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| Pontifications By Michael W. Lodato This section contains a potpouri of comments, observations, satire, etc. that may or may not relate to the subjects of this website. Some of the comments will be serious and others will attempt to be humorous. Since it is possible that some of my writings may seem oracular or dogmatic, I decided to call the section Pontifications. Here you will find some interesting "between the lines" information and tips that might be useful to you. And from time to time we will make some announcements about new material or upcoming events. Visitors to the site are invited to submit their own "pontifications". If they are included in the website, credit will be given.
A bit of a brag On April 30, 2010 the doctor (me) had his 3rd hole-in-one at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village, CA.
Quotes: "History teaches that men and nations behave wisely only after they have exhausted all other alternatives." Abba Eban "If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspapers you are misinfoarmed." Mark Twain :"Do what you can with what you have where you are." Teddy Roosevelt "Nothing" is often the right thing to do, and always the right thing to say. Politicians are like diapers. They both need to be changed often -- and for the same reason. Hylton's Rule: "No job is too small to botch." "Good listeners are not only popular everywhere but after awhile, they know something" "Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some hire PR officers." Daniel J Boorstin "Wringing your hands only stops you from rolling up your sleeves" James Rollins (in The Black Order) "It's really hard to make predictions, especially about the future" Yogi Berra "A simple way to take the measure of a country is to look at how many want in … and how many want out". Tony Blair.
Will We Come to Our Senses in the New Decade???
As a society and a culture there are a lot of things that were done in the first year of the new decade that are not prideful. As much as we are fond of categorizing decades, the behavior that was evident during those years won't simply disappear because we have begun a new decade. Nevertheless, the early part of a new decade presents at least an opportunity to reflect on what occurred. A lot of things bother me about what is going on in our nation and in the world. The parties on each side of any major issue attack each other personally with such a vengeance that sound solutions are never considered. Right and wrong have been replaced by right and left.
My view is that we still vastly under-invest and over-consume and our executives are as myopic as ever.
We have become preoccupied with consumption; with living it up. We idolize conspicuousness, from designer apparel to flashy cars to oversized houses.
Our heroes should again become those who produce well, work hard, invent new things or new ways of doing things. And more of our economic talent and resources should be channeled into productive assets, not financial manipulation. We should chastise those who become wealthy risking other people's money and those who become rich selling options, futures and other such hokum.
It is time to invest our time and resources to understand our core competencies, strengthen them, and apply them to market opportunities. The last thing we need is to have executives pre-occupied with corporate raiders and diverting huge resources to protect themselves. Our children's future, which is interwoven with the well-being of the country's economy, is best served not by encouraging them to seek to make as much money as possible, as soon as possible, but by doing something of lasting value. As individuals and as companies we should set a better example than in the decade just ended.
The Compassionate Consultant Some years ago when I got back from a golf weekend with my buddies, my wife asked, "What did you talk about?" (She really meant "relate"). I responded: "Guys don't talk. They either comment on shots or sports, or they insult one another." (This is not a trait that men ought to be proud of.) When I related that conversation to a gal at the office, she said, "One of the reasons it is so important for women to have women friends is that they listen and have compassion. When a woman tells a problem to a man, he always offers a solution, which may or may not be what the woman wants to hear. " WOW! What insight!! Well as any good father would do, I immediately called my son to tell him of this profound thing I had just learned. He, too, was a consultant at the time, and wondered whether we couldn't apply this new lesson to our practices. For example, if a client says, "Our sales effectiveness is low," rather than offering solutions or methods that the client can try, we might say, "Gee, that's too bad. How do you feel about it? I remember when I was a sales executive and used to worry about sales effectiveness. It was a lousy, empty feeling. I have great empathy for you." You know, on some occasions, that might be just what the client needs. Don't count on it from me, however. I'm not compassionate enough. | |
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