My CPA, Bob, just emailed. His business partner passed away. Gone, at 64. Probable heart attack. Tragic. My first thought: I was there days ago; did I say hello to Bill? Then, suddenly, it was Tuesday May 20, 1975, about 5pm. I was days from 17. My dad pulled into the gas station where, in…
Continue Reading*JUST99WORDS I dropped my family at the San Diego airport and drove the mini-van to the Hertz facility. Once parked, I headed toward the Hertz bus. It was there that Candy (the driver standing outside the vehicle) demonstrated a billion dollars in customer service training: Receiving a genuine smile and a warm “Welcome aboard!” clearly…
Continue ReadingLike little boys everywhere, our 4-year-old grandson, Joshua, can be loud. When my wife, Karen—aka “Grandma Nonnie”—was driving our van recently with Josh and his toddler sister, “Becca Boo,” sitting behind her in their carseats, she asked Josh to lower his voice. Josh complied. But then he turned to his sister (co-conspirator?) and whispered …
Continue Reading
Oil well? Rig? Pump? Big machine that goes up and down?!?
Whatever it’s called, this thing has sat on the Colorado prairie a third of a mile east of that blue house off in the distance—aka the Miller home—since we moved here over 16 years ago.
Watching it from our back porch for a decade and a half, here’s what I’ve observed:
Continue Reading
I only have one famous friend—his name is Dave Ramsey—and I will forever be in his debt.
Which is a funny statement, actually, since Dave is all about … getting out of debt!
Truly, though, I’m thankful we found each other.
Dave tells the story of how he stumbled across us at QBQ, Inc. whenever I’m on his radio program (recent interview here). He was wandering an airport when he found QBQ! The Question Behind the Question. Like many do, he stood in the book store reading. After getting through most of QBQ!—a one hour read—he “felt so guilty” he decided to buy it.
That began our friendship.
But why did the QBQ! book intrigue him so much? Well, because Dave knows this:
Continue ReadingIf so, let’s explore the “6 C’s of Change.” Every change process in every organization contains these components. It’s good to name them so we know where we are at any given time.
Then we’ll share the secret to change. (Hint: It isn’t plastering slogans on cubicle and cafeteria walls.)
Okay, here we go …
Continue ReadingWow, did someone in the public eye really just buck current societal norms by drawing a line in the sand??? Now that’s leadership. Read on …
There is an NCAA coach who—while seeking victories—finds victory in teaching discipline, respect for others, and self-control to his players. His name is …
Continue Reading
“Young man, please step away from the wall!”
The college-age employee turned, looked at me, and then—beaming slightly—stepped back from his work.
Aiming my iPhone camera, I asked …
Continue ReadingA quick story, often attributed to Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892):
A duke boarded a galley ship and went below to talk to the convicts manning the oars. When he asked what their crimes were, almost every man claimed that he was innocent, blaming someone else or accusing the judge of taking a bribe.
There was one, though, who said …
Continue Reading
Yep, that’s me achieving a rare victory on the wrestling mat in 1974 as a 10th grader. My dad, Jimmy Miller, may have been Cornell’s head coach, but I lacked his natural talent, not to mention his physical strength acquired by milking cows by hand in the 1930s! 🙂
However, the sport of “grappling” did teach me one key thing about successful living:
Continue Reading