Tag: Ram Dass

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[Life Back West] October 2013 – Kismet?

“Kismet” the CEO asked?shutterstock_139117229

“Yes, kismet,” I said. “The not-so-accidental fact that I’m working with someone who has some of the same strengths and challenges that I have. The good news? I know them well.”

The CEO’s direct report was the client, someone I’ll call “Bob,” did indeed have a skill set that reminded me of me; hardworking, a nose for the business, great rapport with people below him on the corporate pecking order, broad interests and knowledge, smart (well, maybe not that part) and the ability to be too candid when greater diplomacy was in retrospect warranted.… Read the rest

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How Do You Keep Life From Passing You By?

It’s a common refrain; one that even ended up as a question for the digerati at Quora.

Just how do you keep life, like a river, from passing you by?

There are signals everywhere that you must do more to keep your head above water; even more if you want to “pull ahead.”

A recent Fortune magazine article chronicled the life of a young exec who had her “home” in San Francisco, lived mostly in an apartment near her work in Menlo Park when she wasn’t spending her considerable time on the road.… Read the rest

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Show Up Early – Something Good is Bound to Happen

Cover of Woody Allen

Woody Allen’s famous line – “80% of success is showing up” – has a correlate from Edward Tufte; “Show up early, something good is bound to happen.”

While showing up early for a cocktail party may not be the best advice, taking both pieces of advice to heart (and into action) from Allen and Tufte about any other business, presentation, or community event/activity gives you a leg up on any number of things.… Read the rest

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[Life Back West] July 2009 – The Road Trip

Life today seems to move ever so quickly. Though it’s likely an observation shared by people throughout the centuries, our Twitter / 24 by 7 news cycle lives seem to almost eliminate the time to pause, to think, and to talk deeply. It seems true for people, and it seems true for organizations.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Earlier this month I had a chance to catch a reunion of college friends from the small liberal arts college (“the first university in the West”) from which I received my undergraduate degree.… Read the rest