Close friends are people you can turn to in times of crisis. They’re the ones who will give you a caring and listening ear while you’re working your way through one of life’s rough patches. In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, Sue Shellenbarger pointed out that such friendships are difficult for many…
Life can bring its share of negative experiences such as losses, setbacks, disappointments and unfulfilled dreams. These experiences can smother us at times to the point where we think only about them and lose sight of the many blessings that happen to us on a daily basis. In fact, if were to take stock, most…
Baseball Hall of Famer, Sparky Anderson, who won three World Series Titles managing the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers, died recently. In spite of all his success, he is most remembered as an unpretentious and gracious human being. He loved and cared about people and treated everyone as an old friend whether they were…
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal by Elizabeth Bernstein discussed how people use the word maybe and the negative message that it sends. According to the article, maybe has become a weasel word that people use to avoid commitments or delay decisions. For example, if someone invites you to a party and you…
I recently attended a fund raising event for a local hospital. During the program, one of the speakers pointed out that to be effective, a physician needed to deal with the emotional issues confronting a patient as well as the medical issues. This involved a sequence of three steps: Listen to what the patient has…
Over the years, I’ve observed a lot of people who, when things don’t go as they had planned, they become angry, upset or have a “melt-down.” During the process, they make themselves and those around them miserable. Hey, delays and interruptions are a part of life and it’s always been that way–to expect otherwise is to be grossly naive. …
Like many professional athletes, most of us have fallen into an occasional slump where we’re not performing at our usual level of effectiveness. A slump usually takes the form of a lengthy drought between successes. And, like professional athletes, many of us try to break out of our slump by working harder and longer. What…
Until a year ago, I rarely dealt with the bank branch that handled my business account. Those transactions were always handled by my associate. Recently, it became more convenient for me to take care of those transactions. When I first started going there, the place seemed dark, dreary and lifeless–I felt like I was in…
A set of research studies recently reported in the Wall Street Journal found that nice people–people who are polite, honest, outgoing and compassionate–were more likely to rise to positions of power in the organizations they worked for. These findings held true for corporations, the military and politics. It turns out that people bestow authority on…
Jack Tatum, former Pro Bowl safety for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League, died recently at the age of 61. He is most remembered for a hit he put on Darryl Stingley, a wide receiver for the New England Patriots, that left Mr. Stingley paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of…