Ikigai (Life Worth)
I’ve watched a few samurai movies lately. I didn’t think there were that many, but now my feed is full of them. Like rabbits multiplying. Or Tribbles, if you are a Star Trek fan. This flurry of feudal activity has piqued my interest in Japanese culture. Today, we’ll discuss the concept of Ikigai, which has…
Cleanup on Aisle Seven
A verse in the Old Testament book of Proverbs says this: “Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.” – Proverbs 14:4 (ESV) In other words, if you want to produce results, there is going to be a mess. This is a great corollary…
Whale Whacking
I know. I know. Most of you are probably thinking I meant to say “Whale Watching.” This is the correct title. Let me explain. My sailboat, Kayleigh, is in a charter fleet at my sailing club. The club charters Kayleigh to club members when I’m not there. Chartering offsets my cost, and the club maintains…
Kaizen
The Japanese philosophy of Kaizen has come to represent the principles of continuous improvement. The word itself means “change for the better.” This week, I share six simple ideas that represent components of Kaizen that we can all benefit from. For a discussion about the basic concept of continuous improvement, please see this week’s Leadership…
The Language of Progress (3 of 3)
This is the final installment in our Language of Progress series. Buttons are down below for parts 1 and 2 if you missed those. I loved the original Karate Kid movies, featuring Mr. Miyagi and Daniel-San. They are a bit outdated by today’s standards, but they conveyed a great message. One of the items featured…
The Big Reveal
In the 1960s sitcom “Bewitched,” Samantha’s husband Darren played an advertising executive. In several episodes, he would bring clients to their Manhattan avenue office for “the big reveal” of an ad campaign that he had been working on. Whenever you have a “big reveal,” the pressure is on. Either your client will love it –…