“Dave Brandon is a guy who deals with the world directly as it is- and does so with gusto” -Tom Walsh, Detroit Free Press, “Brandon makes waves as UofM sports boss; will new president be booster?” Mr. Brandon had an extremely positive impact on our audience at CEO/Leaders Connect this past Friday. While I was impressed by his enthusiasm, I was even more impressed by his rigor. He is relentless about measuring: the culture, finances, progress toward goals, …
We are proud to announce that Rob Pasick’s CEO/Leaders Connect will be presenting a theme for the rest of the year: Michigan Leaders Read Michigan Authors. We will be featuring seven predominate Michigan authors, who have recently written books which contain powerful lessons for every Michigan leader. This theme is a variation on a program which I started about 10 years ago in collaboration with Kathleen MacDonald, Rich Sheridan, and Matt Sharp. The concept is to have Michigan leaders …
Paul Freedman knows more about water more than almost anyone in Michigan, and maybe the world. How did Paul get to this level? How does someone become an expert in their field? How does an individual become a thought leader? In Paul’s case, for over 40 years he has consistently and continuously studied water. Specifically, he is an expert in limnology, which is the study of inland water. Earlier this month, we were honored to have Paul share some …
In my workshop tomorrow, Visioning and Goal Setting, I will be drawing from a terrific new book, On Purpose, by my friend and University of Michigan professor, Victor Strecher. Vic wrote this graphic novel to help him rediscover life, after his family lost their 19 year old daughter, Julia, to a rare heart disease that had plagued her since infancy. His powerful story reinforces a truth which I strongly believe: for life to be meaningfully lived, we must have …
I believe in the importance of reflecting on the year that has passed and planning for the one ahead. Some questions you might ask yourself: Was 2013 the year you had hoped it to be? Do you have a vision for 2014? Is it an individual or a shared vision? Do you have a reasonable chance of achieving your goals? Without proper reflection and planning, it is hard to make the changes necessary to achieve your desired future. While …
The end of the year is a wonderful time to look back and celebrate your past years blessings and successes, as well as the successes of others who have worked with and for you. Last night I had the pleasure of watching on TV the Kennedy Center Honors Program from Washington, where Shirley MacLaine, Carlos Santana, Billy Joel, Herbie Hancock, and Martina Arroyo were honored. Former Free Press columnist, Susan Ager, commented about the event on Facebook and said, …