As a father, I try to regularly remind myself of what it means to be a good Dad. I wish I had this job all figured out. It takes experience. A lot of it. And with experience (and good role models) comes wisdom. Unfortunately, I tend to overlook that wisdom with so many distractions in life that often offer no value. Do others feel the same way? Do you ever Continue reading…

I don’t volunteer nearly enough of my time. A few token work days away each year.  An occasional weekend project. When I was in college, I was part of a service fraternity so volunteer work was part of my weekly schedule. I loved it. I was active all the time. Working with new project teams.  Meeting new people in the community. Then I got older and busier. Multiple careers.  Extracurricular Continue reading…

Dear Mr Camping, Congratulations. For one weekend in May 2011, you established social media infamy. You became a bigger draw than even Charlie Sheen. Your legacy will forever be stamped by a page on wikipedia. You strangely predicted the end of the world in 1994. And then tried again in 2011 in grand style. Oops. Wrong again. You managed to offend Christians and non-Christians alike. Instead of using your wealth Continue reading…

I knew the effects of the economic recession firsthand. I lost my job (along with 40,000 other company employees) when retail giant Circuit City went bankrupt.  Disappointed by the resources available for those out of work, I set out to create a toolkit that job seekers of any age and background could use in their upcoming job interviews. I wanted every American to go into a job interview just like they Continue reading…

I make mistakes all the time. Some of my mistakes are personal in nature… I didn’t get enough sleep. I got into an unnecessary argument with my wife. I make the wrong meal choice. Other mistakes I would classify as professional… I forgot to follow up with a prospective workforce client. I tweeted when I should have called. I lost focus of my business purpose to help those in need. Do Continue reading…

Like so many others, I scan my morning Groupon and Living Social coupons. I quickly glance through my monthly Reach coupon magazine and that overstuffed valpak. Americans love a deal. It gives us that extra nudge to go out to dinner, clean our duct work, or change the oil in our car. Do you agree? This week, I was thrilled to see a full page ad and coupon for a Continue reading…

I finally did it. I shut it down. I pulled the plug. I even called Comcast and asked them to shut it all down. That was a week ago. Life without television. Are there others out there? Have you already taken the detoxing plunge? No more American Idol. No more ESPN. No more avalanche of commercials for prescription drugs during the evening news. I decided it was all a distraction Continue reading…

When it comes to public expressions of social media gratitude, Twitter is in its own league.  It has effectively created the perfect storm for reciprocity where a mutual exchange of favors is not only commonplace, it is required for engagement.  You follow me, I follow you.  You re-tweet me, I look for a way to thank you. While a simple thank you tweet sends the right message, it says even Continue reading…

When someone goes the extra mile, I notice. I notice it at work. I notice it in the store or restaurant. I notice it at online. But I don’t notice it because it is what is expected. I notice it because it is a rarity. In a recent post, I outlined why hand written notes make a difference (hint: very few people actually send them). Do other people feel this Continue reading…

Randy Pausch was a professor of Computer Science, Human Computer Interaction, and Design at Carnegie Mellon University.  From 1988 to 1997, he also taught at my graduate school alma mater, the University of Virginia. You may know Randy from his famous Last Lecture video called “Really Achieving Your Childhoold Dreams.”  The lecture was recorded on September 18, 2007 in front of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University.  This inspirational video went viral on YouTube Continue reading…