The Jholdas Group

Maggots force plane back to gate in Atlantawww.breitbart.com

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9GLQJE01&show_article=1

I’ve experienced many gross things on planes but this is definitely one of the worst things I’ve ever heard of!

I don’t know which is more ridiculous. A woman in a store calling my Southern Belle wife “Yankee” because she asked to get past her blockage of an aisle OR painting an entire region of the USA as rude!

Last night I turned the lights out in my St Pete hotel room, threw open the curtains, and enjoyed a wondrous display of beauty and power–an incredibly intense summer thunderstorm. I was mesmerized by the clear expression of God in his creation. Reminded me how great he is and how wonderfully small I am. Very healthy!

I haven’t flown much this year but every time I have ventured back into the chaotic and disorganized world of air travel I’ve been messed up. Last week, in a short-notice attempt to get home to my bride I ended up sitting (on two flights) next to people that should have been in air cargo or at least checked baggage. I never knew you could spill out of a first class seat into mine but you can.

Today, en route back to South FLA, I’ve had an important client meeting canceled (again) because of flight delays in (where else?) Atlanta.

The last few years I flew a lot (easily 150K per year). This year I think Iv’e taken less than 10 legs total. But my percentage of screwups is nearing 100% (no kidding). No wonder I don’t miss it!

Ronald Reagan (who I truly miss!) asked as he challenged Obama–I mean Carter, “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” The answer was a resounding “NO!” and the Carter economic malaise was thrown out in favor of a free enterprise, pro-business era that lasted from 1980 until 2009 and included Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, and Bush II. As a coach to entrepreneurs and small business owners and an executive in the employment industry, I now look around and believe we need to be asking Reagan’s Question again. In terms of your career, earnings, discretionary money, taxes, security, and freedom to start or grow your business–are you better off than you were 2 years ago when an anti-business President joined forces with an anti-business Congress? We are facing a critical election and the need to elect pro-business, limited government, free enterprise representatives in November or face a decade or more of this Carteresque economic malaise.

Check out the “talent” of the Knoxville Professional Teams…

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?video_id=JQYg_uf_rsg

Any other great videos to share!

So far we have seen that to achieve predictable (positive) results in unpredictable times (welcome to the real world!) there are practices and approaches smart companies can take.

1. Execute on a Few Key Priorities with Excellence (vs. trying to do everything with folks who don’t know what they are supposed to do or why it matters)

2. Move with the Speed of Trust (vs. slowing things down through bad communication, layers of bureauracy, reams of approval/sign off forms)

3. Achieve More With Less (vs. frittering away resources on wasteful, non-productive activities)

And now, the fourth: Reduce Fear. Edwards Deming said “Drive all fear from the workplace.” Fear comes from either not knowing what is going to happen (worry) or not being sure of the competence or motivations of those around you. Either way, fearful workers spend a lot of time and energy fretting and protecting rather than creating and improving.

For leaders to eliminate fear, they can practice greater transparency and openness, greater communication at all levels. The light dispels darkness and truth dispels fear.

So as I watch the President talk and talk about the BP Oil Spill, I am more than ever convinced that rhetoric may be a path to political power or corporate position but it should never be confused with real leadership. Leadership is about action not words, about execution not elocution, about deeds not speeches. Leaders take note: action does speak louder than words. So, talk less and do more

Here’s a tip—next week, stop doing one thing that…

1. You hate doing
2. Brings no value to you or  your customer
3. Gets in the way of efficiency
4. Distracts you from more important things