Friday Food For Thought

There is a certain “F” word I dislike intensely and even borderline hate.  It’s not the one you may be thinking of; I use that one a lot 😊.  The one I hate is one I have been told on occasion that I am devoid of.  I’ll give you a hint: remember, I am simple, and I like “facts” (love that “F” word!). Give me facts all day long… I can work with and solve problems with them.  Facts, like the other F word, can be fun!

BHAG: BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOAL!!! Sounds crazy, unachievable and scary!  What were Jim Collins and Jerry Porras thinking when they first coined the phrase in their book, “Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies”? A BHAG needs to be big, seemingly impossible and forward thinking. Most importantly, it should provoke action and a sense of urgency. In short, a BHAG is inspirational and aspirational.

Hi all, this is Helene. As the Toby Keith song goes, “occasionally, I wanna talk about me (me, me, me)!”; so, Vijay agreed I could do exactly that this week.  Everything happens for a reason, right?   Have you ever wondered what the reason is or when/if we ever find out?  Or even if there is truth to that saying?  I think it’s fascinating to consider the possibilities, which is exactly what I’ve been doing the last few weeks after a vacation was unexpectedly interrupted. We hit a deer while riding on a motorcycle.  It was a remote, two-lane country road in Illinois late Sunday morning (Father’s Day).   We stayed upright and steady as the deer came up the windshield and fell off to the side; we are fine.  Unfortunately, neither the deer nor the bike survived.  That was the outcome, now here is the story…   

I am a simple person. I take things at face value without reading into them or searching for hidden meanings. If I have doubts about what someone means, I ask for clarification. Simply put (😊), I mean exactly what I say, and while I expect the same from others, I understand that words have impact and misunderstandings happen. I know that sometimes things should be said differently. It’s the same with actions; just like words, the same actions can take on a completely different meaning for each of us.  That sounds strange; how the heck do we all survive and navigate this? It’s complicated!    

Hey all – Lauren here again! I asked Vijay if I could write his blog this week before I go away for my wedding and honeymoon. Plus, the Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays! I’ll tell you a few reasons why…

It’s all about me—isn’t that the common theme lately? When did we become so self-centered and entitled? I’ll pause here to warn you that I am about to get on my soap box (again)! 😊