I’ve never had a bad boss. Seriously. During my two decades in corporate America, I have had 14 direct supervisors. Add to that the dozens of project leaders and various quasi-leaders I had during my tenures on several non-profit boards and it adds up to nearly 30 people to whom I have had to account…
Personal Effectiveness
Planting Seeds, Growing Your Network
As a novice vegetable gardener, I often see parallels between gardening and networking. Below are some of the more common questions I get asked about networking, along with my answers, some of which use the gardening theme. Q: How important a role do you think social networking sites (LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) play in…
Old Men Don’t Ride Kick Scooters
Last night after dinner my ten-year-old wiped out on his kick scooter after trying to do some new tricks. He has a nasty scrape and some serious bruises to show for his efforts, but is otherwise all in one piece. After inspecting our son’s injuries, Mr. People Equation informed me “That boy actually left some…
Reflections on Mackinac Island
A place suspended in time offers lessons for today’s hectic life In August, fellow blogger Becky Robinson enjoyed the same Pure Michigan family vacation destination (during the same week!) as did my family: a day trip to historic Mackinac Island. When we discovered this serendipitous circumstance we decided to write companion blog posts reflecting about…
The Mutuality Measuring Stick for Networking
Should you network with someone you don’t like? This question was put to me recently. My response was emphatic: “No, of course not!” Here’s why I say this with such conviction. My definition of networking is: The purpose of networking is to connect people who have a mutual interest in developing a professional relationship or assisting one…