Time Management

What ever happened to being on time. I believe enough productivity is lost waiting for others in the US economy alone to make up the national deficit. How many times have you been in a room with 5-6 others waiting for the prima donna to show up to only have them show up and dictate a faster meeting tempo because they were late? How many times were you in a meeting when the same prima donna was either checking phone or pc email and/or texting while important topics were under discussion. And the worst, how many times did prima donna stop the meeting to take a call from "someone important". Good thing we don't count.

This has become the scurge of the American executive. I was once in a meeting when the VP stood up during the meeting to say he just saw a great internet article on the topic being discussed. What he didn't realize was that the meeting organizer was discussing that same article when he stood up. Doh! I find this abuse of other people's time as the most insulting behavior in business today. Don't give me this idea that people can work on seven different mediums at once, most people can not pay appropriate attention to one medium at a time.

Pre- Judging potential clients

I read a great article this morning about how dangerous it is to pre judge clients.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/columnist/edmunds/2010-04-07-judging-your-customers_N.htm?csp=obinsite

It is worth sharing. The bottom line in my mind is people who look rich, probably are not: and people who look average: probably are not.

Self boarding on airlines

Continental Airlines announced that they are testing self-boarding at the Houston airport. Now this practice has been in place in other countries for over 10 years, so it is appropriate that the antiquated US airline system would finally get around to trying it. It has the potential to reduce more headcount for the airlines. But, I have a few questions. Who will check to make sure that someone doesn't try to bring a 54' TV as carry on baggage? Who will check that the crowders (you know who you are) don't board before their row is called? Who will frown at you when you present your boarding pass? And who is going give me the last first class seat? These are the questions that will determine success or failure, do you agree?

Newspapers going, going, gone!

Most people don't subscribe to the paper form of a newspaper anymore and I am one of them. It's interesting to see folks on Sunday mornings at the coffee shop. Browsing through the pages of the paper has been replaced by surfing on your pc or smart phone. You don't have to hassle with late or no deliveries from the underpaid delivery boy and most of all you don't have to discard a bunch of recycling material when your done. Is the old newspaper dead as we know it, what do you think?

Lance Armstrong

Seems like I am fixated on sports lately, but a lot of the big news is coming from the sports page. It looks like the final chapter is being written on Lance Armstrong as he finishes his last Tour de France. Not so fast (as Lee Corso would say), Lance will be in the news for years to come as steroid accusations finally go before a federal review. It seems that based on Floyd Landis' statements (and we know he always tells the truth), there will be a federal investigation. Even 3 time past winner Greg Lemond has jumped on the Landis testerone infused bandwagon. If Lance did break the rules, then he will pay the price. He has a huge following and his Livestrong foundation is truly one of the neat organizations in this world. His public profile helps him raise money for cancer cures and treatments; that will most certainly take a hit if he is found guilty. I guess I am tired of the whole steroid thing. In fact, I think steroids should be allowed. Why don't we see the feats of man at its most extreme level? The reality is that sport, outside of little league baseball, has really become entertainment not sport; so let it ride.

Is Microsoft a leader or a follower

Lately, it seems like Microsoft has fallen into the Number 2 position in many of its core technology areas. The behemoth used to command attention with every suggestion of a new technology. Today, the new Windows Phone 7 is not much competition to many of the new Apple or HTC products. Kinect is being presold on 360 boxes, but the real competitor to Wii won't be available until Christmas, we've heard that one before. The Microsoft CRM will now be updated to compete with Salesforce, I think that may be too late except for true Microsoft cult followers. Maybe the story that really got me thinking was the end of life announcements for Windows 2000 and Windows XP SP2. Windows XP might still be the best and most stable product Microsoft ever made. Vista really came up short, but then again it didn't need to be best of class because it's the only one in class. Maybe Windows 7 will stand the test of time, but then again we've heard that one before

Sweet Lou

I have mixed emotions this morning as I read about Lou Piniella's retiring at he end of this season. He said he just wants to spend more time with the family; the wife, kids and grandkids. Who can argue with that. But, I can't imagine baseball without Sweet Lou. His 20+ years of managing baseball were filled with fire and expletives, but mostly with succinct descriptions of how his team played, "We stunk out there tonight". People remember the great run his Mariners team had to get to the AL Championship game only to lose to Cleveland, but often forget the Reds team he managed won four straight games in 1990 to crush the "Bash Brothers" Oakland A's in the world series. They also forget he played 18 years in the majors as the pudgy outfielder that had a career .300 batting average and won 2 WS rings with the Yankees, who he later managed.

All that said, the thing I will miss the most about Lou was his maniacal tirades that put the fear of God in every umpire in the league; his base throwing, his spitting as he screamed at the umpire, his dirt kicking and most of all the stream of curse words that spewed from his mouth like a sailor in the brig. Some people thought he set a bad example. Not me; his passion for the game is what made his teams play up to the next level. The day of the fiery manager will be gone in baseball, replaced by statistical geniouses that are baby sitters for the multi million dollar crybaby players. So, at the end of the season, Lou take a break; you're only 66 with life to live after baseball. I am sure some team will offer you a front office job, because the one thing I know for sure is that as much as I will miss Sweet Lou, he will miss baseball more.

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