Influence and Impact by Bill Berman and George Bradt – A Review
Most of us, myself included, were raised believing that if we kept our focus and put in the hard work, we would get ahead. Tough times make us tougher, we were taught, and perseverance will prevail. Influence and Impact by Bill Berman and George Bradt debunks this myth, explains why many careers become frustratingly stagnant, […]
Obsolete
I remember when I got my first pager. Pagers were for special people who must always be available in an emergency, and so I felt important. The feeling was short-lived. I soon realized that it could go off at any moment, compelling me to drop whatever I was doing and head for the nearest phone […]
The Technology of Abolishing Jobs
“I will be the greatest jobs President that God ever created.” @POTUS Donald Trump campaigned with this and won, partially due to the job-loss-induced frustration in places like the Rust Belt. Building a border wall and introducing import tariffs will help some, but they won’t fix the problem. Technology is the real villain, and many […]
Thinking Outside the Book
As I was growing up, we had a kindly old family doctor who would make house calls if you couldn’t come to his office (yes, I’m that old). When he retired, his son took over the practice and took care of me during my anxiety-ridden teenage years. There was a time when I had difficulty […]
3.61 Degrees of Separation
That basketball game you really wanted to see is sold out? Relax, I have connections. You want the best price on a new car? No problem, my brother-in-law works at the dealership. Frustrated in your job search? Forget about patrolling the Internet – “networking” is to modern employment what “plastics” was to Benjamin. From entertainment […]
Darwin’s Business Plan
“If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once every week.” Charles Darwin Charles Darwin was not an atheist, and he started out studying medicine and theology before finally settling on natural history. Nearly everyone associates his […]
What People Think of You
“People who say they don’t care what people think are usually desperate to have people think they don’t care what people think.” – George Carlin In the business world, just like in the real world, people are your number one resource. Changing “Personnel Department” to “Human Resources” wasn’t just a cheap re-branding ploy; it really […]
Dreams, Up In Smoke
Sometimes I daydream about what it might be like when I “retire,” whatever that will mean. For me, it always involves some sort of part-time job with less stress. I’ve enjoyed the times in my life when I was a teacher, and a part-time, non-tenure-track university position sounds appealing. I’m afraid that by the time […]
Apps Creating Jobs?
If you were going to pick a career based solely on job opportunities, you might be tempted to choose “Computer Software Engineer”. Based on the latest government data, employment in this field increased almost 8 percent in 2010. There are now more software engineers than farmers in the US, and they will soon outnumber lawyers. […]
Panhandler Makes $60K
Beggars have always been drawn to the beachside resort community of Santa Barbara. The climate is mild year-round, and the residents and visitors are generally affluent. Local businesses have tried in vain to chase them away; the latest “Don’t Feed Our Bums” campaign featured signs and bumper stickers, to no avail. My wife and I […]
