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Off and On
We got back last night from three weeks in Holland. Three long short weeks away from our routine, enjoying family, walks and bike rides, good food, playing, seeing sights. In a resolve to fully unplug during our vacation, I left my laptop behind. My tendency to be “always on” is only compounded by the possibilities…
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Building a Cathedral
…the story of a man who saw three fellows laying bricks at a new building: He approached the first and asked, What are you doing? Clearly irritated, the first man responded, What the heck do you think I’m doing? I’m laying these darn bricks! He then walked over to the second bricklayer and asked the…
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The Human Element in Design
As kids on family vacation, our mom would make us stand in the picture when she took photos of the sites. As much as I disliked being in photos at the time, I understand the value of capturing memories of the people, not just the places, on vacation. Putting people in the picture is not…
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Make It A Story
I’ve been reading Frank Chimero’s The Shape of Design lately, and today read a story today that’s well worth retelling for what it teaches us about turning our messages into stories and connecting emotionally with our audiences. As the story goes… One morning during his walk to work, David Ogilvy, one of the original “mad…
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Words or Pictures
You either say this (word), or you show this (picture), but you don’t (show both word and picture), because this is treating your audience like a moron, and they deserve better. – Chip Kidd In his TED talk, Chip Kidd shows us how fascinating designing a book cover really is. A book’s cover is important…
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One… Two…
Olivia, ever since she first sat on my shoulders and ran up the stairs, giggling the entire way, has been learning the magic of the number “Three”. One and Two contain all the suspense, the winding up and taking a deep breath. Three is where the magic happens. Of course, for her it’s pronounced “fwee”,…
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The Artist Stands Back…
The artist, when close to the canvas, is asking How questions related to the craft; when he steps back, he raises Why questions concerned with the whole of the work and its purpose. – Frank Chimero, The Shape of Design Maybe that’s what vacation is for.
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Idiosyncratic
Ever since going through Marcus Buckingham’s StrengthsFinder assessment and materials, I’ve appreciated his take on personalities and how teams work together. In contrast to some other personality tests out there, his angle acknowledged the fact that no person could be fit strictly into one specific box or explained by 4 letters. It won me over,…
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Focus Your Energy
I had the privilege of attending the Chick-fil-A Leadercast today at one of its satellite locations. With the likes of Marcus Buckingham, Andy Stanley, Patrick Lencioni, and even Tim Tebow taking the stage, there was a lot to learn! But one of the main thoughts that stuck with me is the need to focus. Tebow’s…
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It’s Not a Race
Isn’t it funny how sometimes just saying it’s not makes it one? Canoeing with friends a few years back, someone said, “Let’s race back to the lodge.” Though we discussed and agreed against it, suddenly everyone was paddling a little harder to win this “non-race”. I’ve been realizing lately just how competitive I am. In…
