Fortune Cookie Wisdom

This past weekend, after a morning of volleyball, I took my daughter to her favorite Asian restaurant for lunch.  When the meal was over, we partook in the obligatory fortune cookie regimen.  Mine, this week, read, "Being a good sport is far better than being good at a sport." 

We have seen the parents who are living their lives vicariously through their kids.  They want their children to be stronger, faster and better than the next kid.  They clap when someone on the other team gets hurt and they smile proudly when they retell the story of their child hurting another in the field of competition. 

As many know, I was an athlete in high school and college.  My parents were my number one fans!  They drove all over the country to watch my teams play.  They cheered me and my teammates on in good games and in bad.  They worried about everyone in the gym and if someone was hurt, even the opponent, they were concerned.  We won many of our games, but when we didn't, I didn't get to feel sorry for myself, or walk off the court disrespectfully, or blame the refs, or blame my teammates, or blame the coach, or...well, I think you get where I am going.  My parents taught me to be a good sport! 

So, if my kids aren't the best player on their teams, I am okay with that.  My hope for them is that they set an example for their teammates in working hard, giving 100% and genuinely caring about the team!  I also know they are kids and sometimes, they really do want to play and really do want to win...so, in a lesson from my parents, I will remind them that winning isn't about the score on the scoreboard or the amount of playing time tracked, its about the person you become by winning some and losing some! 

Cheering from the sidelines, I keep going! 

Innovating at the Speed of Light.

These days, things are moving at the speed of light.  The minute something makes sense or you finally understand it, its replacement is a month old!  Has that changed how we learn, work or even how we create and innovate?  Absolutely! 

When Thomas Edison created the light bulb, his idea was to create a product that could light a single room without a flame or fire.  Sure, he was always thinking about other things, that's what brilliant people do, but his focus was on the light bulb.  He was deliberate, focused and calculated, all good attributes.  

Today, we think differently.  I recently read a report that shows the average person has 35-48 thoughts per minute!  Not per hour, per minute! That means in the time it takes you to read this blog, your mind may have wandered in 30 different directions, or more.   Are we still deliberate, focused and calculated?  Sure we are, but we are just doing all those things more quickly and certainly with more resources than ever before! 

When the light bulb was created, people were simply darn happy that it existed.  Today, the minute something is created, founded or dreamed, there is someone else trying to change it to make it faster, better, smaller, bigger...you name it. 

Have we lost the ability to ponder because decisions and changes are made so quickly?  I don't think so, but life and the world is speeding up and we have to prepare ourselves and our children for that!  The next time you turn on a light, think about how many years that was in the making, then think about all the advancements in the last 10 days and remember the speed of light hasn't changed, but everything else has!  Keep going! 

Do You Feel That?

Today in Fargo, we are looking at an amazing autumn day with temperatures in the high 60's, low 70's, which for this time of year is awesome.  But, the winds are changing direction, the temperatures are cooling and before we know it, we will be shopping for Halloween costumes that fit over a winter coat. 

So, knowing Old Man Winter is around the corner, how does that change how you book or think of travel?  Historically, you could hear people say, "I don't want to connect through or travel to places like Denver, Minneapolis or Chicago this time of year."  Let's, however, look at last year, New York, DC, Seattle, Boston, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and even Atlanta and Dallas were impacted by my friend Old Man Winter.  (That's not a complete list either!) 

Does this mean we should all hunker down and spend the winter at home?  NO!  I know my friends at the airlines are working fast and furious to come up with improvements on how they manage weather issues.  They are working on better ways to communicate with passengers, better ways to give them options when they are impacted, and even better ways to get operations back up and running after a storm.  They know this is a customer service issue for them and they also know that financially, this is something they need to improve upon. 

So don't be afraid to travel this winter.  Just know the first thing you should pack is a good attitude, second, your courteous demeanor and third, a toothbrush in your carry on...just in case.  With a toothbrush in my computer bag and warm coat for my flight back home to Fargo, I vow to keep going! 

Breakfast at Mel's Diner

Last week, I attended Oracle OpenWorld.  For those unaware, it’s an event where 60,000 people come together to learn, interact, network and exchange ideas.  It’s always a great event and I enjoy being a part of it. 

One morning, I was on my way to a meeting and decided to pop into Mel’s Diner for a quick bite on the way.  I was instructed to take an open seat at the counter.  I sat down and was greeted by the man to my left with a, “Powering up before a long day?” comment.  To which I agreed.  We started up the typical conversation around the conference, the keynotes, education session, the normal chatter.  The man to my right joined in and before we know it, we had 5 people, sitting side by side, all chatting about the conference. 

That isn’t anything new, that happens all the time, but what struck me was the geographical make up.  Two seats to my right, a fellow employee from eastern Europe;  on my right, an attendee from South Africa; on my left, an attendee from Turkey and to his left, an attendee from Brazil. 

This reminded me about how travel REALLY makes many things possible.  It means I can have breakfast and share in a great conversation with 4 strangers from all over the world.  It also means I can be home and have dinner and an even better conversation with my family that same day.  Travel means that 60,000 people can share in an experience, can learn, can interact and network and by the end of the week, be back in their own countries taking back what they learned, experienced and maybe thinking fondly about a conversation they had over breakfast at Mel’s Diner. 

Travel makes things happen and so, while staying home for a week or two, I keep going!