Time is running out, tell Congress not to raise taxes on volunteer firefighters and EMTs!

Volunteering in your community is one of the greatest things you can do. Emergency fire and rescue volunteers may be your neighbors and store owners. They deserve some of the stipends they may receive for their efforts. They are well trained and risk their lives to save yours and protect your property. Help them by contacting Congress and getting your representatives to stop raising taxes. Time is running out, tell Congress not to raise taxes on volunteer firefighters and EMTs!

Its about Respect and Rememberance

     May 30th is the day we will officially recognize and observe Memorial Day.  Interestingly, this day used to be referred to as Decoration Day and was the day we remember those who had given their lives in the nation's service and the day we decorated their grave sites.  Many towns hold services and in Bethel, Connecticut we hold memorial services and a traditional home town parade. 

     As a Vietnam Era veteran, I find it increasingly important to pay respect to those who have given their lives so I can enjoy the freedoms I am priviledged to have.  Maybe its my age, maybe its observing how young our people in the armed forces appear to be (we were too), maybe its about knowing how invincible and immortal they feel (great military training), maybe its now how much they love this country and are willing to lay down their lives to protect our freedoms. 

     We are all blessed to be in this country.  Anyone who has had to opportunity to visit other countries, to study other ideologies, to understand other cultures, knows the advantage of being an American and also knows and understands how the world has changed dramatically in how others see us as well.  All things considered, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. 

     I truly respect all of you who have served, are serving, or will be in the service of this country.  Its an awesome job, its incredibly rewarding, its dangerous, but you grow up with a whole different perspective of what your freedoms are worth and what you are willing to pay for them.  I am constantly reminded that freedom isn't free.  I have a very

high degree of respect  and admiration for your sacrifices and will make sure you are all remembered on this Memorial Day and every day I enjoy my freedoms.

IBM's Centennial and Leadership

Leadership changes are frequently needed dependent on changes in technology, business climate, the environment of world events. We are all experiencing all of these issues on a continual basis and to a great degree at extremes if we are personally involved. The latest series of world catastrophes accentuates our emotional reactions, sometimes masking the realistic view of events, natural world events, occurring naturally. There are events with huge impacts which we have no control over. Hard to believe, but we cannot control everything. Nature’s forces can be unrelenting and nature’s forces have no emotion, no feeling, no compassion, no judgment, just impact.

So, why bring this up in an article about leadership? Quite frankly, leaders focus on issues and events which they can do something about. They channel their energies and resources to resolve complex issues, prevent those which they are able in the future, learn quickly from the experiences and put a strategy in place to avoid the problem in the future and grow from what they have learned. IBM will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Sam Palmisano will also turn 60, which is the age where IBM’s CEO’s have stepped down and passed on the gavel. I have had the opportunity to work in IBM during the tenure of Frank Cary, John Opel, John Akers, Louis Gerstner, and Sam Palmisano. Each of these CEO’s had unique styles which were needed during their era. IBM has been successful because of this and “took a revitalized IBM and made it the envy of the tech world and the darling of investors.” (FORTUNE, March 21, 2011 pg 115). Sam has taken “long term” to a new level. IBM is his life and he connects with clients throughout the world to grow the business, increase his span of relationships, and ensure the next CEO inherits a much improved company. Who will be next? Will it be Virginia Rometty or Michael Daniels. Or, perhaps Rod Adkins. All of these potential candidates are extremely bright, thoughtful leaders with an eye on the future and with IBM blue blood coursing through their veins. They are experienced individuals who will have an application of their needed style and leadership as they take the reins of IBM and lead it into the future.

As Tom Watson Sr. said, “All the problems of the world could be settled if people were only willing to think. The trouble is that people very often resort to all sorts of devices in order not to think, because thinking is such hard work.”

Has your organization taken the time to think about its future? Has it created a talent pool of future leaders? Do you have a program to nurture future leaders after identifying the required competencies and behaviors to meld all global cultures to thrive and excel? If you haven’t, you better escalate your efforts and get the people who can help you.

Image via WikipediaInterested in what IBM has done in 100 years and about IBMers?  Click on this link-> 100 years of IBM to see 100 years of IBM in 13 minutes.

What about the burning of the Quran

Image via WikipediaI found myself investigating the very core of my values when I heard about the pastor in Florida who is advocating an international day of burning the Quran.  At first I felt a strong disapproval, then slid into a feeling of agreement.  I started to feel as if "they" feel "they" can burn our flag, our Bibles, our books, why are "they " so upset about burning theirs? Isn't this about equal treatment?  You disrespect me, I disrespect you!  But wait!  Isn't our culture one which sets us apart from others?  Isn't our tolerance for your belief and for you to practice your religious beliefs a value which sets us apart?  Isn't it also our intolerance to actions which damage or cause injury to others as they practice their religion make us who we are?  I believe it is.  I believe our core values are the ones which set us apart from others.  I think the majority of us believe anyone is entitled to observe their faith and religion as they wish as long as it does not cause any type of harm to anyone else.  Alexis de Tocqueville in his book Democracy in America published in 1835, saw in America a balance of liberty and equality for individuals as well as community.  He observed the notion of Christianity and liberty so intimate in our lives that one cannot be conceived without the other.  He stated America is one of the freest and most enlightened nations in the world.  He stated this in 1835!  Burning books is not the answer.  We Americas have a high tolerance for many people and many beliefs.  We voice our disgust and anger at flag burnings and destruction of religious artifacts.  However, we don't join into that type of barbaric and uncivilized behavior.  Its what makes us who we are.  Its what makes us Americans.  Its what puts us above the fray.  Book burning is not the answer and past history has proven this fact.

Cover of Democracy in America (Signet Classics)

United Stgates Postal Service - not all it says it is!

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     I recently sent a gift card to some friends in New Port Richie, Florida from the US Post Office in Newtown, CT. and asked what would be the safest way to send it as well as a US Passport I needed to send for renewal.  The Postal workers said, Certified Mail so I could track it.  So, I did.  They put it in an additional postal envelope, I signed some documents and off they went. 
     Fortunately the Passport made the cycle without a hitch.  The gift card did not.  I got into a semi heated discussion with the Postal clerk about the tracking (the tracking system said it hadn't even left the facility yet) and they said, "We can guarantee you its not here."  I obviously asked how, and they said that every piece of certified mail must go out the same day.  I then obviously asked, where is mine.  They said not here.  So, you can see where this is going.  Logically if their system says it hasn't moved and they said it because it hasn't arrived at the receiving location and having checked the receiving location, its not there, I would think the Newtown CT post office must still have it.  But, they say, "No." 
     Ok, I will play by the rules.  I wait 30 days, file a complaint.  The Newtown Office responds to the complaint by basically saying, it's not their problem.  I then call the USPS Consumer affairs people and Mathew, call sign BIOFKO on April 28th states I will have a response within 2 business days.  I call again today (May 11) because I have not received any response, which I think I have given then sufficient time to respond...well over 2 business days.  So, after talking to the Consumer Affairs people at their hot line they say that the only thing that is really trackable is express mail.  Hmmmm, interesting...  So, in reply I reaffirm what they are saying is that registered and certified mail guarantees nothing unless you send it express mail.  She says yes.  So get this...WE ARE ALL PAYING FOR THOSE EXTRA SERVICES WHICH GUARANTEE NOTHING.  And they wonder why they are losing business and customers. 
     In short, the trusted USPS is not longer to be trusted and our reliance on their commitment to service and wanting us to feel sorry for them for being underpaid and overworked, well, for me, that is just gone out the window.  I will pursue this as far as I can.  Its about trust and responsibility and ethics at this point and I am not giving up.

How much will you pay for your drop down oxygen mask?

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US airlines have been complaining about profits and loss of revenue and are thinking about innovative ways to get more money from their customers. The interesting thing is that they are driving their customers away with the petty way they are trying to save their business. We have some advice for the leadership of the major airlines companies and an easy way to increase customer traffic.


If you travel, and I am sure many of you have, you can almost recite the flight attendants messages, "...in the case of an emergency masks will automatically drop from above. Put your mask on first and then help children or others with theirs." The reason you do this is because if "you" are not panicking you will be able to help others later. If you don’t, you're out cold and then you add to the amount of victims. This is fairly sound reasoning and logical. So, why not charge for the use of the mask? The major airlines could take the leadership role and charge everyone $5 for potential use and make billions. Then, once they have forced them to pay for the mask...make the oxygen optional and charge for that too. Ok, you're probably thinking, what does this have to do with overall business strategy and being profitable? Actually quite a bit.

First and foremost, think about what airlines have forced their customers to do. First, you get charged for checking your baggage. This results in people packing carry on bags to the hilt and bringing with them on board. The result is less lost baggage, as recently reported by the major airlines, but increase in airline departure delays because of the need of more time for people to shove and push their way around while clobbering you in the head to get their bag into the overhead bin. And, flight attendants have increased their personal claims for back injuries helping to lift those heavy carry on bags. And what does the airline do, charge for carry on bags. Logically, I think, they are charging for a condition they created as well as problems in getting people seated so they can depart. This just doesn't sound fair to me.

Fixing the problem isn't as difficult as it may seem. It takes innovative leadership, an understanding of local culture, specifically US culture, and the presence of mind to think innovatively. Has it dawned on any of the CEOs that Americans will pay for quality service, for being treated with respect, and for comfort?

The plan: Allow for free bag check-in up to 50 lbs, per adult, regardless of the amount of bags. Allow for only one carry on per person and have it be a specific size, no exceptions. Preferably this should have a maximum size of the typical overhead sized carry-on, again no exceptions. Increase the cost of the ticket to a reasonable level that would cover the current add-on charges. Now, add some leg room, and offer a few amenities for free such as soft drinks and water. I can almost guarantee you will fill flights, you will gain customer loyalty, your customers will speak highly of your brand and your customer base will increase. I think it’s fairly obvious your ROI will be exceptional. Or, you may want to consider how much airline CEOs are willing to pay for their own oxygen masks.

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Steps to turning around the economy

Economic recovery is right in front of your eyes. I’ve been having a number of discussions with my colleagues and other business associates in regard to the state of the economy. As we discussed our economic dilemma and ideas for fixing it, it became as obvious our formula for an incredible turn around was fairly simple. I am sure there will be many skeptics and naysayers. However it should be obvious after I make my point that we, the taxpayers have the answer at hand. And, by the way, we are actually paying for our own current demise. Shocked? You should be. Ok, let’s think about where we are and let’s think about the leaders we elected to run this country, our country.


All of our huge government projects are paid for with our tax dollars. I am assuming you are not surprised. The fact is we all should have a say into how those dollars are spent. We all should be writing and calling our elected officials and demanding if they spend our hard earned tax dollars we demand it gets spent on American manufactured products created by American labor using American materials. Yes, it may be more expensive but think of the long term effect on the state of the economy. We end up keeping our US citizens employed at our factories and bringing home an income and spending it locally and thereby invigorating and revitalizing the economy. Sounds simple, doesn’t it. Well, it is. It doesn’t require a person with a degree from Harvard in Economics to ascertain keeping your money flowing in the local economy will make it stronger and you life much better.

Ok, here is what you need to do. It only requires you to take some action. All you need to do is demand, yes demand, your government to only spend your money on contracts which are filled by companies that employ US workers, using US materials and products made in the USA. Accomplishing this will easily solve our economic crisis. Paying foreign countries for materials, equipment, products, supplies, and a myriad of other things does not help us and will not solve the problem. Its time to turn the time and buy things only made in the USA.

Memphis - Some southern R&B and history to boot - WOW!!!

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

 I recently had the opportunity to warm up in the Shubert Theater on Broadway to be part of an inspired, spirited and heart pounding presentation of Memphis. Chad Kimball delivered a performance that was able to make you tweak up your listening skills to fluidly hear that Tennessee twang and be part of his life. He was credible, likeable and more importantly, believable in his portrayal of Huey Calhoun, a person of limited academic training and knowledge but with a vision and passion for music in an era when Black soul and rock and roll were deemed as being subversive and not proper. Damn that, full speed ahead. The audience gets drawn into this historic reflection of things many of us lived through. To see the evolution on stage and the stereotypical conflict of White and Black, especially as it applies to a relationship is still eye opening and maybe for some...not understood. And maybe, even hopefully, a younger generation needs to be told of this conflict because it no longer exists. Wishful thinking, I'm sure. There is a lot of reality in this show and sometimes some discomfort in facing demons of the past. However, Chad Kimball's incredibly voice and the magnificence of Montego Glover is overwhelming. Montego, as Felicia, is talented, confident, and artistic and her inner, as well as outer, beauty adds a scintillating spark to the cast. Well done! What a great day to be in New York, in the winter, in the Shubert, in an audience which has the privilege to hear this incredible cast. If you're looking for great music, a wonderfully romantic story and some dancing that will make you jump out of your seats...see Memphis.

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Does AVATAR have a hidden message, or are we just introspecting?

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The hot topic today seems to be about the hidden messages in AVATAR. I've seen this wonderfully technologically advanced and visually overloading movie and I didn't find anything hidden at all. That is not to say there isn't a message to take away, or things to think about, or no more than the moral messages from the other blockbuster movie with a message BLINDSIDE . So, why is there all this hoopla about the movie? Personally I am overjoyed it may have caused people to think about conservation, the environment, military might, mercenaries, invasion of indigenous peoples, flower, fauna, the planet and yes the incredibly rare and needed ore called unobtainium (get it...it's unobtainable, except on Pandora). As I walked away from the movie I too had feelings of remorse of how we, the US culture treated our Native Americans. Ok, I admit, it wasn't me, but to think about how people from another continent invaded, yes invaded the western hemisphere for their own gratification. You can call it what you want, but the natives owned their own land and it was taken from them. The natural resources were used to whatever means were desired. Also, this was with total disregard to the natural balance of things. Reviewing past history, we know the end results. I think this has struck a very sensitive cord because it may have forced us to take a look at ourselves in the very largest perspective of looking at ourselves and what we, the human race has done. You can make all sorts of excuses or rationalizations, but we all know the reality of our actions. If you take the time to sit back and think, and ponder, and observe, and really reflect, you can make your own conclusions, and you will. History teaches us many things and all we have to do is learn from it. The stronger, bolder, more aggressive beings seem to always want to overpower, rule, and control the weaker...does this sound familiar? The weaker indigenous peoples seem to understand the importance of the balance of nature. They appear to be in touch with the important elements of life. I could list significant times in history where this is repeated, but you should know those. I did have the opportunity to do a field study of the American Indians while a student at Wayne State University in Detroit and learned a lot about our Native Americans and how they understood the balance of nature. I also learned about myself and walked away with a new different perspective. Knowledge will do that. Additionally, I could list many many movies with similar messages, such a Dances with Wolves, Last of the Mohegans, Lawrence of Arabia, Little Big Man, even Brave heart. The story line is the same. Good versus evil. Weak versus strong. Ideals and Culture clashes. If AVATAR stirred up some hidden feelings, biases, or political discoveries ....good. I think it worked because we are all talking about it. 

Need cultural insight?  Contact http://www.globalcoachingandconsulting.com/  

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Job Satisfaction?

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I heard a hot news item this morning as well as read about it on a number of news sites where researchers from the Conference Board found "only 45% of workers were happy with their jobs, dropping from 49% in 2008."  An interesting point is the Conference Board research group concluded that the recession was only partly to blame for the drop.  Ok, paint me pink and call me Dumbo, but I am thinking someone received a grant to compile this survey and will probably do another which will find some obvious results.  As a person who recieved the 'Blue Boot' from IBM in February of 2009, I can give some first hand insight into the uninviting job market.  Yes, yes, I know, from all the experts and motivators and career coaches (me now being one of them), I have heard about networking, meetings, being motivated, positive and maintaining or increasing skills.  Yes, they are all important.  However, when you are scrambling to pay the current bills, you pretty much will do whatever it takes to get some revenue flow.  Ok, what does that have to do with job satisfaction?  It has everything to do with job satisfaction.  Think about it...when a person takes a job to gain revenue to pay their bills they have pretty much taken a landslide to the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy and are focused on survival.  They may not like the job because it is just that...a job.  Not a career.  Not a exceptionally enligthening experience.  Not a step to self actualization.  It's a means to and end.  So, surprise, surprise, surprise.  Job satisfaciton has plummeted.  Duuuhhhhh!!!  I don't agree with the experts in their view of productivily falling because of this.  People are afraid and will work to stay employed.  I believe productivity will start to fall when the economy really starts to turn around. 

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

At that time, workers will have more choices which they see as being career oriented and with growth potential.  They will leave their currect jobs and move out and on to better opportunities.  You don't need to pay high priced researchers to discover these things, its pretty much common sense and maybe being "street wise".  I think what you will find is it becomes a Leadership issue and a problem with people Management.  If you have these workers who are dissatisfied, as a leader you need to find out what motivates them and what skills they bring.  Capitalize on those and you  won't lose the talent or edge you may have in the market.  Your employees are not just numbers, or as in IBM mumbo jumbo 'resources'.  They are people.  Treat them accordingly and your return on your investment in them will be tenfold.  Because, you see, all these studies, findings, and research is about...people.

For help for your organization see http://www.globalcoachingandconsulting.com/

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A novel idea to save "The Tiger"

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Image via Wikipedia

Where is Tiger Woods?  How does he fix this huge problem he has created?  How is just saying "I am not perfect." make it ok?  Well, lets attack these one at a time.  Tiger Woods is hiding.  That is where he is.  He has withdrawn from the public eye as much as a person of great wealth is able and somehow avoided the critical eyes of the press.  One has to wonder how that happens.  Its like trying to believe the CIA or the FBI or some form of the Government is not able to find a 6.5 foot terrorist who needs dialysis.  An aside, but I think they know exactly where Osama is, they are just using the information to track him and find other terrorists.  But, that's another story.  Lets get back to Tiger Woods.  His statement, "I'm not perfect..."  Guess what, we're all not perfect, but that does not make it acceptable to lie, cheat, steal, kill, do unethical things, or any other transgression that harms anyone or anything.  NOT ACCEPTABLE.  And as a very wealthy sports figure by default was to be the role model of the result of focus and hard work and determination, you really shanked this one.  And why get married?  Why build a family if in your heart you can't devote your life to your loved ones.  Or, at least to a family which loves you.  Apparently this wasn't reciprocal.  And the sad thing is somehow the blame will be dispersed to his father who he probably will blame for being too strick, or his Mom, or to his upbringing, or school or the trash collector who woke him up too early in the morning so he never received a full nights sleep.  Yes, that's it, the trash...trash creates...trash.   But, lets get to resolution of the big problem.  Tiger Woods can easily fix this problem and develop a new and glorious career.  All he needs to do is publisize he is having a reunion of all the women he has been with on his luxury yacht.  It will be a "streak" of Tigers.  For those of you who are wondering, a streak is a group or family of tigers.  At this streak reunion he can introduce all of his women, all the dates of the transgressions which he said he was responsible for, and then announce he is going to create a reality series entitle...'The Real Women of Tiger Woods'.  Problem solved.  He comes out of hiding, back in the public eye, writes a book or two, creates a new reality series, and then could become a professional wrestler that uses a putter as a secret weapon.  Way to go Tiger!  You come out of this ok and you destroy, or at a minimum severly damage, the lives and minds of your children and your wife.   

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Overtired, overweight, overextended? Here are some tips to help you.

Globetrotters, World Travelers, Road Warriors, Jet Setters, International Business agents, we’ve all heard the terms and have worn the banners in today’s business environment. I am sure many of you have the additional battle scars of long nights, delayed flights, long international flights and jet lag and wall as important time away from your homes and family. Long gone is the 8 hour business day and today’s technology makes us work 24 x 7 x 365 and sometimes x 366 days a year. Your body takes a tremendous toll and the wear and tear, often, goes unnoticed until it’s too late.


So how do you stave off the accelerated aging process, the added weight gain, the shear exhaustion that wreaks havoc with your biological clock? There are steps you can take to ensure you maintain your health and maybe, even more importantly, improve your health. Yes, it’s true; you can actually improve your health and well being with a few precautionary steps and most importantly, remain consistent once you develop this routine.

First things first, create a budget. Create a budget? You will need to sit down, push all your work aside and admit there is a problem. We’ve been there, in the hotel room or airport lounge with a few minutes to spare and more often than not, you get that glazed look and fall into a trance listening to…nothing. TV background noise or music fills the room which just numbs the senses. Or, sometimes you just sit there blankly thinking, “What am I doing here?” It’s ok to feel that way. What you discover is that this a great time to think about your health budget. It’s really fairly easy and may add years to your life, bounce to your step, and sometimes increase you overall well being. But, the key is, you need to admit there is a problem and you want to do something about it.

On your budget, how much time will you allocate for exercise and more importantly, what type of exercises will you do. Here is a hint, keep it simple, but start. Starting is always the hardest part.



Your Routine

1. Once you roll out of bed and get a bit warmed up, do a set of sit-ups. Initially, only do one set of 10, if you can. Don’t be embarrassed, no one is watching, but more importantly, you’re trying. You can increase the repetitions later as you gain strength. http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Sit-Ups

2. Leg Raises: Complete one set of 10 leg raises. While you are lying on the floor from doing sit-ups, you can transition into leg raises. Remember, do them slowly, deliberately and maintain proper position. http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Leg-Lifts

3. Crunches: While still lying on the floor, complete one set of 10 torso crunches. You do this by putting your hands, laced, behind your head and then do a sit up and bring your knees up at the same time to meet your elbows. Do not pull your head up with your hands. This is a bit more difficult and will fell awkward at first, but it’s a great exercise for the abs. http://exercise.about.com/cs/abs/ht/Crunch.htm

4. Let’s get up off the floor and do some torso twists. Compete one set of 20 torso twists. With your arms extended slowly twist in one direction, and then twist as far as you can in the other. Do these SLOWLY and deliberately at first. You can increase speed and intensity at a later date once you gain more strength and elasticity. http://www.ehow.com/how_2283064_do-torso-twist-core-exercise.html

5. Moving to the legs, do some squats. About 10 will do for a start. If you haven’t done these in a while, you may want to position yourself next to a chair to help you with your balance. Do about 10 squats. http://exercise.about.com/od/exerciseworkouts/ss/howtosquat.htm

6. Find a large book, usually a thick phone book will do and place your front part of your feet on this book and do some calf raises. What you want to do is stand straight and lower your heels to the floor. Then, slowly rise up on your toes. This extends and flexes your calves. Do about 10 reps of those. http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Calf-Raises

7. Let’s move to the upper body and arms. Let’s work your biceps. Do you have a briefcase or large purse? If so, use that for weight resistance and complete a set of 10 bicep curls, again maintaining the proper position and movement. http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightlifting/l/blsamplebicep.htm

8. Reverse bicep curl. Instead of your palms being in an upward facing position, do bicep curls with your palms facing down. It’s feels weird at the beginning, but it works the muscle group differently and you now have pretty much hit that bicep from all directions. There are other variations, but let’s keep it simple.

9. Triceps extensions. This nicely tightens up that flabby floppy muscle under your upper arm opposite the bicep. Do this one very carefully. With your weight resistance, raise the briefcase, or other item, over your head and then lower it behind your head to about neck level. Then, slowly raise it about your head and repeat for 10 times. Ouch…feel the burn. You will if you haven’t done this one before. http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/standing_triceps_extensions.htm

10. Ok, return to the lying position. This is a nice one to finish with. These are simple bench presses. They are good for your chest and a bit of your shoulders as well. Grasp your briefcase/bag firmly with both hands. Hold it about your chest, lower it to your chest and press it up again. Do this in slow deliberate motions. Take your time and remember form is important.



This should get you started in a good routine and budgeting your time for you. Slowly but surely you will start to see improvements. Your stamina and energy level will increase. Remember this is a start and you will need to increase reps, weights and duration over a period of time. And, as always, check with your personal Physician before starting any exercise program.

The other important thing to do is alter your diet. Eat healthier, smaller portions. And, you will find out that you can actually eat more often, if the foods are those which are higher fiber. Increase fruits and vegetables. Decrease your intake of…snacks. What you will learn is to budget your intake of foods and you know which ones are the right ones. We all do. In short, follow your exercise plan, change your diet and do it logically and moderately. If you take the time, you will find yourself rejuvenated and your family might discover a new you as well. Remember, draw up your budget, make your plan, implement the plan and do it comfortably. The bottom line is that you will see physical as well as mental benefits from your plan. This doesn’t make the trips any shorter, but you will find, once you return home you’ll recover a bit quicker and find time and energy to do the more important personal things in your life.

Last, but not least, check out some of the other travel sites for additional tips on security, relaxation, stress, jet lag, expenses, hotels, offers, and all the hotel and travel freebies and benefits. http://www.roadwarriortips.com/

Time for Diversity Workshops again!!!

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I am pretty much fed up with people who believe confessing to cheating, slandering and otherwise admitting they have done some evil thing makes it ok. I have heard local politicians minimize their foul play and scandalizing as no worse than an jaywalking ticket. Are we to just roll over and accept this behavior as being a fault which is now forgiven? Are we to give a blank sheet of full pardon? Are we to allow them, whoever they are, to blame the economy or their parents or someone or something else for their problems? I don't think so. I think its about time for people to be held accountable for their actions. I think its time to put dialogue and workshops in place to help everyone understand they are responsible for actions they take and for their own behavior. I think adults need to be adults and act like parents instead for their children's friend. Your prodigy needs guidance and you need to be a role model. That's right, like it or not, a role model. Your children are looking up to you for direction, for values, for responsibility, for safety, for security and adults need to deliver. Sensitivity to these issues and being held accountable are things we all need to be aware of. Hurting other people is not acceptable. Being a stalker, a cheater, a bigot, a bully, and you know the rest of the list...is not acceptable. If you are in today's workforce and have not had any type of Diversity Workshops and I mean real workshops, its time to get into those sessions. If your company doesn't offer it, contact your Human Resources department and demand everyone receives it. Diversity, acceptance, sensitivity and all forms of tolerance needs to be understood. You may discover a bias or a fault you have which you didn't even know about. Its important and it needs to be part of YOUR education. In fact, you may want to connect with the Global Coaching and Consulting Group who do a quite capable and inspirational job of delivering this type of training ( http://www.globalcoachingandconsulting.com ).

China takes the Lead!!!

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Have you read the latest about GM? Have you checked into the areas of the planet with double digit growth? If not, don't be surprised what you find and see why GM is letting China take the lead for growth of the organization every place except the US, Canada and Mexico. And why, you might ask...its growth. The status symbol for success in China is Buick. Growth of GM during cash for clunkers was down about 20% in the US and up about 75% in China. Whoa!!! Seriously, if you're running the company where do you put your investment dollars and where do you keep your nose out? Fairly obvious, isn't it. Or is it. Ford was in the positive area in the US and I think that maybe, just maybe investors should be looking at ways to increase market share here in the good old USA AND invest in those other markets. But aren't we overlooking something. Something bigger than a breadbox and so large major organizations don't see. What about diversity? The US workforce has struggled with diversity in the workplace for many years. It still doesn't have it right and still needs consultants and experts to help them out. Now add on the cultural diversity of working globally and it gets really interesting. It is no longer about the US culture dealing with other cultures. Its shifted to the US Company Headquarters people getting their arms around their Chinese colleagues' culture and diversity within that culture which will be dealing with the Opel group and the German culture and internal diversity which needs parts from Mexico to deliver a product in the US. Hmmm, fairly complicated but important to understand if GM is going to succeed globally. If GM is to be at the top of their game again they are going to need to jump in their Buick and head out on a road trip away from Detroit to understand the critical nuances of Cultural Diversity. Why??? Well because it will help them grow globally to be able to bring those jobs back to Detroit to a workforce hungry (about 30% unemployment rate currently) for jobs and eager to do them right. And guess what, everybody wins. The leadership comes back to rest in the hands of General Motors which might still be headquartered in Detroit but will be leading globally. Its all about understanding cultural differences and having a product which people want to buy everywhere. I've wanted a great GM product for a long time. I still do. I hope it happens again.

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Its time to TAKE THE LEAD!!!

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Over the past few weeks we have seen the tide and power of leadership shift back and forth from the leaders to the followers. I think we all were a bit amazed to see the controversy erupt in some of the Health Reform town meetings. Well, maybe some of us were not so surprised. Prostesting from senior citizens!!! How uncivilized and rude. But wait...isn't this the anniversary of the worlds largest gathering of a peaceful people called Woodstock. Isn't this the time of long ago when the New York State Thruway was closed because of the thousands of people that gathered at Yasgur's farm for three days of peace and music. http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourworld/reinventing/articles/woodstock__40_years.html?CMP=KNC-360I-YAHOO-BULL&HBX_OU=51&HBX_PK=woodstock

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40 years ago a huge gathering of humanity created an historic event in a certain place and time which will forever be etched into history, and for some, mark a turning point in there own personal, private and public lives. The whole world shuttered as this gathering grew to emmense proportions and became the largest free music event with peace and love that ever existed or ever will exist. The fact of the matter is the world changed after this event. Stars became political leaders. Some by default. Some not wanting this awesome responsiblity. No concert after this on this scale in this type of location would ever happen again. No one was capable of leading that type of event again. Leading...interesting term. Woodstock led an army of hippies, dippies, weathermen, socialites, free lovers, peaceniks, warmongers and young adults into the future with, surprisingly, a new recipe for growth, prosperity, "can do" attitude and a bonus recipe for great brownies. So, what does this have to do with the new culture of the new world, new mellinium and this new era of protests by seniors. PLENTY!!! They are the woodstock era people and they have come to lead us again through their protests and leadership style which is not afraid to be candid, if not more honest in their opinions. And get this...Senator Specter has the nerve to say that this is not the voice of the people of America. I think its time for this Senator to practice his leadership skills and do come active listening because he will become a follower and follow all the other deposed politicians right out the back door. The tide has shifted and the rip currents can be treacherous. As Lee Iacocca said, "Its time to lead, follow, or get out of the way." Or even better, as Lou Gerstner, former CEO of IBM stated, "If you're in charge, take charge." Woodstock, who would ever have thought the impact it was going to have today.

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The shifting tides of Leadership

I recently read an article by Richard Stengel, Managing Editor of Time Magazine, about Sarah Palin's leadership style. He describes her style as, "she is the textbook example of Weber's charismatic leader, who uses personal appeal and magnetism and a disdain for traditional structures as a route to power. Hers is the opposite of the legal-bureaucratic style and seems based on intuition, emotion and frontier values." Richard also states that "we don't write about leadership in a theoretical way-every week we write about leadership in real time involving real events." Inspirational leadership is what most people remember. You only need to think about the leaders you would follow. It would be for your personal reasons of how they

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made you feel. Did you become angry and eager to make/force a change? Did you become more educated and ready to jump in and do some research to inspire others to take action. Did you feel safer? Did you feel less secure? What was that feeling stirring in you veins making your heart pound a bit harder and your senses become more attuned to your surroundings. It wasn't theory. It was and inspirational leader that you took the time to listen to. Someone with conviction, commitment, and a drive that, perhaps, instilled in you a sense of well being and of progress. Or maybe they made your blood boil and your sense of patriotism rise to heights you never thought you had. I can think of leaders that did that for me and I can think of the times of my life in which that happened. We all are at a point in time where the essence of leadership will dissected in the future and through hindsight we'll make course corrections. We all are at a point where we all will move forward. We all are at a point where there is

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no backward...never was, ever, at any time. So the real question is, what type of leader will you follow or even more importantly, what type of leader will you be. Will you reach out and grab the brass ring? Will you dedicate your life to taking steps to improve? Will you learn, mentor, coach, act and be accountable for your actions. What are your values? What will you do and how do you want to be envisioned? What do you want people to say about you? There are a plethora of questions to answer, personal blocks to overcome, steps to take, and opportunities to lead. I leave you with this thought...many leaders have come and gone, many have been taken apart by the press or their adversaries, but a very small number of the population can say they actually ran for the President of the United States of America, or for the Vice Presidency of this great country of ours. Think about it...what will your legacy be as a leader?

Innovation road blocks - security mentality

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I've been thinking about my colleagues back in my old job and have tried desperately to stay in touch to keep my pulse on the climate of the workplace. It seems it has changed even more and not always for the best. So, I figured I'd go out, network, gab, discuss, and get an overall view from other parts or other businesses. Not surprisingly I have the feeling that innovation is really being stifled, sharing of ideas is not happening, and everyone says they are really overworked and putting in an unbelievable number of hours to KEEP THEIR JOBS!!! Not so surprising I guess, but should the leadership of the organizations encourage sharing of thoughts, ideas, and innovation. Sure, there is lots of publicity at the very high levels and sure, there are the news articles of innovative green industries but, when you dig a bit you find fear. You have to ask yourself, how does that affect growth, inspiration, innovation, ideas, visioning, basically...the future. Well, I think when you are a worker bee you have now found yourself on the Maslow scale of survival and physiological level. Basically, what can I do in my job to protect me and my family and how do I keep anyone and everyone from infringing on my territory? Valid questions, I would say. And just think of the impact on the rest of the workforce. At a time when everyone should be pooling their creative juices and applying their freedom of thought, many line managers in many parts of many businesses are micro-managing their employees to death. Daily reports, busy work, mental masturbation of worthless work and exercising your power of management with the fear of the loss of employment for your people is not productive. So, what happens, people will stop sharing, caring and creating to give you...yes you...the so called leader, what you want because you need that to protect your job as well. Break the paradigm! Think differently, exponentially differently and be an inspirational leader and you will see results. You will have more inspired followers and happier dedicated and loyal employees. That's what its about, isn't it. This will result in a better bottom line and a more productive and competitive workforce. Just ask them....

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Diversity of Thought

With all the turmoil in today's job market, and unmarket, organizations are pressed to increase or even maintain moral so they remain productive and remain a viable entity. Its increasingly difficult to complete that task through the creation of an organizational environment that allows you to reach your goals. Lets face it, employees are constantly looking over their shoulders to see who is watching them and more often than not, over their shoulder to see who is going to replace them. It reminds me of the days I worked in the steel mill and watched the "old timers" stop working when a young apprentice would stop to watch what they were doing. I often admired welders who could weld so precisely it looked like the weld was painted on. It was a true art. I finally asked my father why they stopped when I watched. He said it was because they felt that if I learned their trade and skill I would eventually "steal" their job and replace them. I thought, if we worked together we could do it better, faster and increase our productivity. So what is the point? The point is, we need to know how people think. What do think about their jobs and the messages they receive from their leaders. The strategy, what about the strategy...do they get it. And why do they work well with some, and not with others. Fundamentally it seems like this would be, at best, a very difficult thing to do. If you are a leader in your organization, you must be constantly thinking, "How do I get my employees to work better together. Why do some get along, while others do not?" Ok, the point of this is to ensure you that I could help you find the answer and the real revelation is your employees discover for themselves what the obstacles are between them. I can do this through the use of a highly effective instrument that has the largest validated database as proof. And the really exciting thing is....its fun. When you go through this 4 hour session of self discovery you walk away with a realization that you have discovered many things about your self, your work place, your peers, and surprisingly...your spouse. So, don't hide the welds, share your skills and grow your team. Need proof? Ok, I'll end with a question to prove what I have you think about and discover... Have you ever taken a trip or vacation with someone who MUST have an agenda for every day? A schedule of events, meals and meeting places? Does it drive you crazy...it is calming for them. I know why.

Gridlock from the Social network

Originally, when I had a corporate position, I often wondered why we were pushing the use of all the social networks. It almost felt like we were trying to force 50 lbs of sausage into a 5 lb casing. I didn't get it and more important, I didn't get it because of the pressure being put on getting results and reaching the iconic corporate goal of...putting oneself out of a job by making it more efficient. But, it appears the blogging, networking, interacting, congealing of ideas and publication internally of successes in networking was actually working and needed and godlike. But, if you dig deeper, internal social networking, although recommended to learn how it works, actually was a detriment to reaching the goals you were measured by. So, you add a few more hours to your day, twitter on the way home, get pulled over for texting while driving by the PD, and try and find a good cheap lawyer with advice on Plaxo. But wait, what about work...real work...measured results work...the stuff you get paid for. Well, ok, you miss the mark, or as they say, you missed some major milestones and hence your performance is lacking and you will be resourced out due to lack of skills which you happened to have refined and honed and were acknowledged for but, they weren't measured in your plan. Ah ha, the plan. What is the social networking plan. How did we get gridlocked into all the social networks and the plethora of new social networks designed to be better than the current ones. So what am I getting to? What I am trying to surmise is that if we look at all the blogging, networking, things that can be outsourced, resourced, off-shored (unless your global then they never call it that) and balanced, you need to find what the tipping point is. An epiphany...one needs to find one or two critical networks which fit your industry. Gridlock does not occur on the social networking highway. That highway is organized and has a set of rules, regulations, guidelines and applications allowing it to work admirably. The gridlock occurs in your mind. Yes that's right, in your own mind and it happens quite easily. You see, with face to face discussion, or even when you pick up the phone to talk to someone, you are able to pick up the little nuances of inflection of voice. And if lucky enough, visual feedback from a face to face discussion where you are actually able to talk to them in person. In the net, you don't. Yes, I know you can reach out to scads of people in one fell swoop and will get some valid information and connections. We all know it works and is a really invaluable tool. But listen, you learn a lot from being dragged naked through a cactus patch by an angry mule too. Pick the right network. Make the right connection. Do the proper follow-up. Meet and talk to the right people, yeah, that's right talk to them. You see, it all boils down to the personal connection in the end. Not off shored, not dragged through cactus to learn, not off ramped into a unmeasured goal, but something with meaning. The gridlock exists in your mind.