ASTM International (American Society for Testing and Materials) is an organization that can have a substantial impact on construction projects, yet quite a few folks are not familiar with it. ASTM was founded in 1898 for the development and delivery of voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide variety of materials, systems and services. ASTM’s …
Imagine attending a conference and being introduced to a prospective client. This person asks about your company and professional background. Instead of replying to the prospect you say, “Let my friend Dave here tell you all about us.” And then you walk away without speaking a word. It is extremely unlikely that this potential client …
Few people endure slumps and a downturn in performance as often as professional athletes. Even the greatest sports stars suffer through stretches where seemingly nothing goes right. During his heyday, Michael Jordan had a commercial in which he stated, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.” Then, after a short pause, …
Thanks to several social media tools, I have been able to stay connected with increased frequency than before web 2.0. A couple of years ago we started using several of these and the effectiveness of helping with relationships has been very encouraging. I can count on a brief exchange with someone due to my blog …
Making mistakes is common for everyone. We all make them. Admitting to mistakes is not always an immediate reaction. Instead, many try to redirect the blame to others or maybe provide incomplete answers back. I tell our folks at Stewart Perry that they will always make mistakes along the trail and it is a …
As the year comes to a close, I wonder what it would be like if more of us said thank you to each other. Not just at the end of the year, but throughout the year… I can count on my two hands the amount of times that someone from downstream has thanked us for …
Last week we finished our United Way campaign in the city but it was not without a real push by its leadership and the United Way. Someone said that while the economy is cyclical, community needs are constant. I have been thinking of some ways that small businesses can give back to the community that …
When the first Tour de France bicycle race was held in 1903; Maurice Garin, the winner, clocked in nearly three hours ahead of the second-place finisher, Hippolyte Auconturier. This year, the margin of victory was a mere 39 seconds. The three-week-long race covered 2,263 miles. That means winner Alberto Contador traveled each mile 0.0172 of …
“Necessity is the mother of invention.” I have always believed this as a truth, particularly in these tough times. Some jobs might have vanished in the recent Recession, but to me, creative ideas will always be with us. There are plenty of smart people out there who found themselves unemployed in the past year. Instead …
I say both, but that’s the short answer. Here’s how I got there. For me, Saturdays in the fall often involve at least a little bit of college football. While I was watching last weekend, I thought about how important communication is on the field. A quarterback might be blessed with tremendous athletic ability and …
I read recently in the Wall Street Journal that as of May, retailer Bed Bath & Beyond had $1.64 billion in cash and short-term treasuries, and expects to generate at least another $600 million by February. Nationwide, non-financial businesses had approximately $1.85 trillion in liquid assets as of June. That’s pretty good, I would say. …
In business, it’s easy to get caught up in the now. Which fires need putting out this instant? While a certain amount of urgency is to be expected, I’m convinced that making time to prepare for what’s coming next is the key to success. When it comes down to it, most business wins are about …