What a fascinating example of the Pygmalion Effect (people rising or falling to the expectations of others).
And through American football, no less.
I don't want to give away the story, so I'll leave it up to you whether you read it or not.&nbsp; It'll take about four minutes if you're interested.
<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=6530495&amp;page=1">https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=6530495&amp;page=1</a>&nbsp;

Pygmalion Football

I attended a networking-lunch-workshop-session&nbsp;today to learn what's happening 'on the front lines' and encourage job seekers.&nbsp; We are all just a hair's breadth away from unemployment at any time, whether it's due to illness, injury, a lost contract, a fragile employer, a national disaster, a scandal... nearly anything can obliterate whatever illusory sense of security one hopes to amass.
The lowest tracked unemployment figure for the U.S. is 4.3% (achieved during WWII); we reached 4.5% a few months ago... but as you well know, the sky has fallen, the bottom has fallen out, and -- if we include the wind chill factor -- unemployment is currently&nbsp;hovering as high as 9%.&nbsp; In downtown Detroit it's 12% and expected to reach 20% by year-end.&nbsp; (Which reminds me, Thank You, Mitch Albom, for&nbsp;your dynamite article that reminds us to show more empathy for others: <a href="https://www.mitchalbom.com/the-courage-of-detroit/">www.mitchalbom.com/the-courage-of-detroit</a>.&nbsp; Also, to Clint Eastwood, for filming the beautiful Gran Torino in metro Detroit -- your contribution to the economy is noticed.)
But back to the numbers.&nbsp; 9%.&nbsp;&nbsp;That is a HUGE number; one with untold tragedies behind it.
The times, they have already changed.
Alas, a number of folks are pounding the pavement searching for a job amidst the worst market since the 1930s.
By way of encouragement, I am sharing a resource I learned about today that helps candidates 'do better' in job interviews.&nbsp; Yes, sometimes 'information' is the greatest -- and only -- gift one can give.&nbsp; These come by way of "Denham Resources," but I located them at YouTube.&nbsp; If you intend to interview anywhere anytime soon, you might review a few of these to 'study and learn,' in hopes that you won't fall prey to a poor interview and become your own achilles heel.
Watch on, and whether you are gainfully employed or searching, be thankful for all you DO have, and count your blessings daily.
God speed,&nbsp;
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1D9uu8pZwo">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1D9uu8pZwo</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR-IhZJOq3U">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR-IhZJOq3U</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoK8FiNXBJc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoK8FiNXBJc</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDhbLdFJAF4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDhbLdFJAF4</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6ttwYpA50U">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6ttwYpA50U</a>

Interview Tips for Tumultuous Times

Here&#39;s an interesting story&nbsp;shared by a reader just this morning.&nbsp; Amazing things are possible, indeed, especially when we don&#39;t allow what otherwise might stand between us to stand between us.&nbsp; 


In a zoo in California, a mother tiger gave birth to a rare set of triplet tiger cubs. &nbsp;Unfortunately, due to complications in the pregnancy, the cubs were born prematurely and due to their tiny size, they died shortly after birth. 
 
The mother tiger, after recovering from the delivery, suddenly started to decline in health, although physically she was fine. &nbsp;The veterinarians felt that the loss of her litter had caused the tigress to fall into a depression. &nbsp;They decided that if the tigress could surrogate another mother&#39;s cubs, perhaps she would improve. 
 
After checking with many other zoos across the country, the disappointing news was that there were no tiger cubs of the right age to introduce to the mourning mother. &nbsp;The veterinarians decided to try something that had never been tried in a zoo environment. &nbsp;Sometimes a mother of one species will take on the care of a different species.&nbsp; The only &#39;orphans&#39; that could be found quickly were a litter of weanling pigs. &nbsp;The zookeepers and vets wrapped the piglets in tiger skin (I&rsquo;m not certain where they got this &lsquo;skin&rsquo;) and placed the babies around the mother tiger.&nbsp; Would they become cubs or pork chops? 


See for yourself: 


<img style="width: 500px; height: 366px" src="/blogging/image.axd?picture=2009%2f1%2fTiger.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="366" /> 


<img style="width: 352px; height: 223px" src="/blogging/image.axd?picture=2009%2f1%2fTiger1.jpg" alt="" width="352" height="223" /> 


<img style="width: 371px; height: 292px" src="/blogging/image.axd?picture=2009%2f1%2fTiger2.jpg" alt="" width="371" height="292" /> 


<img style="width: 366px; height: 235px" src="/blogging/image.axd?picture=2009%2f1%2fTiger3.jpg" alt="" width="366" height="235" />

Possibility

A fun little snippet about Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach, and how he has revolutionized college ball. 


<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/31/60minutes/main4694714.shtml">http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/31/60minutes/main4694714.shtml</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; 


&nbsp;

Mike Leach, The Mad Scientist of Football

A&nbsp;business associate forwarded this to me, and I found it worth sharing.


I remain amazed at the treasure trove that is the world wide web.


If you are an entrepreneur, you should check this site regularly.&nbsp; You never know what great ideas may stimulate your brain:


<a href="http://springwise.com/">http://springwise.com/</a>

A Daily Source for Entrepreneurial Ideas

This afternoon, a client asked, "Do you have any clever recommendations for how I might go about finding coaches for all my managers?"
Ah so, indeed I do.
Try here: www.29000feet.com (this website no longer exists)
I know the company well, and they're great.&nbsp; Though they chide me for it, I refer to them as "e-Harmony for Coaches."&nbsp; Specifically, they'll hook you up.&nbsp; Customers (whether 'coaches' or 'coachees') simply complete a few fields about themselves and the computer algorithm matches "those in need" with "those who can help."&nbsp; And vice versa.
Pretty slick.
Enjoy!&nbsp;

e-Harmony for Coaches

Our hearts are with you today, as every day.

Happy Birthday, Son.

Just a few quick thoughts before the year concludes; housekeeping items, mostly:
This past week, a great 'double feature' on Charlie Rose... Malcolm Gladwell discussing his late, great book, Outliers (<a href="https://charlierose.com/videos/12014">https://charlierose.com/videos/12014</a>), and Geoff Colvin discussing his similar book, Talent is Overrated (<a href="https://charlierose.com/videos/12158">https://charlierose.com/videos/12158</a>).
And then, on 12/23, Charlie interviewed Bill Gates, a consummate polymath, as I describe in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1939550378/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1513014688&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=cultivating+the+strategic+mind">Cultivating the Strategic Mind</a>.&nbsp; Anyway, Gates mentioned a number of things that interest him these days, and one of them is the university course Big History, by David Christian.&nbsp; You can order your DVD and learning materials here <a href="https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/big-history-the-big-bang-life-on-earth-and-the-rise-of-humanity.html">https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/big-history-the-big-bang-life-on-earth-and-the-rise-of-humanity.html</a>.
Thirdly, I look forward to seeing <a href="http://www.thereader-movie.com/">The Reader</a> sometime soon.
I just saw <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421715/">The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.&nbsp;</a> Much ado about nothing.
Yesterday, I saw <a href="http://www.thegrantorino.com/">Gran Torino</a> with/by Clint Eastwood.&nbsp; Outstanding.&nbsp; Absolutely phenomenal.&nbsp; Small, simple, then&nbsp;powerful and majestic.&nbsp; A great film that challenges&nbsp;the real meaning&nbsp;of racism.
Sixthly (!), if you run Windows Vista, check out: <a href="http://www.mojaveexperiment.com/html/?fbid=5lsbMXRT_dk">http://www.mojaveexperiment.com/html/?fbid=5lsbMXRT_dk</a>.&nbsp;
All for now; continue those Happy Holidays!&nbsp;

New Year's Eve 2008 -- Quick Bytes

Friday -- yesterday -- was our daughter&#39;s last day of school &quot;for FIFTEEN days!&quot;


As she&nbsp;bounded in the door at the conclusion of her day, she shot her fisted-hands into the air and shouted, &quot;It&#39;s over!&quot;


...you should have seen the look on her face when we reminded her that she had piano this morning at 9AM.&nbsp; It was as if she was in high school, circa 1984, and someone shouted, &quot;Psyche!&quot;


&nbsp;


After a slow, cold start, she enjoyed piano this morning, and as we walked to the car to return home from the lesson, she shot her fisted-hands into the air and shouted, &quot;I&#39;m done!&quot;


...and now, officially, she is.


We can commence with her Christmas holiday, returning her to school some two weeks from now.


&nbsp;


Her exuberance reminded me of something.&nbsp; (Yes, it certainly reminded me of my own childhood and that feeling&nbsp;when school was indeed over, if only temporarily, and&nbsp;both lazy and fun days were ahead.)


But it also reminded me of something I see with many leaders:&nbsp; the failure to CELEBRATE SUCCESSES.


&nbsp;


A close second to &#39;communication,&#39; the failure to celebrate workplace successes is an all-too-common ailment.


It&#39;s as if the employees arrive at the top of Mt. Everest, red-faced, breathing heavily, stooped over, and the boss (looking forward to the horizon and future peaks &amp; projects to summit) shouts, &quot;NEXT!&quot;


Wide-eyed, the employees nearly pass out.&nbsp; &quot;Are you kidding me?&quot; they think.


&nbsp;


As year-end approaches, promise me that one of the New Year Resolutions that you do keep will be this one: acknowledge successes, relish them, enjoy them... and allow people to savor them before proceeding to the next fire.&nbsp; Even if it&#39;s only a couple days, a simple pizza party, or hearfelt words or cards.&nbsp; Do something by allowing them to fill dead-air with laughter, celebration, and congratulatory praise.&nbsp; THEN, and only then, tackle the next summit.


People can summit only so many mountains and extinguish so many fires before they themselves collapse or burn out.&nbsp; We each can learn a great deal from professionals who practice deep and prolonged recovery techniques to recharge the &#39;ol batteries.&nbsp; And yes, there are ways to do this in today&#39;s harried environment.


But for today, just remember that &quot;It&#39;s over&quot; and &quot;I&#39;m done&quot; followed by a &quot;PSCYHE!&quot;&nbsp;wasn&#39;t funny in high school, and it sure ain&#39;t funny now.

Over, Done, Celebrate!

While some of you might appreciate this less than others, there are a number of you who will -- and you know who you are! -- absolutely love this series with Marcus Buckingham on Oprah, taking participants through his materials for these difficult times.


<a href="http://www.oprah.com/article/money/career/pkgmarcus/20080401_orig_marcusbuckingham_course">http://www.oprah.com/article/money/career/pkgmarcus/20080401_orig_marcusbuckingham_course</a>


Enjoy or&nbsp;ignore;&nbsp;I&#39;ve done my part by pointing!&nbsp;

Women's Workshop: Marcus Buckingham on Oprah

This comes from a dear friend, who asked me to share it with others.


<a href="http://www.iamsecond.com/">www.iamsecond.com</a>


&nbsp;


Happy Holidays.

I Am Second

I won't mischaracterize this as a 'book review,' because it's not.
But I&nbsp;encourage you to read The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb.&nbsp; Not because you'll particularly agree with it, or&nbsp;enjoy his obvious though constantly denied hubris, but because the book is required reading for anyone involved in&nbsp;triaging the recent economic&nbsp;hemorrhages that have occurred on Wall &amp; Main Streets.
The Black Swan is indeed provocative and fun, however, and you'll enjoy a number of Taleb's stories and metaphors, not the least of which involves an over-confident turkey.
Here is Taleb's home page:
<a href="http://www.fooledbyrandomness.com/">http://www.fooledbyrandomness.com/</a>&nbsp;
And here he is on my beloved Charlie Rose:
<a href="https://charlierose.com/videos/15268">https://charlierose.com/videos/15268</a>&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<img src="../../blogging/image.axd?picture=2008%2f12%2fTheBlackSwan%2cbookthumbnail.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" />