He was the incandescent man. Phil Graham walked into a room and took it over, charming and seducing whomever he wished, men and women alike. No one in Washington could match him at all, not even, in the days before he became President, John F. Kennedy. Everyone adored Phil Graham. David Halberstam, The Powers that… Read More Yes, You Can Develop More Charisma – But There May Be Limits
I am bothered. I am a big fan of making people and companies better. I have written many times about the need for constant innovation, perpetual improvement, pushing folks to get better (pushing myself to get better). Just yesterday, I re-read the classic essay by David Halberstam about the end of Michael Jordan’s playing career: … Read More But We Can’t All Be Michael Jordan – The Challenge: Building Success with Average Folks
It has been a while since a book has sparked such interest, such controversy, such applause and disdain, and almost furor, as Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Yale Professor, and mother, Amy Chua (currently #5 on the overall list of bestsellers on Amazon). If you haven’t heard about it, you really must be… Read More The Discipline of Discipline — Reflections on the Tiger Mother, the 10,000 Hour Rule, Work Ethic, and a Little More
(let’s call this a lesson in business focus). No, I don’t know the future of the book business, (or the restaurant business, or the car business — or any business, for that matter.). I don’t know if physical books will survive in the e-books era. I don’t know if people will be able to read… Read More Border’s Difficult Days – with Maybe an Object Lesson for us All
He was the incandescent man. Phil Graham walked into a room and took it over, charming and seducing, whomever he wished, men and women alike. No one in Washington could match him at it, not even, in the days before he became President, John F. Kennedy. He was handsome and slim and when he smiled,… Read More Here’s Something You Can “Do,” Beginning Right Now, To Help You Be More Successful In 2011 – “Look” The Part
So, here’s the request that came in an e-mail: We are going on a cruise in September and I want to load my Kindle with three books. What are the three best books you would recommend for my reading? The request came from a very sharp, keen-minded, successful, independent business consultant. He attends one of… Read More “What Three Books Should I Load On My Kindle For My Cruise?” – w/update
(These quotes come from Ben Bradlee’s essay, The Turning Point: The Battle of Midway, included in Defining a Nation, edited by David Halberstam). This is what they called a decisive battle. On May 7, 1942 (five months after Pearl Harbor), American forces under General Wainwright surrendered in the Philippines. The Americans gave up a “tactical… Read More The Battle Of Midway, One of Many Great Battles To Remember On This Memorial Day
David Halberstam tells the story of the board meeting when William Paley tells the rest of the board that it is time for CBS to begin phasing out its focus on radio and put all of its effort into the new medium television. It’s been a few years since I read the story in the… Read More From Gutenberg to Radio to Television to the Kindle — the world really does keep on changing!
• The new “zippies” — “a young city or suburban resident, with a zip in his stride. Generation Z. Oozes attitude, ambition, and aspiration. Cool, confident, and creative. Seeks challenges, loves risks, and shuns fear.” (Describing younger adults in India — Thomas Friedman, The World is Flat) ———————— Last night, I spent a really wonderful evening… Read More The New “Zippies” — and the Growing Skill Deficit
This is a blog primarily focused on business books. And one of the biggest best selling books of the last couple of years is Thomas Friedman’s Hot Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution – and How it Can Renew America. In it, he argues – he is convinced! – that we need… Read More Fantasy vs. Reality – Will there ever be enough Green Jobs to make a Difference?
First Friday Book Synopsis 