From Parade magazine comes the story of a millionaire, Eugene Lang, who greatly changed the lives of a sixth-grade class in East Harlem. Mr. Lang had been asked to speak to a class of 59 sixth graders. What could he say to inspire these students, most of whom would drop out of school? He wondered…
There was one instrument on my brother’s plane that he called the “attitude instrument.” This device determined whether the plane was climbing or descending. It indicated whether you were gaining altitude, maintaining your altitude or headed for the ground. Attitude isn’t everything but it certainly is important. John Maxwell describes it as “the paintbrush of the…
There is an old saying, “We get too soon old, and too late smart.” It’s like the young man who came home after graduating from university and commented on how smart his dad had become during his absence. As we mature our values have a way of changing. We discover that the rich and poor…
Be present in all things and thankful for all things.” – Maya Angelou A few years ago, when we were still living in the Okanagan, I rented a car in Calgary. I was given a special perk — a Mustang convertible. Our grandsons would have been envious. I got out on the #2 and before…
There are times when you are watching a TV program that the following message flashes onto the screen: “We interrupt this program to bring you the following breaking news.” This writer wants to interrupt the series on “time” to call for a serious look into the issues that surround the SNC-Lavalin story. Webster’s dictionary gives…
Somebody said it couldn’t be done, But he with a chuckle replied That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one Who wouldn’t say so ‘til he’d tried. So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin On his face. If he worried he hid it. He started to sing and he tackled…
Back in 1954 the US and Canada agreed to a project called the DEW line. This was a series of radar installations along the 69th parallel that would give advance notice of a Soviet strike on North America. Fortunately, the system was not put to the test. Human relationships are not impervious to ballistic missile…
Success is like trying to grab hold of a bar of soap in the tub—just when you think you have hold of it, it squirts out of your hand. The elusiveness of success can be related to how we define the word. For most people, success is measured by individual achievements: reaching a financial goal;…
Our society has been flooded with self-help programs. We have told our children that they are “a promise, a great big bundle of potentiality.” We are a culture that is filled with platitudes and weak on performance. Work with people has taught me that there are three core values that must be established if we…