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Try brainstorming to remedy cloudy thinking
An electric utility in the northwestern U.S. had problems with ice building up on its power transmission lines during the winter. The company had to send linesmen out to climb the pylons that held the lines to clear off the ice and snow. It was difficult and dangerous work, especially as bears sometimes wandered close…
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Practice, practice, practice – perfectly
Everyone thinks practice makes perfect. That’s wrong. Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi said you have to add one word – “Perfect practice makes perfect.” I heard a man complaining that he had ten years of experience at work but never got promoted. Here’s the real question. Did he have ten years of experience? Or did…
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Business lessons from George Washington
As a history major, I am intrigued by the origins of our great country. George Washington is a logical place to start. This week we celebrate his birthday with Abraham Lincoln’s as Presidents Day – the third Monday in February. But what do we really know about this founding father who led our country through the…
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Listen up if you want to be successful
Two friends were walking down a busy street one evening when one paused and said, “Listen to those crickets chirping.” “What crickets?” said the other man. “I don’t hear any crickets. Hey, you!” He waved down a woman passing by. “Do you hear crickets around here?” “No,” the woman said, and went on her way.…
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Success is not about your lack of resources, it’s about being resourceful with what you have
Do you remember the TV show “MacGyver”? He was the epitome of resourcefulness. He would get trapped, usually in a building that contained a ticking time bomb, but he was able to free himself by being resourceful and using what was available to him, like duct tape or chewing gum. I was always intrigued –…
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15 Reasons to Date a Pharmacist
Trawling the Internet recently we came across the global dating site eHarmony promoting pharmacists as great life partners. Intrigued as to whether they were “fair-dinkum” we visited the site to see what they were saying and genuinely surprised when we realised that they were not being frivolous. As we discussed the implications of this material…
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Failure isn’t fatal
In 1860 a thirty-eight-year old man was working as a handyman for his father, a leather merchant. He kept books, drove wagons and handled hides for about $66 a month. Prior to this menial job the man had failed as a soldier, a farmer and a real estate agent. Most of the people who knew…
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Life is what you make it
One of my favorite “Peanuts” cartoons by Charles Schultz has Charlie Brown saying, “I learned something in school today. I signed up for folk guitar, computer programming, stained glass, art, shoemaking, and a natural foods workshop.” “Instead,” he said, “I got spelling, history, arithmetic, and two study periods.” The last panel has Charlie’s companion asking,…
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Keep your funny side up
Life is funny – or at least, I think it should be. Finding humor in everyday things is a gift. Our very serious world can be depressing and overwhelming. Problems at work can seem insurmountable. Your car is making a disturbing noise, and the kids’ school just called to let you know your daughter,…
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Stand out at work
There’s an old joke about farmers: They are “outstanding” in their fields. Or is it “out, standing” in their fields? If you want to be outstanding in your field, you probably don’t have acres of land to make the anecdote amusing. But there is nothing funny about being a standout at work. In fact,…