Being Right vs Being Effective

With the polarized political environment we are in, there's a lot of advice out there on how to have effective arguments. An effective argument is one in which both parties remain open and not feel shut down. When we talk to each other in a way that allows us to remain open, then there is … Continue reading Being Right vs Being Effective

HOLIDAY GIFTS – WOMEN MAKERS – ITHACA NY

from left to right: Julia E. Dean; FlipBooKit; Robin Tilling For the holidays, I love to buy gifts from makers that I know. Below is a short list products made by women makers. There are some great gifts in here for adults and kids. While I encourage you to check out their work, you might … Continue reading HOLIDAY GIFTS – WOMEN MAKERS – ITHACA NY

UNDERSTANDING POPULISM

Populism - a political approach that strives to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups. I don't normally write about politics, but I am very concerned about our recent election. Trump has opened the door to populism and it seems that many in his party are considering … Continue reading UNDERSTANDING POPULISM

TUNING = STRIVING

For those of us that strive to be better, more empathic, creative, kind, consistent, TUNING is a fun way to think about that striving. TUNING is ongoing, it’s musical, and it’s collaborative. TUNING has three components: Believing, Creating, and Organizing. BELIEVING in ourselves and in others opens our hearts and our minds. It isn’t always … Continue reading TUNING = STRIVING

Celebrate

Sometimes we get so caught up in our own striving that we forget to celebrate our success. Or worse, we forget to celebrate other people's success. Don't forget. Celebrating is important. Make a ritual around it. The ritual can be small: Share an ice cream; Make a memento; Toast with champagne or a fancy soda. … Continue reading Celebrate

One Hundred NOs to One YES

This is straight from Arlan Hamilton's book, It's About Damned Time. Hamilton is the founder and principal of Backstage Capital, an angel fund that invests in underestimated founders. She offers great advice throughout the book and this bit is one piece of it: Put yourself out there. Expect to hear 100 NOs before you get … Continue reading One Hundred NOs to One YES

Believe + Create + Organize

In order to make a positive impact in the world, you need to work with three concepts: BELIEVE, CREATE & ORGANIZE.BELIEVE means believing in yourself and in your overarching goal. When you feel tired, believe. When you feel doubt, believe. Just choose to believe. Doubt is useful to a point, but after that, it's merely … Continue reading Believe + Create + Organize

A Pocket-Sized Vision Board – Arlan Hamilton

I've been reading It's About Damn Time by Arlan Hamilton, founder of Backstage Capital, a fund that invests in companies led by underestimated founders. There is a chapter in it called "Write Your Own Headline" that I adore. When Arlan had the idea for Backstage Capital, she wrote an email to herself with the subject … Continue reading A Pocket-Sized Vision Board – Arlan Hamilton

What is your ultimate goal?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBgBy4vP_QE&feature=emb_logo It's easy to get distracted by our to-do lists. It's easy to overcommit ourselves and take on too much. What's hard is taking the time and focus to define an ultimate goal. That's a goal that can be stated in 10 words or so. Once we articulate an ultimate goal, all of the decisions … Continue reading What is your ultimate goal?

Looking to Theater for Inspiration

Business, design, and engineering cultures have a record of looking to theater for inspiration. At any hip conference you will find at least one activity that draws on the art of improv. Improv encourages us to suspend disbelief and instead say, "Yes, and" to build on the ideas of others. Now that we find ourselves … Continue reading Looking to Theater for Inspiration