CATEGORIES
Business
It’s been said, “the pace of change has never moved as fast as it is today and will never move this slowly again.” Businesses are transforming the way products and services are delivered to consumers, which is fundamentally altering the way we interact with one another at home, at work, and in our communities. Join us as we explore how companies are embracing disruption – internally and externally – to meet the challenges of tomorrow, today.
Career
A career is more than just a job; it’s a purposeful journey of honing your craft. And like all journeys, there is so much to learn along the way. From getting that resume just right and landing the perfect position, to winning that promotion and stepping into executive management; your career is and adventure filled with triumphs and trials. We explore insights, from proven leaders, that make the journey a little easier and a lot more fun.
Communication
Effective communication can make the difference between: success and failure, winning and losing, or even peace and war. Well crafted communications articulate our ideas and have the power to turn cynics to optimists; however, this Jedi mind trick it is not easy and takes tremendous practice to perfect. We examine written and verbal communication tactics and highlight proven ways to get your message across.
Culture
We believe in the power of arts and humanities and its transformative effect on us as human beings. STEAM is the new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and adds critically missing skills only filled by the Arts. Whether visual, musical, or physical, arts and culture has a profound impact on our lives and provides outlets for creativity that makes life more colorful. We explore the color around us that makes life so beautiful.
Leadership
Leadership is the art of influence. It’s an art without a shortage of books, perspectives an opinions on what makes a good leader. We believe leadership is built on a foundation of trust and a belief in a shared vision. We are surrounded by skilled leaders who elevate our collective performance to impossible levels. Our articles explore the traits, stories, and lessons from world-class leaders so we may learn from them and weave their behaviors into the fabric of our daily lives.
Learning
Learning begins from the day we are born. We adopt new skills, embrace new ideas and internalize new ways of thinking. The best teachers challenge us and inspire us to be better. We explore the lifelong journey of learning and examine the many ways teachers and students transform the world around them.
Life
Abraham Lincoln said, “It’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” We explore the passions, talents, and relationships that make life’s journey so sweet. We feature stories of family, friends, and examine the defining moments that give our lives purpose. We dive deep into the hobbies and personal obsessions of interesting people to find out what makes them so awesome.
Productivity
Productivity is loosely defined as “the art and science of getting stuff done.” But with so many distractions and competing priorities vying for our precious time, how do we stay organized and attack our to-do lists in the most efficient way? From tools and apps to tactics and methods, we study how the most productive people take control of their day and stay on top of what is most important.
Technology
Technology is moving us forward faster than ever before. Advances in consumer and enterprise technology have made it easier for us to rapidly perform complex tasks and improve our quality of life at work and at home. We explore the challenges and opportunities presented by all aspects of technology. From apps to enterprise software and gadgets to artificial intelligence, we examine the tech – and its associated consequences – that makes us smarter and better at what we do.
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ARTICLES
Are You a Warrior?
"Are you a warrior?" is a question I’ve been asking myself at least once a week for the past year. It’s the theme of a workout I started that includes close to 100 pull-ups, 100 push-ups, 50 plyometric lunges and 4 x 400-meter sprints. As you can imagine it’s a pretty challenging workout that usuall [Read More]
A Reflection in Time
Every fall and spring I get a call from an unknown number starting with the area code "517." It takes me a moment but as soon as I answer and hear that nervous young voice asking for "Mr. Markou" I immediately recognize it as a student from my alma mater, Michigan State University (MSU), calling to [Read More]
Changing the Discussion on Suicide
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, but some events this past week motivated me to publish this article early. I served in the United States Air Force for 28 years, retiring six years ago. Last week the Air Force took the extraordinary step of declaring a global operational st [Read More]
Who Cured it Better: Multiple Doctors or the Internet?
The Curious Case of a Belly Button Hernia, Multiple Doctors, and Amazon In March of this year we welcomed a beautiful new addition to our family: Baby Miles. We instantly fell in love with our new little guy and enjoyed every moment together as an expanded family. Even our eldest daughter, Maizey, [Read More]
Signature Spice: Interesting Email Closers
Email signatures have become a common business communication convention these days. While most people use email signatures to communicate relevant company and contact information, many use this digital real estate to convey campaigns or include key messages. Recently I have noticed an increase in cr [Read More]
Why Thinking About Death Helps You Live a Better Life
Bhutan is a country rich in history, with some archaeologists believing the area to have been settled as early as 2000 B.C.E. The start of the Bhutan society began around 747 C.E. when Tibetan monks fled neighboring Tibet, seeking refuge in Bhutan. Bhutan has always maintained its independence from [Read More]
What We Learn from Overcoming: The Power and Pain of Transformation
The beautiful butterfly is our society’s favorite metaphor for total transformations. Nature’s ultimate metamorphosis changes from a tree clinging, 14-legged pest into the regal flying butterfly. The metaphorical story of the caterpillar to the butterfly is both inspiring and positive. What is left [Read More]
A Chef’s Life: An Interview with Pierce Buckman
To be a chef is to blend science and art into one perfectly plated experimental masterpiece. While artists traditionally appeal to 1-2 senses such as sight, sound or touch, chefs have the unique challenge of appealing to all five senses; a virtually impossible task given the subjectivity of most gue [Read More]
Throw Out the Work-Life Scale: A Father of Twins’ Journey to Imbalance
Work-life balance is the term used to describe the proportion of time we allocate to our careers versus other aspects of our lives such as personal interests, family, social or leisure activities. Whether you are just beginning your career or a seasoned executive, it’s hard to escape the mantra that [Read More]
Leading with “Why” (An Intern Story)
It was 6:00 AM on May 22nd, 2017 and I was out of bed before the alarm had begun ringing. On most days I hit snooze once or twice, but not today. Today was the first day of my internship at Quicken Loans, the largest mortgage lender in the country. It had been five months since I had signed my accep [Read More]
True Success is Making Others Successful
We all define success differently. While some measure success by the size of one’s bank account, investment portfolio or the square footage of one’s home, do those things really bring fulfillment and lasting happiness? What defines the indicators of real success? I believe true success is achieved w [Read More]
Curiosity Did Not Kill the Cat
No one understands how powerful the mind of a child is better than a parent of a toddler. Ask any parent of a three-year-old what curiosity in children looks like and the answer will be: rapid fire questions, continuous talking, loud off-key singing, and a return back to the questions again. Nothing [Read More]
The “Now What” Complex: Evaluating Goals for a Life Better Lived
In and out of the gym, we live in a goal-oriented culture. Even in our formative years, we're conditioned to set goals, meet them, and repeat an ongoing cycle of achievement. Hit a goal? Good, set another one, and then set a higher one after that. We do this continuously. Sometimes, even before we c [Read More]
The Universal Impact of a Smile
The first time I conducted, what I now affectionately call “The Smile Project,” I was sitting on the outdoor patio of a cafe in Lagos, Portugal. It was a January afternoon earlier this year. Picture this: blue sky, light breeze, the sounds of the sea waves nearby, and twenty or so tables full of peo [Read More]
We Are All More Capable Than We Realize
This Thanksgiving holiday we all have so much to be thankful for. I’m a firm believer that we are masters of our own destiny for the most part, personally and professionally, and there are defining moments in our lives that fundamentally shape who we are and allow us to realize our full potential. S [Read More]
Confidence Meets Chutzpah, a Tale of Entrepreneurship
One morning, after returning from a week in Las Vegas for a big event, I had an epiphany; it was time for me to start my own business. It was the calling I had longed for since my days as a neighborhood door-to-door saleskid. I’ve always had the entrepreneurial spark. Growing up, I was master of le [Read More]
Cyber Resilience: Protecting Companies from Cyber-Triggered Business Disasters
We live in a world where data breaches and destructive cyber attacks have become a daily headline. By now, everyone has received a breach notification letter or an email apology from a company impacted by cyber bad guys. Boards are asking, customers are asking, employees are asking, the whole world [Read More]
Never Forget
Few will forget where they were, or what they were doing, 17 years ago today. As I was driving to work this morning I reflected on that morning and the years that have passed since. I can remember it in extraordinary detail. I remember who I was with, emotions, sounds, smells, colors, all of it. My [Read More]
The Five Traits of Effective Sponsors
Sponsors play a critical role in our careers but they are often confused with the role of a mentor (aka coach or counselor) and manager (aka supervisor or boss). But how are these roles different? Your manager provides oversight on the work you do. You have a reporting relationship to him or her and [Read More]
Our Greatest Privacy Challenges Are Yet to Come
Last week Facebook lost twenty percent of its market value - $100 billion, over concerns of the cost of privacy regulations and financial consequences. This was the largest sell-off of a single publicly owned company in Wall Street history and a warning for all companies who collect, process or oth [Read More]
ARTICLES
Are You a Warrior?
"Are you a warrior?" is a question I’ve been asking myself at least once a week for the past year. It’s the theme of a workout I started that includes close to 100 pull-ups, 100 push-ups, 50 plyometric lunges and 4 x 400-meter sprints. As you can imagine it’s a pretty challenging workout that usuall [Read More]
A Reflection in Time
Every fall and spring I get a call from an unknown number starting with the area code "517." It takes me a moment but as soon as I answer and hear that nervous young voice asking for "Mr. Markou" I immediately recognize it as a student from my alma mater, Michigan State University (MSU), calling to [Read More]
Changing the Discussion on Suicide
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, but some events this past week motivated me to publish this article early. I served in the United States Air Force for 28 years, retiring six years ago. Last week the Air Force took the extraordinary step of declaring a global operational st [Read More]
Who Cured it Better: Multiple Doctors or the Internet?
The Curious Case of a Belly Button Hernia, Multiple Doctors, and Amazon In March of this year we welcomed a beautiful new addition to our family: Baby Miles. We instantly fell in love with our new little guy and enjoyed every moment together as an expanded family. Even our eldest daughter, Maizey, [Read More]
Signature Spice: Interesting Email Closers
Email signatures have become a common business communication convention these days. While most people use email signatures to communicate relevant company and contact information, many use this digital real estate to convey campaigns or include key messages. Recently I have noticed an increase in cr [Read More]
Why Thinking About Death Helps You Live a Better Life
Bhutan is a country rich in history, with some archaeologists believing the area to have been settled as early as 2000 B.C.E. The start of the Bhutan society began around 747 C.E. when Tibetan monks fled neighboring Tibet, seeking refuge in Bhutan. Bhutan has always maintained its independence from [Read More]
What We Learn from Overcoming: The Power and Pain of Transformation
The beautiful butterfly is our society’s favorite metaphor for total transformations. Nature’s ultimate metamorphosis changes from a tree clinging, 14-legged pest into the regal flying butterfly. The metaphorical story of the caterpillar to the butterfly is both inspiring and positive. What is left [Read More]
A Chef’s Life: An Interview with Pierce Buckman
To be a chef is to blend science and art into one perfectly plated experimental masterpiece. While artists traditionally appeal to 1-2 senses such as sight, sound or touch, chefs have the unique challenge of appealing to all five senses; a virtually impossible task given the subjectivity of most gue [Read More]
Throw Out the Work-Life Scale: A Father of Twins’ Journey to Imbalance
Work-life balance is the term used to describe the proportion of time we allocate to our careers versus other aspects of our lives such as personal interests, family, social or leisure activities. Whether you are just beginning your career or a seasoned executive, it’s hard to escape the mantra that [Read More]
Leading with “Why” (An Intern Story)
It was 6:00 AM on May 22nd, 2017 and I was out of bed before the alarm had begun ringing. On most days I hit snooze once or twice, but not today. Today was the first day of my internship at Quicken Loans, the largest mortgage lender in the country. It had been five months since I had signed my accep [Read More]
True Success is Making Others Successful
We all define success differently. While some measure success by the size of one’s bank account, investment portfolio or the square footage of one’s home, do those things really bring fulfillment and lasting happiness? What defines the indicators of real success? I believe true success is achieved w [Read More]
Curiosity Did Not Kill the Cat
No one understands how powerful the mind of a child is better than a parent of a toddler. Ask any parent of a three-year-old what curiosity in children looks like and the answer will be: rapid fire questions, continuous talking, loud off-key singing, and a return back to the questions again. Nothing [Read More]
The “Now What” Complex: Evaluating Goals for a Life Better Lived
In and out of the gym, we live in a goal-oriented culture. Even in our formative years, we're conditioned to set goals, meet them, and repeat an ongoing cycle of achievement. Hit a goal? Good, set another one, and then set a higher one after that. We do this continuously. Sometimes, even before we c [Read More]
The Universal Impact of a Smile
The first time I conducted, what I now affectionately call “The Smile Project,” I was sitting on the outdoor patio of a cafe in Lagos, Portugal. It was a January afternoon earlier this year. Picture this: blue sky, light breeze, the sounds of the sea waves nearby, and twenty or so tables full of peo [Read More]
We Are All More Capable Than We Realize
This Thanksgiving holiday we all have so much to be thankful for. I’m a firm believer that we are masters of our own destiny for the most part, personally and professionally, and there are defining moments in our lives that fundamentally shape who we are and allow us to realize our full potential. S [Read More]
Confidence Meets Chutzpah, a Tale of Entrepreneurship
One morning, after returning from a week in Las Vegas for a big event, I had an epiphany; it was time for me to start my own business. It was the calling I had longed for since my days as a neighborhood door-to-door saleskid. I’ve always had the entrepreneurial spark. Growing up, I was master of le [Read More]
Cyber Resilience: Protecting Companies from Cyber-Triggered Business Disasters
We live in a world where data breaches and destructive cyber attacks have become a daily headline. By now, everyone has received a breach notification letter or an email apology from a company impacted by cyber bad guys. Boards are asking, customers are asking, employees are asking, the whole world [Read More]
Never Forget
Few will forget where they were, or what they were doing, 17 years ago today. As I was driving to work this morning I reflected on that morning and the years that have passed since. I can remember it in extraordinary detail. I remember who I was with, emotions, sounds, smells, colors, all of it. My [Read More]
The Five Traits of Effective Sponsors
Sponsors play a critical role in our careers but they are often confused with the role of a mentor (aka coach or counselor) and manager (aka supervisor or boss). But how are these roles different? Your manager provides oversight on the work you do. You have a reporting relationship to him or her and [Read More]
Our Greatest Privacy Challenges Are Yet to Come
Last week Facebook lost twenty percent of its market value - $100 billion, over concerns of the cost of privacy regulations and financial consequences. This was the largest sell-off of a single publicly owned company in Wall Street history and a warning for all companies who collect, process or oth [Read More]
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