Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. — Aristotle
Kennesaw- Peter Drucker emphasized simplicity for decades. Part of his genius was the ability to take complex problems and break them down into simple observations that can be analyzed. “A turnaround requires abandoning whatever does not perform and doing more of what does perform”. Post-Capitalist Society
His message to us is to improve effectiveness by concentrating more on what works. Can’t get much simpler than that.
Encourage excellence by helping others focus on improving their strengths.
Click the link below to be redirected to a video segment of an interview with Drucker on his philosophies:
Environmental psychologist Sally Augustin, Ph.D., teaches individuals and businesses how to use color to help them achieve their goals. Whether you’re a supervisor looking to renovate your store, or a manager deciding what color to paint the office, color psychology can help us in our pursuits for success.
According to Augustin, the color of a wall can actually influence the way a person perceives temperature. For instance, cool colors like blue, green, and light purple have a tendency to make us believe it is colder, while warmer colors such as yellow, red, and orange can cause us to think it is warmer. Business owners can use this philosophy to their advantage by saving on heating and cooling costs. If you are based in a colder environment, painting a waiting room a warm color might cause others to think it is a few degrees warmer than it really is. While you should always keep your thermostat at a reasonable and safe temperature, it may still allow you to keep the temperature a few degrees lower.
The color green has been linked to broader thinking and creativity! I LOVE creative writing, so maybe this is one of the reasons I love this color? According to Augustin, “There is a positive association between nature and regrowth” when it comes to the color green. Likewise, Augustin argues that painting a work area green could help your employees be more productive.
Did you know that red sports cost more to insure? Forbes.com contributor Amy Morin writes, “When humans see the color red, their reactions become faster and more forceful”. Yet, this burst of energy, though powerful, is only momentary and red ultimately reduces our analytic thinking.
University of Rochester psychology professor Andrew Elliot maintains that “athletes are more likely to lose when they compete against an opponent wearing red, and students exposed to red before a test are likely to perform worse”.
Red has long been connected with concentration difficulties and feelings of defeat due to our memories of teachers using red pen to mark up our papers and tests.
While yellow usually isn’t a popular color, research surveys have shown the color blue to be the most preferred color among large groups. Historically, when our ancestors saw the color blue like a clear blue sky or a watering hole, it was a good sign. Painting an office building blue, therefore, is “likely to satisfy the majority of the people”.
What colors can you incorporate in your office to encourage excellence in others?
Click the link below to be redirected to the webpage for Sally Augustin’s business, Design with Science:
Kennesaw- Who says that Liberal Arts is dead? One day in 1637, a lawyer and amateur mathematician named Pierre de Fermat scribbled a curious note in his journal: “The equation xn+ yn = zn, where x, y, and z are positive integers, has no solution if n is greater than 2… I have discovered a most remarkable proof, but this margin is too narrow to contain it.”
In his spare time, Fermat studied languages, classical literature and natural science. He also discovered the fundamental principle of analytic geometry. His methods for finding tangents to curves and their maximum and minimum points led him to be regarded as the inventor of the differential calculus. Through his correspondence with Blaise Pascal he was a co-founder of the theory of probability.
It took mankind over 350 years to prove Fermat’s last theorem.
Spend time today encouraging excellence with someone you come in contact. You may be encouraging the next Pierre de Fermat of our generation.
Alexa Von Tobel’s recent publication, Financially Fearless, explores the financial philosophy of how to create a realistic budget and take control of your money. Financially Fearless includes a section of questionnaires geared to filter through common misconceptions about planning a budget. Many of Von Tobel’s readers have greatly benefited from the financial tools that come with the book, such as budget worksheets and income calculation guides.
As the CEO of LearnVest, Inc., Von Tobel’s mission is to inform and educate financial literacy to not just white collar workers, but to anyone who has ever lived under a budget. When LearnVest was launched in 2009, it did just that by offering financial advice through certified financial planners, along with a multitude of resources from experts.
Click the link below for direct access to Von Tobel’s website:
Click below to be redirected to a video segment of an interview with Von Tobel, where she discusses her career and the motivations behind Financially Fearless. Enjoy this resource and remember to encourage excellence today:
The Snowpocalypse 2014 will definitely remain in our memories as an eventful day for Atlanta. Despite our somewhat embarrassing lack of preparation for such an event, we can look back on this event and see the silver lining through the numerous acts of kindness that were displayed. In my heart, this will always be remembered as the day when strangers helped strangers. So start a fire, grab some hot coco, and enjoy the below heartwarming tales of random acts of kindness in the midst of a city emergency!
“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” Hebrews 13:2
A new headband has been launched that promises to help dreamers realize that they are dreaming. According to technology developers, the headband is designed to measure brain waves and eye movement activity to determine when a person enters REM sleep. Once this state has been identified, the headband then emits light to indicate that the sleeper is dreaming.
This new development has had mixed reviews throughout the scientific community. For more information on the device, click the link below:
David DeSteno, Ph.D. argues that the decision to trust is a risk worth taking. In his recent publication, “The Truth About Trust”, DeSteno, a Northwestern University psychology professor, argues that the notion of trust “affects how we learn, love, take care of our health, and conduct business”. According to DeSteno, the”human longing to believe in another person’s integrity and reliability” is an exhaustive, yet ongoing subject of research for researchers, doctors, and other professionals in the field of psychology. In “The Truth About Trust” DeSteno suggests that the benefits of trusting another far outweigh the risks in situations that would not normally arouse suspicion.
In other words, while it is often wise to be cautious, being too paranoid will only harm your relationships in the long run. This advice seems simple enough, yet most people could benefit from hearing it.
If you have read this book or are familiar with this author, I would love to hear your thoughts! Remember to encourage excellence today and everyday.
Kennesaw- Friends, as you know, I am a huge fan of Peter Drucker (The Age of Discontinuity) and Richard Koch (80/20 Principle). Large companies have to adapt to rapid change in our new economy both internally and externally. If you work for a Fortune 500 company, take some time to study how you are going to contribute this year and how you can add measurable value to the bottom line. Like a manager of mine once said, revenue and margin solves most problems. Encourage excellence today.
Success Magazine has featured an article canvassing today’s readers on their preference of paper versus digital reading. Interestingly, the survey indicated that today’s readers of all ages prefer reading paper books over electronic versions. New research, however, has yielded that older readers are more likely to experience more difficulty processing information read in printed books.
German researchers measured eye movements and coordinating brain activity, as subjects read paper books, tablets, and online material from a desktop or standard laptop. While those ages 21-34 displayed an equal level of competence with each reading method, readers ages 60-77 needed less time and brain activity when reading on a tablet, as opposed to paper copies, or other media.
These results have furthermore suggested that older readers may benefit from the enhanced contrast, which has become a standard feature in all tablet devices.
I would love to hear your thoughts as to your reading format preference. Never stop reading and learning, and encourage excellence everyday!
In Comedian George Wallace’s book, “Laff it Off”, he reminds us that “we don’t stop laughing because we grow old- we grow old because we stop laughing”. As a frequent performer throughout Vegas and comedy clubs across America, Wallace inspires and relates to a variety of followers ranging from white collar workers, to homemakers, to everything in between. For information on George Wallace’s book, click the link below to be directed to his website:
In light Wallace’s philosophical approach to laughter and life, I have provided some of my favorite quotes on laughter that I could not live without. I hope you are blessed by these quotes and that you never forget to stop laughing everyday. As always, I remind you each to encourage excellence throughout your daily endeavors. Remember: laughter is the best medicine!
“In those whom I like, I can find no common denominator; in those whom I love I can: they all make me laugh” -W.H. Auden
“If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane”. -Robert Frost
“I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t laugh.”
― Maya Angelou
“And I have one of those very loud, stupid laughs. I mean if I ever sat behind myself in a movie or something, I’d probably lean over and tell myself to please shut up.”
―J.D. Salinger, “The Catcher in the Rye”
“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”
―Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol”
“Life is worth living as long as there’s a laugh in it.”
―L.M. Montgomery, “Anne of Green Gables”
“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.”
― Mark Twain
Kennesaw- Peter Drucker emphasized simplicity for decades. Part of his genius was the ability to take complex problems and break them down into simple observations that can be analyzed. “A turnaround requires abandoning whatever does not perform and doing more of what does perform”. Post-Capitalist Society
Bryan E. Wilson 