What it’s like to travel with my dad…

 

Growing up, my dad would often take my family or individual children on trips. But, it wasn’t a standard vacation as in “let’s go and hang out somewhere.”

No, we had a syllabus.

That’s right.

He would give us books to read to obtain what he called the “[insert place name] of the mind.”  You go to Norway and it’s “Norway of the Mind,” “Malta of the Mind.” You get the picture.

When I was 14, he took me to the then Soviet Union, Poland, and East Germany. I read some Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and more. It was intense.

And my dad is a history-savant. Deep in knowledge and, well, always willing to share it.

So, I wasn’t so surprised when he filed a report after taking my 8 year old son to a baseball game on Memorial Day.

“Paco was, as always, a great companion.

He has a sense of humor.  When we discussed that Boston had just experienced a long losing-streak.

He said that this was the second curse of the Bambino.  I don't know if read that reference or originated it.  (The first curse of the Bambino was that for decades Boston did not win a World Series, attributed to the fact that  Boston traded Babe Ruth to the New  ork Yankees and was cursed by that transaction.)

On the ride home, we discussed Harper's Ferry, the arsenal, the role of water-powered machinery before the advent of electricity,  the fact that the Potomac is not navigable because of the falls, the role of locks in  raising and lowering boats and ships, the Panama Canal, how American became involved and that the Pacific and Atlantic are not at the same height, necessitating locks to lower and raise ships.  The transportation advantage of shipping through the Panama Canal instead of going around the tip of South America.

We briefly discussed the significance of percentages in baseball.  He seems to have a grasp on that topic though we did not explore.

Because this was Memorial Day, at 3 pm, there was a moment of silence for fallen military, apparently throughout the country. Because one of the mascots at the game is William Howard Taft and another is Theodore Roosevelt, we touched on their respective Presidencies and their eventual rivalry that led to the election of Woodrow Wilson.

A beautiful day for Baseball.   The outcome of the game was not great for the home team.”

He’ll go pretty much anywhere w/anyone if this is your style. Just let him know.

40s and the Decade of Mild Disillusionment?

People often comment about my proficiency in acknowledging birthdays.

I call about 1800 people per year and I do it because I enjoy maintaining relationships and hearing differing perspectives.

What’s been interesting to note as I (and the bulk of my cohort) age is that the good news (educational, professional achievements and personal milestones of marriage and children) is now being tempered with some of the hard realities of life.

People who have been laid off and are having difficulty finding work.

People with severe challenges on the part of their children, either disabilities (ranging from mild to major) or behavioral (addictions).

Marriages that have been dissolved or are in distressing and precarious positions.

Deaths of loved ones, both premature and of a more natural nature.

And the strain becomes a domino effect…one area (a disabled child) affecting another (marriage).

It should really be of no surprise, obviously this is what happens as you advance in the game, but still, it’s a wake up call.

You recognize, again, that life is not all Disney movies. Things never work out as you anticipate and you have to continually reassess your own position on the board.

How Posture Can Make You More Successful

Two minutes a day of stretching can make you more successful. See this video

 

Why athletes are getting faster and stronger….

Or Not.

Fantastic TED Talk

Why We Run…

This guy has captured it about as well as anyone.

As a parent, it’s difficult to ask for more than this…

Nadia has been reading a lot of books about historical figures. They are titled “Who was so-and-so?”

“Who was Elvis Presley?”

“Who was Thomas Jefferson?”

You get the picture.

The other day, she was reading the list of titles and one was: “Who was Michelangelo?”

She turned to me and said, “Is he related to Maya Angelou?”

How to Lead…and Do It Right

Long time blog readers know that I’m a huge Simon Sinek fan.

And he continues to deliver with this presentation. 45 minutes, but worth every one. I’m going to watch it at least 2 more times.

Leaders Eat Last - Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't

HT to Mitch Joel for bringing it to my attention.

How Technology Keeps Relationships Warm Over 13 Years and an Ocean

I just love the power of social and digital to keep relationships alive over time and distance.

When I was in London recently, I saw my former NYC neighbor, Polar Bear club member, and running partner, Robyn Massey for the first time in 13 years.

Without technology, there's NO way we would have stayed in touch.

This is one of the reasons why I am so passionate about technology.

The Day I Discovered My Marketing Calling

I write this on a flight back from London, which provides ample opportunity for reflection.

I’ve been thinking about my career path and chosen field and why I got into it.

Certainly, hearing Todd Newfield speak when I lived in Japan was a seminal moment. One that was further catalyzed when he instructed me to read my first marketing book, Peppers and Rodgers’ The One-to-One Future.

Intellectually, I was hooked.

But, there was a moment a few years later when I was working at Snickelways and we had a client called Quantum Cycles (I’m still in touch with one of the clients from that assignment) and they instructed us to come down to Florida to observe Daytona Bike Week. They wanted us to understand the mentality of the customer to whom they were selling.

At one point, we entered a drugstore. Not a chain, kind of a five-and-dime variety.

As I walked the aisle, I found myself behind a man who fit every stereotype there was about a redneck/biker.

Dirty jeans, long, greasy hair, worn boots and a mesh baseball cap.

He also had a jean jacket where the sleeves had been cut off, showing his arms.

On his left and right triceps were tattooed-in kind of a gothic/old English style, the words “Harley” and “Davidson,” respectively.

I was mesmerized and I felt an emotional jolt that lit up the intellectual wood which had been gathering.

I distinctly remember thinking to myself, “I don’t know what it is that motivates someone to tattoo the name of a company on their body, but that’s what I want to figure out.”

So, while the tangible goal might be to have someone so passionate about Sprinklr or Never Stop Marketing or whatever company, product, service I am marketing at the time, that they will tattoo it on their bodies, the real goal is to understand the human condition on such a deep level as to understand the Why.

It’s a long run and I’m not there yet, but that’s just how I seek to make sense of Life.

A Social Limo, a Birthday Gift, and a Marketing Lesson

An unexpected text popped up on my phone on my birthday.

Jason Solomonson said “My brother Chad says that today is your birthday and that you are in Austin. He thinks we should meet.”

As you know, relationships are important to me.

The way I measure the value of the relationship is how often someone says “there’s someone you should meet.”

Even though Chad and I haven’t seen each other (or even chatted in a while), he did me the favor of making the recommendation to his brother.

I’m ALWAYS open to meeting new people. You NEVER know where good ideas come from.

The challenge in this particular case was: time was limited. I had a slate full of meetings and had to leave earlier than I would have liked for the airport because cabs were in such demand at SXSW that I knew it would be tough.

Then, as if the script had been written, Jason sends a pic of a limousine. (here’s the video)

“FYI… Brightline has @TheSXSWLimo limousine that we are sponsoring in case you have seen it.”

Lightning struck.

“Well, I do have to go to the airport at 4pm. Any chance a birthday present limo ride is in the cards?”

“Sure!!” he wrote.

BINGO. Problem solved.

Now, let me tell you why this is such smart marketing.

You see, at SXSW, cabs are at a premium, so ppl are in need of transportation.

So, the idea of renting a limo available for clients/prospects is a way that Brightline says “we care about you.”

It delivers value without asking anything in return. (Hear him in his own words.)

Naturally, when you are in the limo, you are going engage in conversation with the team and you will hear about the really (and I mean, REALLY) cool stuff that Brightline does.

It creates a talkable moment.

I took a video, pics and am blogging about it. Heck, I got a limo ride that made me feel special.

They relieved a huge concern of mine and made my afternoon stress-free. So, I am going to tell people about that. Why wouldn’t I?

Jason reached out, just wanting to connect because Chad made the recommendation. No agenda.

Then, he shared something that he thought was value.

Then, he delivered value.

Those three moments built Brightline from a company I’d never heard of to a brand that I am talking about as an advocate…in the span of 1 day.

If this is how they treat friends of their brother’s, imagine how they treat their clients!

Wouldn’t you want people thinking that about you?

Why You Should Talk to Your Seatmates on a Plane

Had another inspiring talk on an airplane the other day.

It validated my approach.

I learned a ton about the aircraft leasing business from a guy who sells engines for a major manufacture.

So, why do I do it?

1. Sure, I like the challenge of getting people to like me. It’s part of my WOO StrengthsFinder profile
2. I like people…I like understanding what makes them tick
3. But what I really love?
   When I learn about an entirely new field that I could have guessed existed, but never thought about…I feel enriched. And empowered, it provides the fertilizer for the creative part of my brain.

Sure, sometimes people don’t want to talk, no big deal, but if you ask questions and listen, usually you win.

You’ll get ideas that make your business and your life better. I can almost guarantee it.

It will make you a better marketer…and a better person.

The Most Special Birthday Ever

I suppose what fathers want to know is that the lessons you are trying to instill in your kids have been received.

Today is my birthday (not looking for calls/congrats or anything), but as part of that, my kids really went all out in making the celebration special.

They got me gifts and made cards.

But what made this the most special birthday ever is that they not only wrote “Happy Birthday” on the cards, they covered the cards with things that they associate with me.

1. A guy running—because exercise is important
2. A computer and the word “Sprinklr” because a work ethic is important. In fact they wrote “Dedicated to Sprinklr”
3. “Go Big or Go Home”
4. “Leave it all on the field”
5. “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy” (a hat tip to Miss Frizzle of Magic School Bus there)
6. an American flag- for our patriotic pride
7. an Israeli flag-because of our love for the Jewish people and homeland
8. and, of course, the flag of Finland (reversed, but who cares) with their Finnish nicknames written on the flag. And which shows their sense of humor
9. A football, basketball, baseball and soccer ball-probably because Paco likes that
10. A dreidel with “Go Sprinklr” written on it…not sure of the connection
11. and on the back, a math equation that said “41 is 1/2 of 82. I hope that doesn’t make you feel bad.”

and all done with beautiful artistry because, as I read on Facebook the other day, the Earth without art would just be “eh”

It was really emotional for me. I felt like some of my lessons were sinking in. That made me proud…and made this the best birthday ever.

When Your Son Throws You Under the Bus…

I picked up Paco from school the other day so he didn’t have to go to ballet with the two girls.

He came home, did some reading, hung out with me in my office and was generally fine.

The NFO had left instructions for dinner, which is normally served around 5.15.

At 5.45, I realized I hadn’t fed him and was headed upstairs to get him set up. I knew that if he was hungry, he would have just told me.

On the way home, I saw a text from the NFO, basically saying “hey, why hasn’t the boy been fed yet?”

I saw Paco and said, ‘hey bud, let me ask you. Did you tell Mom that I hadn’t given you dinner yet?”

“Yes,” he said.

“But were you hungry?” I asked.

“Not really.”

“So, is it that you just enjoy getting me in trouble?”

He smiled.

“Yes.”

What books and movies have you experienced lately?

Always interested in knowing what others have enjoyed.

Here are mine.

Books

• The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom—great perspective inducing parable in classic Albom style
• Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power-a much deeper appreciation of the man…and what made him special. Any politician (and that’s all of us) will appreciate his savvy.
• Without Reservations: How a Family Root Beer Stand Grew Into a Global Hotel Company--nothing earth shattering here, but a great “back to basics” book from a guy who knows a thing or two about building a business (Bill Marriott)
• The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling - A friend of mine sold me on this hard. He claimed it changed his life. I really wanted it to change mine…but it fell flat for me.
• What Keeps Leaders Up at Night: Recognizing and Resolving Your Most Troubling Management Issues-the NFO got this for me out of the library and though I didn’t finish it, it did give me some great ideas. Managing the careers of other people is a big responsibility…and I have a lot to learn. A lot.

  Movies

• About Time-it was a late night flight back from Denver, but this one had me choked up. I need a lot of reminders about what is truly important in life. It’s an area of weakness, I am afraid.
• Flight- I’m a big Denzel fan and I found his character to be riveting. A strong movie about what it takes to look hard at ourselves…and what can happen when we don’t.

Working through…

• Thinking, Fast and Slowby Daniel Kahneman. Deep stuff. Makes you think fast, but reading is slow because there’s so much involved.

What books and movies have you experienced lately?

Always interested in knowing what others have enjoyed.

Here are mine.

Books

• The Time Keeperby Mitch Albom—great perspective inducing parable in classic Albom style
• Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power-a much deeper appreciation of the man…and what made him special. Any politician (and that’s all of us) will appreciate his savvy.
• Without Reservations: How a Family Root Beer Stand Grew Into a Global Hotel Company--nothing earth shattering here, but a great “back to basics” book from a guy who knows a thing or two about building a business (Bill Marriott)
• The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling - A friend of mine sold me on this hard. He claimed it changed his life. I really wanted it to change mine…but it fell flat for me.
• What Keeps Leaders Up at Night: Recognizing and Resolving Your Most Troubling Management Issues-the NFO got this for me out of the library and though I didn’t finish it, it did give me some great ideas. Managing the careers of other people is a big responsibility…and I have a lot to learn. A lot.

  Movies

• About Time-it was a late night flight back from Denver, but this one had me choked up. I need a lot of reminders about what is truly important in life. It’s an area of weakness, I am afraid.
• Flight- I’m a big Denzel fan and I found his character to be riveting. A strong movie about what it takes to look hard at ourselves…and what can happen when we don’t.

Working through…

• Thinking, Fast and Slowby Daniel Kahneman. Deep stuff. Makes you think fast, but reading is slow because there’s so much involved.

End of an Era: No more nanny

In reality, we probably waited 1 year too long in deciding that we didn’t need a nanny for our kids, but that’s beside the point.

The other day was the last day where she worked for us and she had been working for us for about 7 years.

We’d had our moments, as any employer-employee relationship would, and certainly toward the end, when I started to question the value in my mind, the emotions changed, but when she left for the last time, I got nostalgic and even a bit choked up.

Now, I’m not the most sentimental or emotional person around, but when she left, I had two realizations.

The first-the kids are growing up. You know that, of course, but sometimes the reminders are jarring.

Second-and more powerful-was a profound sense of appreciation for her efforts. For many years, she was an instrumental force in caring and nurturing these babies into the children they have become. She had reinforced the NFO and my values and served as our proxy.

When they look back on their lives, they may not remember her, but it’s pretty powerful to think about how important she was to their lives.

I am feeling a true sense of gratitude for her efforts…and, yes, I wrote her a note to tell her so.

The End of College as we know it…

I’ve been talking about this for a while and one of my favorite thinkers, Clay Shirky, has summarized it beautifully.

“As long as you don’t give it to Hamas”

In one of the more surreal conversations I’ve had recently with a cab driver (here’s how I do it), it ended with my saying, “promise me you won’t give your tip to Hamas.”

Getting into the cab in San Francisco, I began a chat with the driver.  Eventually, I asked him his country of origin, to which he responded, “Palestine.”

“Here we go,” I thought.

You never know exactly how to handle this situation.  You don’t want things to get uncomfortable, but you don’t want to back down either.

Of course, at this point, I hadn’t tipped my hand so I had to wait for the right moment…if at all.

He told me that he was actually born in Jordan and lived his entire life in Amman. 

Then he asks me if I’ve ever been to Jordan and I told him that I had been to Petra. He replies that he might go there in a few weeks when he takes his son to visit his family in Palestine, but they live in Jerusalem.

“Have you ever been there?”

“I have, but I would call it Israel.”

He smiles knowingly.

“So, before we get into a long discussion, let me ask you this: Do you think it is possible to have peace with a two states? One that is Palestinian and one that is Jewish.”

His answer. “Since you put it that way, I would say no.”

“And I would agree with you,” I said.

So, from there, the conversation moved toward mutual understanding and respect.

I understood that the Arabs who left Jaffa, Haifa, etc. will never give up.

And he, I think, understands that Israel isn’t the same as the middle of Montana for Jews.

And we both realize that no solution is possible.

So, I said, “I guess it comes down to….can the Arabs kill the Jews or can the Jews prevent the Arabs from killing them?”

And he basically nodded.

It was really a great conversation and, on the other side of the world, it would have gotten heated (possibly) or not, but when we pulled up to the airport, I said.

“I’ve really enjoyed the conversation and I think you’ve earned a nice tip, but promise me you won’t send it to Hamas.”

“I will give it to my son. And promise me that you won’t send money to buy tanks to shoot Arabs.”

“Well, if the Arabs stopped trying to shoot Israelis, we wouldn’t need tanks.”

He gave me my suitcase and we shook hands and then moved into the hug. (we really need a word for that)

One of those only in America moments, I suppose.

On Nicknames and Call Signs for Naval Aviators

Long time readers of my blog will know that I take nicknames very seriously. I consider it a high art form. 

A non-negotiable for me is that you should not be able to figure out what the name of the person is from their nickname.

A perfect example would be “Magic” Johnson. You have NO idea what his name is from his nickname.

For more on that policy and how it has impacted my kids, see here and here respectively.

So, it is easy for me to say that I was in heaven when I learned about the call signs of each of the pilots on the USS Vinson during my recent embark (for more posts, see here and here. Background here).

While none of them were named “Maverick” or “Iceman,” we did run into “Big Tuna” (he’s really tall) and “Beast Mode” (he’s form Seattle). Even the Captain of the ship, named for his red hair, was called “Torch”.

Commander Lee, who I gathered is a pretty devout Mormon was called “Dud” because of his relatively clean-cut lifestyle (compared to most naval aviators) as in “Dudley Do-Right.”

And all of these call signs are embroidered on their flight suits and, in many cases, written on the planes themselves.

One that made me wonder was a plane for Capt. P.J. Singh whose call sign was “Schwarma.”  I have no idea but I would guess that because of his surname, he is of Indian origin and, consequently, he might be a vegetarian…which would make it a great one.  Either that, or he really likes Schwarma.

Twice I saw two different Capt. Hermans with the call sign “Pee Wee,” which were probably the weakest of the bunch.

No matter what, I was glad to see the high art form of creative names applied with such diligence in the Navy.

And one thing, which I’ve long advocated, you can’t give yourself a nickname. It is chosen for you by the group…and you accept it with grace.

Now the question is: Why do you think call signs/nicknames are such an important part of naval aviator culture?

Add a comment below.

Life on the Carrier: Big and Small

We heard on more than one occasion that the USS Carl Vinson represents “4.5 acres of sovereign US” that can go pretty much anywhere in the world.

I think I heard someone also say that it’s “4.5 acres of ‘second thought,’” meaning if there’s a US carrier in the neighborhood, a foreign government or non-state actor will think twice before doing something.

The ship is immense, holding 5,000 people (or more) when the Air Wing is aboard and hundreds of aircraft.

From the outside, you see just how large it is, the flight deck being the obvious reason.

And, when you are on the inside, you spend a huge amount of time doing two things. Walking…and climbing. There are combination stairs/ladders (just steep) and I have no idea how many decks (but a lot of them). You are moving in and out of the sections, lifting your legs over the so-called “knee knockers” which I believe are there for watertight/security reasons.

I didn’t work out on the ship, but frankly, I didn’t have to. We just spend so much time walking around, it was a workout in and of itself. Though, if I had, I would have gone to the best workout room I’ve ever seen…the one that was open air wall in front and looking out over the ocean.

It’s Also Really Small

At the same time, though, it is really small. Imagine being in one of these things with 5,000 other people for 6 months. Every day, you are eating in a large mess hall (unless you’re an officer-and yes, there are privileges). It’s not glamorous.

Add to that, the berths for the enlisted men/women are 3 beds high and anywhere from 20 to 150 people in the same area.

And it’s not like you have a ton of space for your stuff. You get a locker and then your bed lifts up to reveal a few compartments where you keep all of your worldly possessions on the ship.

These guys do not have it easy.

Throw in one other angle…you’re put into a true melting pot (possibly literally if you are stationed in the Persian Gulf) of people from all walks of life and culture.

Things are bound to get heated. They do, of course, but the Navy has a way of dealing with it and, we’re told, most of the time, they get resolved.

Still, it gives you pause.

Not only are these sailors doing their jobs for 12-14-16 hours a day, but it’s not like they have that much space to call their own. Yet, they do it.

That’s the kind of thing that makes you really appreciate the idea of “doing your duty.”

To get a sense of what it’s like walking through the carrier, here’s one video for you.