Blog – Page 1112 – Disney Leadership Keynote Speaker

Ever Not Know What To Say?

It happens often. Deep in conversation, we reach a point where we don’t know what to say. Remember the last time this happened? It was my 6th flight last week.

If you fly (or bus, subway, train), do you like to talk, or cringe at the thought? It’s a funny thing, isn’t it? Sometimes I don’t say a word, sometimes we talk for a minute or two just to be nice, and sometimes we talk the whole flight.

She was upset that her friend was diagnosed, at 50, with pancreatic cancer and died three months later. She was upset that her mother died when she was very young, and that her ex-husband was an alcoholic. And at 53, she’s never worked harder, and with a 10% pay cut.

Not knowing what to say, I said, “Maybe you have been blessed with these terrible experiences so that you can help young girls who don’t have a Mom, or women married to alcoholics who feel desperate…”

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This Dude Can Talk, Talk, Talk

Has it ever taken you your entire life to finally meet a certain type of person? But as of last week, I can now say I met, and spoke at length with, a professional auctioneer.

Are you willing to ask a complete stranger important questions? So I asked away. Always do.

He said on separate occasions, each teenage child called him to come pick them up because they were not fit to drive. He promised them they would never get in trouble for this, and that he would come get them any hour of the night.

It takes a strong parent to do this. And even more important, it takes a wise parent. A wise parent makes it crystal clear. Clarity, going once, twice, sold!

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His Attitude Changed At 22

People come and people go. It happens all day, every day. I was talking to Jacob, the cab driver from Friday’s post, and continued asking him questions about his Family and business. What struck me was how rapidly his son’s attitude changed.

I asked, “What was it that so dramatically changed him into being completely interested in helping you run your business?”

Jacob said it was when he told his son the story about being smart and being wise. His son’s friend is very smart and works in IT for a computer business. So Jacob asked his son who is wise, the smart friend or the guy who owns the business?

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Less Is More

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government. — Thomas Jefferson

We operate the same way in my homeowner association. We don’t invent new rules, because Orange County, Florida has all the rules we need to govern.

It’s the same in my small entrepreneurial business. Streamline and simplify. It’s hard. Like writing a short, pithy blog post.

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Jacob’s Ladder?

Heading back to Walt Disney World (home) in a few hours. Travel is part of life for many. You meet a lot of people. And in our rush to get here and there, we often miss the small, golden opportunities to expand our horizons.

I talk to every cab driver, and always start a brief conversation from the plane seat, quickly evaluating whether or not the person feels like briefly talking. And most of the time, I’d be content to relax and sit quietly, or do work.

But in midlife, our clock is ticking, so I take small opportunities to uncover inspiration to share on these blogs. And it’s everywhere. Bet we’ll hear about in the next day or two.

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PS. Jacob left Russia with $100 in his pocket, 19 years ago. Mark is a world-class auctioneer, and a very wise Father. Two years ago, Carol’s (a children’s fashion designer) friend, 50, suddenly discovered she had pancreatic cancer and was given three months.