During the holidays, we are surrounded with messages about the power of joy. But why is joy looked at as only a seasonal thing? I think it should be lived year-round, and not just outside your profess... more
There is an old Chinese story about a woman who lost her only son. She went to the holy man in her village and asked, “What mystic powers do you have that will lift the pain from my heart?”... more
An old ranch owner named John had a small spread in Montana. The state government claimed he was not paying proper wages to his workers, so it sent an agent to check things out.... more
One day, a professor announced a surprise test. He distributed a paper to each student with the front side face down. Then he asked the class to turn over the page and start the test. But there were n... more
A sixth-grade girl was running for the post of secretary of her school class. A major part of her campaign was a speech to be given to her classmates, but she had no idea what to say. So she asked her... more
Have you ever heard the expression “seeing the elephant”? It’s an expression that came out of the California gold rush. Those planning to go west in search of gold announced to their friends that they... more
The dominant sports media personality in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area for most of the last 75-plus years never played any of the games he wrote about and never made it to college, much less journalis... more
Like millions of Americans, I watched the 10-part ESPN documentary “The Last Dance” about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. His mental toughness and mindset really stood out throughout the series.... more
As I began this list of management ABCs, I was determined not to confuse management with leadership. There are leaders at all levels, whether we identify them with a special title or simply recognize ... more
One afternoon, a boy was walking through a field when he came upon an apple tree. “It sure would be nice to have an apple to eat right about now,” he thought as he stood below the tree.... more
Like an old barn, many of us have been around a long time. We’ve withstood a lot of life’s storms, bad weather and hard times, but we’re still standing, even though we find ourselves leaning to one si... more
U.S. President Calvin Coolidge was very skillful at turning away any questions he didn’t like. However, in 1928, after Coolidge issued his famous “I do not choose to run” statement, a persistent repor... more
Even after playing together for more than 50 years, the Rolling Stones still understand the value of practicing together. The band commits to two months of rehearsal before every tour, according to th... more
In the beginning, it was the button. Then came the zipper. And then came Velcro. How? The ubiquitous "touch fastener" was invented about 60 years ago by a Swiss engineer named George de Mestral, who b... more
I recently attended a virtual panel presentation in Minneapolis about women in sports that highlighted the important benefits of participation.... more
A newlywed young man was sitting on the porch on a humid day, sipping iced tea with his father. As he talked about adult life, marriage, responsibilities and obligations, the father thoughtfully stirr... more
One of the reasons we admire people who take risks is that most of us are scared stiff at the prospect of taking risks ourselves. “I could never do something like that,” we say. The “something” we cou... more
I know it’s already August, but this summer my thoughts can finally turn to the crack of the bat as I watch my Minnesota Twins “Bomba Squad” launch dinger after dinger! As much as I love basketball an... more
A group of 50 people was attending a seminar. For a group activity, the leader gave each attendee one balloon and asked each person to blow it up and write his or her name on it with a marker. He coll... more
A friend was flying from San Francisco to Los Angeles. After a 45-minute delay in taking off, they then had to make an unexpected stop in Sacramento. The flight attendant announced there would be anot... more
A friend was flying from San Francisco to Los Angeles. After a 45-minute delay in taking off, they then had to make an unexpected stop in Sacramento. The flight attendant announced there would be anot... more
"Pushing the envelope" is a phrase that gained popularity with American test pilots such as Chuck Yaeger and John Glenn in the 1950s. Each aircraft they flew was said to have an “envelope” of performa... more
Success is a journey, not a destination. You may take a few detours, hit some roadblocks and arrive at a different place from what you planned.... more
A woman walked into the grocery store with a 3-year-old girl in the seat of her shopping cart. As they passed the cookie section, the little girl asked for some, and her mother said no.... more