Blog

At a recent White House tribute concert, Smokey Robinson shared the following insight: “There are no new words. There are no new chords. And there are no new ideas. In my music, I just try to say, ‘I love you,’ as differently as I can.” How does your brand say I love you? And are you asking your customers to sing that song with you? THAT’S THE HUMAN REALITY:…

Panhandlers usually respond positively to my nametag. Which makes total sense: It’s an easy opening. It’s a chance to engage. And it’s an instant connection that might increase the chance of a donation. But for the most part, I choose not to give them money. And I have my reasons. For example, I once met a homeless guy outside of Voodoo Doughnuts. He asked if I could spare some…

A few years ago I gave a speech to a group of individuals with disabilities. I was terrified. I thought the message would go completely over the heads. And I assumed that their intelligence level would keep them from understanding me. I was wrong. They loved it. Best audience I’ve ever had.Afterward, a young man from the front row ran up to me with a huge smile on his…

People don’t want to learn. People don’t want to work. People don’t want to change. They want to feel. They want to laugh. They want to be entertained. They want to be reminded how alive they are. They want to watch your expression of a truthful metaphor for life. They want to see you think and feel the things they can’t express for themselves. And they want to sit…

It doesn’t take a lot of effort to wear a nametag every day. But it does take discipline. Not much. But enough to accumulate. Enough to carry over to bigger pursuits like writing, meditation and exercise. That’s how discipline works: When you commit yourself in small, non-threatening venues where the effort requirements are lower, you make it easier for yourself to win at something bigger. It’s kind of a…

You’ve chosen an uncertain path. You’ve adopted an inconvenient lifestyle. You’ve embarked upon an unconventional journey. You’ve felt the voice inside you growing more urgent. You’ve committed yourself enough so you can’t turn back. IN SHORT: You’ve decided to play for keeps. This is the critical crossroads – the emotional turning point – in the life of every young artist. I’ve been there myself, and here’s a list of…

“But if you wear a nametag all the time, doesn’t that mean you have to be nice to everyone?” That’s the point. Wearing a nametag paints me into an accountable corner. And that it makes it very difficult to be disrespectful to people. Especially strangers. I’m reminded of a nightmare I had about seven years ago. In the dream, I had murdered someone. I was on the run from…

“Love is never having to say you’re sorry.” This phrase originated in the movie Love Story, but has since been modified, satirized, patronized and reorganized through dozens of movies, songs, television shows and other popular art forms. I wonder if there are other things we never have to do? In business, in life and in love, maybe there’s an entire line of thinking based on this idea. From my…

I once met a cowboy on the Dallas airport shuttle. He asked if I knew I was still wearing a nametag, and said I wore it all the time. “I’d hate to wear a nametag all the time,” he smirked, “because then I’d have to be good.” That was the moment I learned a lifelong lesson:Anonymity is the death of civility. In person. Online. Over the phone. In the…

Not everything was built to be bigger. Some things are best left unscaled. Otherwise you end up with a bloated, unapproachable brand that people ignore. BUT THAT’S THE PROBLEM: Organizations are treating scaling like fetish. Computer networks, I understand. You have to expand to cope with increased use. But when it comes to the human side of business, when it comes to treating people like people, keeping things small…