I took accounting in college, got a C, and was grateful to make it through. It just didn’t come easily. At 19, I couldn’t envision a time when I would need to read a profit and loss statement. The best thing about it was it was a summer course so I could study at the university pool, and the boy who volunteered to tutor me was pretty cute.It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy courses outside my major, journalism. I loved biolog...

I was driving on the Mass Pike (never a place where you want to take your eyes off the road, even for a itsy bitsy nanosecond) but couldn’t help being temporarily distracted by a funny new JetBlue billboard. ”Knees have rights, too.” Four little words. A big idea. Gets you thinking. Jet Blue has decided that torturing passengers is in fact not a good business practice. If their ad campaigns haven’t won every award i...

I used to be a devotee of the CBS show “Survivor.” It’s fascinating the way that human beings adapt and live through horrible, if contrived circumstances. In the corporate world, the equivalent of Survivor is the dreaded business meeting. You don’t have to be wearing a loin cloth and eating worms to feel like a contestant. Running from meeting to meeting, you must learn to outwit, outlast and outplay.Like travelers in a...

I’ve never met Bill Clinton but many of my friends have, and all say the same thing about him. He’s so...in the moment. When he shakes your hand he focuses on you like you’re the most important person in the world. For that fleeting moment – 30 seconds or a minute- you believe you’re his nhew BFF. Even if you’re a Republican.That got me wondering – what would Bill Clinton do if his cell phone rang while he was locked in...

"Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes, but no plans." - Peter DruckerA few years ago a client of our firm who had just wrapped up a three hour coaching session was walking out the door of our office. Don't forget to e-mail it to me by Friday,I overheard the coach say. Gee I don't know when I'm going to do it, I'm so busy this week, but I will try to get it to you,replied the client.What do you th...

You learn a lot from the savvy traveler who has to fly coach. Of course they all carry on; and they’ve learned to stand as close to the miserable airline representative collecting boarding passes as is socially acceptable. This way they are positioned to sail forth with alacrity onto the jetway when their row is called.This is critical because it guarantees a prized overhead luggage spot - you’re two steps ahead of the va...

The other day at a Starbucks on Cape Cod my colleague Dave seemed distracted. “I’m sorry, I just can’t take my eyes of this group of kids.” Four boys who I’d guess were between the ages of 14 and 16 sat facing each other - their high end laptops open to separate gaming or Internet sites. 45 minutes later when Dave and I got up to leave they were still locked in this activity. As far as I could observe they hadn’t spoken...

I really don’t want to write this article. You know, the one on the use of Blackberries in meetings. Shellie, our business manager, is making me do it.I don’t want to write this because I don’t have all the answers. But Shellie is right. If the business world doesn’t get a handle on this insidious, pervasive, focus-sucking problem; we’re all going to go just a tiny bit crazy.So...here goes.If your company, your group or...

“To err is human, to forgive divine.” - An Essay in Criticism, by Alexander Pope, English Poet, (1688-1744) You have to feel for Ann Curry. The Today show anchor figuratively tripped and fell during her commencement speech at Wheaton College in Norton, MA. Oh, she was still on her feet, but the pain must have felt as searing as a bloody knee when Curry was made aware that the famous Wheaton alumni she named in her speech r...

I couldn’t believe I did it.Just kill me now.I was responding to an email from our consultant Sarah. I don’t know why. I hit REPLY ALL.Tell me you’ve done it too. (Please.)Okay here’s what happened. I was in a hurry. (check one.)I assumed it was from my consultant with a copy to our business manager. (check two).I didn’t review the name in that second line. (check three.)I was trying to be clever. (check four.)I did...