The number “7” is used, referenced and associated with a lot of things. There are the 7 wonders of the ancient world, 7 continents, 7 seas, 7 colors of the rainbow, 7 notes on the diatonic musical scale, Snow White had 7 dwarfs, three 7’s is a winning hand (Blackjack), three 7’s on a slot machine hits the jackpot, and there is the 7th inning stretch in baseball. You also have the 7-year itch in marriage, 7 letters in the Roman Numeral system, and 7 deadly sins: greed, gluttony, pride, lust, sloth, envy, and wrath
The problem with many leaders is that they believe their subordinates need to adjust to them. The boss has the title, the power, the authority to make everyone adapt to their way; the “My way or the highway” mentality is a lousy way to lead people.
There are so many ways to say we made a MISTAKE: Botched, Bungled, Flubbed, Mishandled, Bumbled, Misjudged, Mucked-up, Fouled-up, Messed-up, Slipped-up, Goofed-up and Screwed-Up … which all say, in simple terms, that an error has been made.
I am so tired of all the conversation about the younger generation verse the older generation. Boomers thinking Millennials just can’t do it and Millennials thinking Boomers are out of touch. There is no rule that I know of which states, good ideas can ONLY come from senior management. We need to get over this generation battle and start pulling together.
The phrase "scientia potentia est” is a Latin aphorism meaning "knowledge is power". I believe you need to expand that phrase with three additional words to make it universally correct: The “USE” of knowledge is POWER. There are a lot of smart people in this world, with incredible “knowledge”, but they fail to fully reach their potential because they are unable to “USE” that knowledge to their advantage. Knowing what to do and having the courage to do it are entirely two different things. Novelist, statesman and scientist von Goethe said it this way: “Knowing is not enough. We must apply. Willing is not enough. We must do.”
The great film director George Lucas once said, “Your focus determines your reality.” Psychologists have estimated that we have between 50,000 - 70,000 thoughts a day. With all that going on in our heads, no wonder it is no small task to get ourselves to focus on key issues. But, in order to achieve success, we need to learn how to focus these thoughts on WHAT MATTERS MOST. If we let our attention jump from one thing to another, we will have a busy, but most likely, an unproductive day. Simple example: If you chase two rabbits, both will escape; when your focus is scattered, your effectiveness is diminished.
April 14, 2019
by Robert Stevenson
