Several years ago, I spent 10 days on Ireland’s famed Connemara Trail, traveling from Galway to Cliftonover on horseback. We traveled pastures, road beds and a few swamps and galloped on abandoned, grass-laden railroad beds. Along the trail, I learned a valuable lesson which I thought I knew, but it was evident I did not: …
You can hold onto family heirlooms and look through old photo albums, but there might be something about hearing a family voice that really makes memories come alive. Last weekend, my daughter Chappell and I participated in a 40-minute recorded interview hosted by our public radio station. If you’re not familiar with NPR’s Story Corps, the …
It seems that every board meeting I attend these days has “workforce development” as a topic on the agenda. In most areas, the economy is humming in high gear, and record low unemployment is a driver for sure. Beyond this, to “lift all boats” is just the right thing to do. Training usually includes learning …
Our hometown is one of those cities that came of age during an industrial boom. Because of this, there is plenty of historical space in the CBD that is full of architectural details and prime for adaptive reuse. We’ve been a part of several of these projects. So the question I asked myself is, “Why has this initiative become a …
Never underestimate the value of a solid first impression, as there is never a second chance. While perception may change over time, to me, that first impression seems to be what we all remember the most. Thursday evening, I was out of town, checking into the hotel rather late, and used valet parking. While the valet …
Each year, I send notes to a fair amount of folks I have never met but have read about, and many times I am asked, “Why would you send a letter to someone you do not even know?” The simple reason is because I care. I care about meeting new people who have been successful, or …
It seems like we all spend a lot of hours with our noses to the grindstone. That sometimes means we get more done, and at others, at least to me, sometimes I cannot see the forest through the trees. When I’m wrestling with a complex problem, or anything similar for that matter, the solution almost never comes …
Over the years, I have found that there are lots of ways to motivate, but the simplest one is probably the best and the most pleasant for everyone involved. Simply say, “Thank you,” whether verbally or in writing. Particularly in the construction and real estate industries, there has always seemed to be a lack of …
We are about 35% complete building The Sidewalk Film Center and Cinemas, which will be the year round home for the organization as well as their nationally acclaimed film festival. The confined space of the project, coupled with the extensive rock excavation, requires both gas and electric powered equipment. This can create a potential hazard from fumes and emissions. This was solved by …
What follows is something I wrote a few years ago, and as we go into a new year, I thought it might be nice to revisit. I know in my business career, there might have been fewer scars if I had played my own golf course, so to speak. I recently had dinner with a friend, who …
If I had it my way, most of our business cards would not list a job title. Mine never has. Over the years, I have seen folks get caught up in their name, rank, and serial number for a company, maybe neglecting some important nuances in the process. With all respect to my banking friends, I have never met anyone with a lower rank than vice president listed …
With each passing year, I think it is easier at times for us to get caught up in the “comparison trap.” I know I have been guilty of this very thing. A few months ago, I had lunch with an acquaintance, a wealthy individual who had accumulated a substantial amount of wealth during her life. …