Freedom, American Style
“Cultivation(s)” is not a political forum. For the past six years, “Cultivation(s)” has been a forum for sharing my thoughts and perspective on growing a bountiful culture and building a successful business. That said, it is our most fundamental freedom that makes sharing such ideas possible. Our freedom was born of sacrifice. From the sacrifice […]
Priorities
Each day brings new opportunities, challenges and the corresponding need to set or adjust priorities. It’s a continuous work in progress. All priorities are not created equal, however. There are those you seek to accomplish over an extended period of time, which correspond to achieving long-term goals. And then there are daily priorities to address, […]
Lifeworthy
The worth of something can be determined by the effort required to create it and the ultimate value it offers to others. In the right combination, the result is “worthy”. This fine Old English word is sometimes connected with other words to describe their fitness for a particular purpose: think trustworthy, newsworthy and seaworthy, as […]
Aspire!
To ‘Aspire’ is to infuse a vision with the energy required to achieve it! Aspiration is seeing what can be, rather than settling for what is. To what do you aspire? Through my work, I’m fortunate to experience what happens when talented teams aspire to accomplish more through collaboration, by leveraging new productivity tools that […]
Dark Horse
Black as Night, Swift as the Wind; Quiet, Powerful, and Full of Purpose. You can approach, without understanding; Listen closely, to learn dark secrets. They may be shared, but perhaps not; Your intentions invite the Truth. What you learn, would surprise you; Yet little is revealed. Hidden meaning, the Abyss of the Unknown; Unyielding pursuit, […]
Dig Deeper
If you want to be prepared, you’ve got to do the work. “Cliffs Notes” may provide fast facts, but it’s the underlying story that offers context. There are no shortcuts to achieving deep understanding. “Executive Summaries” are the business equivalent of “Cliffs Notes” and represent an efficient way for leaders to gain a quick overview […]
Data Points
The purpose of our business information systems is to provide us with timely and relevant information for effective decision-making. We live in a world awash in information, but is it timely or relevant to us and, most importantly, do the data points actually help us make wise choices? Whether it’s the composite results of a […]
Leading: Growth matters
Photo: iStock.com/RomoloTavani Growth for the sake of growth is not a worthy goal. But growth matters, and I’ll share some reasons why with you. If a tree isn’t growing, something is wrong; it could be the soil conditions, nutrition, disease, improper planting or something else. If you’re an arborist, you’re going to evaluate both the […]
Ideas Without Action
Humans have a remarkable capacity to envision ideas. Some have the ability to test them and put them to work. On the other hand, ideas without action are a waste of creative energy. I’ve shared thoughts previously on the importance of a Decision to Act, but it’s the ideas of “what” to act upon that […]
Prepare for Performance
If you want to run a marathon, you’d better train for it. If you want to run a business, you’d better do the same. Running a business is not for the faint-hearted, or for those who won’t commit to the work that success demands. Whether it’s employees, customers, bankers or board members, they’ll know if […]