The MVP in incubation is the leader who learns every position
There’s a long background to this one, so buckle in.
All my life, I’ve done a little of this and a little of that and maybe more of something else. When I was 8, my father decided I had to play baseball. My father loved baseball. He talked about, he volunteered to coach, he even umpired for several years.
I was always referred to as the “tall, skinny kid,” but, fortunately, I wasn’t too clumsy so I did make a team when I tried out. I guess in the beginning stages (it wasn’t even “Little League”; it was called “Minor…
Money matters, but it isn’t all that matters
Greed kills. Actually, the original phrase is “speed kills.” It was attributed to the late Al Davis, owner of the Oakland Raiders football team. The full quote, according to gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, is this: “Speed kills. You can’t teach speed. Everything else in the game can be taught, but speed is a gift from God.” Davis knew the value of swift running on the football field; “they can’t tackle you if they can’t catch you.”
Later, this became a byline of the drug culture, as in amphetamines and other stimulants: “Speed kills.” Drugs that increase heart rate make…
Build trust with solid people who have insight
“You know what the problem is? The problem is people don’t trust themselves. They truly do not believe in themselves or trust themselves; that’s the root of all this self-help revolution.”
That’s what a good friend of mine recently told me as we were browsing in the “Self-Help” section of a large Barnes & Noble bookstore. We were wading through shelves of sub-categories for self improvement — anger management, anxieties and phobias, art therapy and relaxation, communication and social skills, death and grief, dreams, eating disorders, happiness, memory improvement. The subcategory list is expansive, and it includes categories I would…
And, just as important, what not to do
I am a person well-acquainted with grief (no biblical reference intended here). My father was a minister for over 55 years, and I worked in a hospital morgue for 7 years. I’ve been to quite a few funerals over my lifetime for people I loved.
I was fortunate to have known my great-grandmother (she didn’t pass away until I was 16, so I spent significant time with her), my grandmothers (on both sides), my great-grandfather and grandfathers (on both sides), etc. However, my mother died fairly young, and my father just passed away recently. …
And my name on a list of potential funders? It won’t lead to your success
Since the very beginning of my tenure in my current position, I have encountered a number of obstacles. Some were daunting (like getting a new roof on one of my buildings — only took about 4 years) and some were simple (need a color printer? Buy a color printer!). Each obstacle presented a dynamic opportunity for me to show the boss that I was a problem solver, and that I knew how to do my job. That’s a good thing. It’s always good to face a tough issue and work it out, accomplish the goal.
But some things seem to…
5 Steps to Manage Your Finite Asset: Time
One of my favorite topics to speak about is time management. I’ve read many, many books on the topic and I have to admit, it fascinates me. Time is definitely the most finite asset we have, and yet we don’t even know how much of it we WILL have (in total).
I am always amazed at how much time people waste, and then I’m doubly amazed when I ask them to do something and they respond, “I just don’t have enough time!” REALLY? …
We may be wizened, but we’re wise — which can come with age, if you’re willing
Pre-COVID, I attended a social function wearing a shirt and tie. A young man (young to me, anyway) greeted me, shook my hand, and said, “Way to rock it old school, man!” I assumed (turns out, rightfully so) that he was referring to my shirt and tie since everyone else was in jeans and T-shirts.
It was a painful moment for me. I felt old and understood what it meant to feel “out of place.” Less than a week later as I presented a talk to a group of students, one of them called me “Pops.” Seriously? Is this some…
It’s a matter of dignity and respect for position if not the person
During World War II, my father served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theatre. He fought on Iwo Jima, on Okinawa, and in several other land — and sea — battles. He was on a troop transport ship, “hauling a bunch of ‘jarheads’ all over the Pacific Ocean to help out,” as he put it.
When the war was over, Dad became a minister and never spoke of the war to any of us kids, until about the last 10 years of his life. (He passed away in 2019 at 92.)
The first time he talked about his time…
If you won’t listen to your employees, why trust outside counsel?
Lately, it seems most of the devices I use are getting “automatic software upgrades.” (Well, some of them I have to approve or click something to request the upgrade, but I almost always DO upgrade!). But I find more and more of these “upgrades” are actually “downgrades” — in many aspects.
I’ve experienced that in other areas of my life, too. One that comes to mind immediately is an “upgrade” I received on a long flight. This particular airline, in this particular country, was suspect from the start. The planes looked as if they were built 100 years ago. …
It’s a dog-bite-man world; take action
I suffered a dog bite this past week. Actually, it was more of a dog slash, a punishment for my good deed.
I was assisting a friend who has a large, playful labradoodle puppy. The dog has the unfortunate habit of standing to greet visitors at the front door. (By “standing,” I mean standing on his hind legs and forcefully thrusting his enthusiastic body into the body of the unsuspecting entrant.) In my effort to break the dog of this habit (with heavy use of dog treats, of course), the dog attempted to jump on me.
Unfortunately, I raised my…
UF Innovate
Includes Tech Licensing, Ventures, and two business incubators, The Hub and Sid Martin Biotech. We are an innovation ecosystem.
