had created and how that persona would react and behave.

So too does the illusory leader.  That individual knows how he or she should respond as a leader and follows that formula.  
As we examine leadership we should become aware of what is illusion and what is real leadership.

Role of the Secretary of State: Leadership or Execution

Today, February 1, 2013, is Secretary Hillary Clinton's last day as Secretary of State.   The debate on her impact is puzzling.   The crux of the matter is whether she has a "great achievement" and whether she will have a lasting impact.

When is the last time that a Secretary of State operated independently of the President?   The Secretary of State implements foreign policy designed by an administration.  Clinton has done this with grace and great energy.

I don't recall a similar debate about other recent Secretaries of State.  

Are our expectations higher for HRC as a leader than for others?  Are we in fact measuring whether she is ready to be the presidential candidate in 2016?

I do not recall a similar discussion about Powell, Rice, Albright, or other recent Secretaries.   Even with some of the giants like Kissinger and Dulles, we have reason to believe that they were skillful in executing the policies of their respective presidents, most if not all of the time.

The Secretary of State is a leader in terms of leading the public dialogue and heading the Department of State.  The Secretary of State is not an independent foreign policy initiator.