Parent-Pleasing
I first thought seriously about “parent-pleasing” in my late 20’s, when I met a man I’ll call Otto Wentzler. Otto was a student in my...
Delusions of Everyday Leadership
I understand a delusion to be a statement, belief or behavior that contradicts generally accepted reality. I have warmed up to the idea...
Cooperation
The intriguing photo above depicts a colony of ants cooperating to achieve a goal. If you’re an ant, you don’t cooperate because you’re...
How Much is Enough?
I attended a Catholic grammar school in Rochester. One time, during seventh grade, my teacher, Sister Roman, became exasperated at my...
Confronting the Unexplainable
When I was 37, I took a memorable trip to Bangladesh. Massive cyclone waves had just hit that country, killing 140,000 people. I saw...
Thanksgiving Blessings…And Questions
Thinking about Thanksgiving, I realize that much of what I am grateful for has been dictated by forces that I cannot control and did not...
Standing Alone, Together
“One cold winter's day, a number of porcupines huddled together quite closely, in order through their mutual warmth to prevent themselves...
What Labor Day Means to Me
Two years before Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1882, my grandfather was born. He was raised in Sicily and immigrated to...
Leaders and Parents: "The Fallacy of the All-Knowing Leader"
The fallacy of the all-knowing leader is one that impacts all of us. Our expectations of our own parents, and our beliefs about our...
Lesson From a Mentor
Richard Bolles was an early mentor of mine. Young and unsure where to apply my energy, I read his book, What Color Is Your Parachute?...