chicago marathon

Chicago Marathon

I won the lottery and will be running in the Chicago Marathon. My friend, Tim Sackett, nearly had an aneurysm when I told him the news. He’s like — Get ready for non-stop updates on what you’re eating, how much you’re drinking, how hard running is, how much you hate it, how much you love…

The Gig Economy is a Lie

This past year, I began working with a start-up company on a big idea that required more and more of my attention. As the work ratcheted up, I was swamped with stuff to do. My other consulting services needed to be dialed down. Unfortunately, the start-up company hit a snag. I am now looking for…

Expose Your Kids to Art

I took the day off, yesterday. My brain is mushy from writing white papers on HR, and I needed a break from the internet. So I went to the North Carolina Museum of Art. It’s not too far from my house. There’s a beautiful running path that crisscrosses through the campus. The greenway is full…

Sales and HR

Do you guys know the Gaping Void cartoon? It’s sort of like The Oatmeal and Savage Chickens except that it was early to the internet. The humor is reminiscent of Catbert and xkcd. Basically, Gaping Void is royalty. And because the Obama economy is great, the founder started a consulting firm. I know, right? America…

Year of Mister Scrubby

Today marks one year since my beloved cat, Scrubs, passed away. He was Scrubby, Mister Scrubby, Big Beef & Cheese, Mister Doop-Dee-Doos, and the Mayor of Chunk City, USA. (My seven-month-old nephew is the new mayor, by the way.) I wouldn’t say it’s been the worst year of my life, but I’m in no hurry…

Four Quadrants of HR Technology™

Four Quadrants of HR Technology™

You can’t be a human resources consultant without a model. For years, I’ve tried to help recruiters and HR practitioners understand technology by referring them to other smart people. I send my friends and colleagues to other consultants who break down complex ideas into clear messages. But I now have my model for HR technology,…

Why People are Sad that Prince Died

I was at an HR technology conference when I learned that Prince died. Then I watched grown-ass people in khaki pants and sensible shoes lose their minds when they heard the news. There are two reasons why people freaked out. 1. Adulthood is full of complicated choices and disappointing compromises. It’s okay because that’s the…

Botticelli girls

Botticelli and Girls

About a week ago, I saw Botticelli Reimagined in London. The exhibition reflected on Botticelli’s perfect vision of girls and womanhood, as represented in The Birth of Venus and La Primavera, and tried to show his influence on art from the 15th century through the modern era. Let’s start with the basics of Botticelli’s Venus. She…

failed

How You Know You Failed

Here’s you how you know you failed. If you stopped trying. If you never tried. If you didn’t learn anything. If you gave up too soon because it was hard. If you quit because you were frustrated. If you valued short-term fun over long-term results. If you expected something worthwhile would be easy. If you…