We Ain’t Them

16 May

I’m at the BNI National Directors Conference in Tampa. As a Director Consultant, I coach and support BNI chapters in my home town area (Duluth, Minnesota).

At the conference, we’ll hear many presentations that share, teach and illustrate examples and best practices of helping chapters of business owners and professionals succeed at, ultimately, getting more good business for members.

In many ways, BNI is a system; follow the steps and structures and things should work out well, if not amazingly great. Continue reading →

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A bunch of scaredy-cats

26 Mar

What are you afraid of?  Yes, you are. You are afraid of something, likely several things. Further, those fears are controlling you; they drive your behavior, they influence your choices and affect your reactions.

Are you afraid of being alone when you are older?  Do you fear losing your job? How about losing your reputation? Are you afraid of what people might think of you (whatever that means)?  Do you fear not being able to keep up with the Jones (or appearing so)? Continue reading →

Stepping out

9 Mar

A year or so ago, a boy and his dad showed up at my Taekwondo school. In my school’s lobby that first visit, “Alex”, about eight years old, hid behind his dad’s leg, not being particularly interactive, and saying he was afraid. The Taekwondo class he observed was intriguing to him, but he kept saying he wasn’t sure he could do it and that he was scared.

You see, Alex has a diagnosis on the autism scale. Continue reading →

A little goes a long way

11 Feb

On Monday and Thursday evenings I conduct Taekwondo classes at an elementary school in a nearby town through their school district’s community ed program.  I teach a class of teeny kids, then one for older kids, and then a class for teens and adults.

After teaching the older kids, I had one of my black belts start the adult class and I went to get a drink down the hall. One of my youth students, “William,” a fourth grader who waits while his dad takes part in the adult class, came along with me. We encountered the school custodian on duty, “Tim,” and I introduced Tim to William, since William actually attends that particular school. Continue reading →

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I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth

28 Jan

In our Taekwondo classes, we have students of all ages, but particularly youth, who are having a hard time performing a particular kick but who refuse to take feedback on improving it because they are concerned about looking good. So, for instance, they would rather kick the target hard, or be fast, than alter their mechanics to do the kick properly.

You can see that they are conscious of their inadequacy in front of everyone (even when most other students aren’t much better) and are almost trying to hide their shortcoming in plain sight. Continue reading →

I Never Knew the Indigo Girls

26 Dec

It seems it is in human nature to declare truths.  Most recently and vividly, I have in mind hearing Wayne LaPierre, CEO of the National Rifle Association, speaking in the wake of the horrific Newtown, Connecticut Sandy Hook elementary school shooting. It’s not Mr. LaPierre’s controversial proposed solution to school shootings that I have in mind right how; it is his use of phrases such as, “The truth is . . .”. He presented a number of such truths. Continue reading →

Monkeys Falling From Trees Like Crazy

16 Dec

“It’s OK; everyone has a bad day.”

There I am on a Saturday morning, having set up an agility course for students in the family class (all ages) at my Taekwondo dojang. An agility ladder. Some orange cones. Some 12″ banana steps.

At 52 years old and 19 years of Taekwondo (and Hapkido, and Kumdo) practice, I consider my footwork to be better than it’s ever been. So, to my chagrin, I demonstrated the course, and proceeded to catch the ladder with my toe several times, knock down a cone, and tip a hurdle. Not only once, but during a repeat demonstration. Continue reading →

Listening across 44 years

26 Nov

A couple of Fridays ago I was bell ringing for the Salvation Army at a supermarket in Cloquet (Minnesota) on behalf of my Rotary Club. As I was nearing the end of my shift, a small elderly woman pushing her shopping cart stopped to fish a dollar out of her handbag. After she put it in the red kettle (donate here!) she started chatting with me.

She told me a lot of people need help right now and she tried to do what she could. She explained how she is a Christian woman (Lutheran) and she believes if you are Christian you are supposed to help other people. Continue reading →

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