It’s too soon to tell, but I believe based on early evidence we’ve got a winner in “that one.” Getting out, being visible, and setting the tone are all essential. Like FDR who embraced the technology of radio for “fireside chats” and Kennedy who embraced the technology of television to bring more of the non-verbal communication into play, President-Elect Obama is embracing the internet to get his message out. Smart. Very smart.

Not to mention, it’s a pleasure to listen to him speak. Clearly someone who is capable of clearly articulating concepts in complete sentences without having to invent (or mangle) the language. I still can’t believe we’ll have a new empowered leader in a mere 65 days. What a blessing for our nation.

View from my hotel room


Arrived yesterday for our semi-annual leadership conference for my day job. It’s great to make connections, get reacquainted with people rarely seen face-to-face, and hear about the general strategy and plans for the coming year.

Meanwhile, San Diego remains one of my favorite cities to visit. We’re not getting much time to enjoy the sights and sounds, but the weather is perfect and the place is downright picturesque. Speaking with the spousal unit this morning, she encouraged me to hit Cafe 222 for breakfast (specifically waffles!) tomorrow, and I think I will. It’s one of our favorite spots from our visits here.

This also reminds me of a family trip we took here 3 years ago with our then two year old daughter. She was speaking in more or less full sentences and was excited to go to Sea World to visit “Shampoo, the killer dolphin.” Cracks me up just thinking of that…

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

My general rule is not to write about work-related activities in this venue, but I thought I’d share a little of what I’ve been up to over the past few days. A couple of weeks ago I got a cryptic email from the Chairman of the Board inviting me to spend a few days at a local resort to explore leadership topics, I was one of 12 people around the company to receive such an invitation.

Last Monday there was an hour long pre-meeting to assign a little homework and do expectation setting. Generally, I’m allergic to these sorts of activities and I was concerned that the investment in time, particularly when there is so much happening in the workplace, was a bad idea.

However, I’m delighted to share that not only was it a good idea, I learned a ton about myself and the others who participated in the course. It was an experience that definitely changed my perspective on a number of fronts and one that I would recommend to any who have a chance to participate in such a session. Generally speaking (which I realize is all I’m doing) it was a journey of discovery of self, and how to use that in the corporate setting to develop and motivate people.

There was some expectation on my part that we’d do corny exercises and talking about useless business concepts, but it was really quite different than that. It was the hero’s journey as described by Joseph Campbell and we managed to not talk much about the challenges of work (planning, macro environment, focal reviews, market dynamics, etc.) Counter-intuitive to be sure, but something I believe will yield dividends when this team encounters its next “leadership moment.”

If you’re ever visiting the Bay Area and have a little scratch to invest in relaxation, I highly recommend Cavallo Point, a resort setup in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin. It’s the former Fort Baker location and it’s posh. In case you’re wondering why I wasn’t writing, it’s because I was fully occupied – so there’s the explanation for our readership, all three of you.

HT: Bruce

This killed me, I laughed and laughed. Mr. Obama, I do have hope and am happy about the change, but you’ve got to realize that you’re now fair game. Well done ONN.

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are