104. Plow The Field
https://traffic.libsyn.com/swimmingintheflood/104._Plow_The_Field.mp3 I want you to assemble something for me. Ready? What can you make out of a magnifying lens, a watch crystal and a newspaper? Guesses? I’ll give you another one. What can you make out of a car muffler, a gear shift knob, seat cushion stuffing and a cigarette lighter? Any guesses? Not exactly […]
103. Don’t Rush To Judgment
I am from the Sony Walkman Generation, more commonly known as Gen X. It’s a label for people born between 1965 and 1980, of which I fit. According to Indeed, four common characteristics of Gen Xers are Independent, we are self-sufficient, resourceful and individualistic, second we seek a healthy work-life balance, third we are informal […]
102. Lie In A Coffin
https://swimmingintheflood.libsyn.com/101-inflate-your-contract Have you ever been locked in a mausoleum? Inside the musty vault with dank smells, eerie lighting, a broad sarcophagus, unlit torches, locks, and maps. Have you? How would your body react? At what point would you start scraping against the walls and slamming your shoulder against the door trying to get out? Imagine […]
101. Inflate Your Contract
https://swimmingintheflood.libsyn.com/101-inflate-your-contract I was working on a bid recently for a public contract in a city near Boston. It was a public works project which would extend for over two years. And, this was a competitive bid, meaning that the lowest responsible bidder would be awarded the project. Owners of public works projects are a little […]
100. Match Their Enthusiasm
https://swimmingintheflood.libsyn.com/100-match-their-enthusiasm Imagine you are Steve Jobs (and you are still alive). You are Steve Jobs and you step on the stage of an Apple new product launch. Let’s say it’s the iPad. You are ready to unveil the iPad. Your team worked for years on this product. Thousands of hours maybe hundreds of thousands of […]
98. Aim Small, Miss Small
https://swimmingintheflood.libsyn.com/98-aim-small-miss-small Have you ever heard the phrase, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars”? Have you heard it? Sure, you have. First, you probably heard it from your grandmother, but it is credited to writer Norman Vincent Peale. He was a protestant clergyman and best known for popularizing the […]
97. Fill Your Sails
In March of 2020, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker issued a state-wide shelter in place order due to the raging novel COVID-19 virus. Effectively, the order shut down the state and, in turn, shut down major parts of my business. Quickly on the heels of Massachusetts, Rhode Island issued their shelter in place order and my […]
95. Afternoon Reset
The management meetings were scheduled to last two full days in the first week of July, just before the holiday weekend. We were meeting to plan how we were going to reorganize our manufacturing floor to add a couple of new machines and eliminate smaller, less efficient ones. Space was tight. We were measuring down […]
94. Live On The Edge
My son graduated from college last month. It was a glorious day for graduates and parents alike. I broke into tears when I hugged my son after the ceremony. The pride swelled within me. I couldn’t shut it off. The college made the entire ceremony quite emotional. There was a young woman that was […]
93. Optimism Can Take You Anywhere
During the first six months of my first controllership, I was still trying to prove myself. I was a 29-year old Corporate Controller who was punching way above his weight class. It was the annual renewal time of our company insurances. And, like every reasonable businessman, I wanted the best price for my insurance policies […]