Category: Personal Growth
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Persistence
I’ve just finished a wonderful book called Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg. He spends most of the book articulating how to be more efficient and effective in your life. The book details the psychology and cognitive science around motivation and achievement. Many of the techniques and mental models that are described are habits that…
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Process and Procedure Is No Substitute for a Great Relationship
I thought I’d share with you some of the pictures from my holiday in Washington state this week. Like most Americans, it’s a working vacation but none the less it’s been an enjoyable and thoughtful time. I have a sense of renewal and focused determination coming back from holiday. One of the best things about…
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Why Tahzoo
I spent the week driving across the United States visiting BBQ restaurants and meeting people. I am always fascinated to hear the stories about how the restaurant was started and to feel the passion of the pitmaster. One thing strikes me about BBQ, nobody gets into the business for the money, maybe the fame but…
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Making Tahzoo Great
“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” – Edith Wharton You know every week I end my letter to the company with Let’s go be great – I really mean that in fact I really want that for each of you and myself. We all have a choice; we can work…
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The Experience Economy: Part 1
I have long contended that history goes in reverse—that is, time goes backward, not forward. If you want to know what is happening today—or, more importantly, if you want to know why it is happening, you have to look at yesterday and the day before that and so on to truly understand how we got…
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Always Growing
“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson It’s been an interesting week for me, I was actually in DC for the entire week and I did not have to get on an airplane even once… The first time that’s happened since before the holidays! Earlier today, I received a wonderful email from a few…
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Measurement
How should I measure you? I have been working on how we make decisions at Tahzoo. I have spent the last couple of months observing the criteria around decision making at all levels in the company. It’s been an insightful and profound experience. I would like to share some of my insight with you and…
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Caring for Employees
When I share this value with others, I am often asked: “What does that mean?” The sentiment behind this ideal is a reflection of my work history, as I’ve been fortunate enough to work for a series of leaders who not only cared about my performance, but also took an active role in helping me…
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A Mighty Big Country
I am on holiday this week driving from Seattle, Washington to Washington DC with my family. This is an annual trip for me and some of my best thinking and reflection occurs during these holidays. In addition to the family trip every year, I’ll occasionally do a solo cross country trip to really get away…
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Growing a Business
As a young manager at Nordstrom, I was speaking with John Nordstrom one day and he was complimenting me on the great service my department was giving. I was pleased to be receiving the compliment, however, I was curious about how he could know that when he’d only spent a limited time on the sales…