A journeyman
Toronto - Ontario
An accomplished Sales and Marketing Leader with a reputation for effective strategy, creative problem solving and execution. or A simple journeyman of life and the human condition involved in all the stratagems on the way. I haven't decided which yet; it's a work in progress.
339 articles
Social media feeds are filled with the anticipation of a new year and all the best wishes that come with it — it’s the time of the year to reflect and dream and resolve to do better in the upcoming ye...
I recently set up my new workspace and decided to unpack some boxes I had labelled office eight years ago — long enough to be as much different as I am the same . Time is funny that way. Some of what...
“I’m quite easy going…” A dear friend looked at me confused and said, “What are you talking about, you are one of the least easy-going people I know.” I went on to explain myself with little success a...
The question was posed just as he was about to jump into the water, “ What’s the purpose of it all?” My answer was, admittedly with little thought, “There is no purpose at all, and in fact, from an ev...
It is said, and thankfully I’ve only experienced this figuratively, when the shelling starts, try to get as small as you can . Whispers of a new virus started in late 2019 and by April of 2020 many ju...
Before I take you on a metaphorical journey, I wanted to mention two very important truisms that I was reminded of recently. Truism #1 — “Shit happens.” Truism #2 — “If you want to go fast, go alone;...
Upfront I will say this is a little self indulgent but so be it. If I’m asked what I do, I would have to say I spend a good deal of the time trying to “know myself” — something that has resonated sinc...
I was a talking to a local businessman and as part of our conversation he said something to me in Italian. As I laughed and commented my Italian was rusty, he offered the English translation. “The dis...
It probably doesn’t really matter about the circumstances that find me training for a big gravel bike race in a month, but suffice to say, I have been on the trails training. As I was riding the other...
One of the simplest examples of a Sacred Cow can be found when you write blogs because there’s a small number of words in play. Occasionally, you write a sentence that you like very, very much but as...
R ecently I thought I had reached a level of wisdom that I could offer thoughts on a number of things in a blog; one of which was Leadership. In my brief overview on the topic, I said this: Leadership...
R ecently I thought I had reached a level of wisdom that I could offer thoughts on a number of things in a blog; one of which was Leadership. In my brief overview on the topic I said this: Leadership...
U pfront I’d like to say that if you insist on getting me a gift I am truly grat eful but you should make a donation to your local food bank instead. For those who struggle with my age, it’s somewhere...
For those not familiar with a “Word Cloud” it’s the result of a metadata exercise which visualizes text data and is used by marketing for value proposition exercises, messaging exercises, and customer...
This timeline may not be particularly accurate, but I believe it’s directionally sound and I’m almost certain we’ll land on something worthwhile — Jól leads to Yule, which leads to Yuletide, which fin...
I have no context to this — it may be the work of a local urban artist, possibly some sort of clever marketing or even the name of a new business. What I do know for certain is it was spray painted on...
It’s one of those books that is dense with information — not hard to comprehend but contains so much that every page has you thinking, has you marking up the margins and folding corners to the point t...
In my part of the world the COVID-19 pandemic has become manageable and the normality of working alongside the virus is settling into the public psyche. What I just said may be a little contentious fo...
Decades of sitting behind desks, in airplanes or in a car has blessed me with very tight hips which, when not tended to, can be a crippling and painful proposition until the anti-inflammatories kick i...
I should make it very clear up front that a hammer is a very important part of any tool box but it can’t be the only tool — and with that said, I shall continue. “If all you have is a hammer, everythi...
I was born into a lower middle class family and grew up in what could accurately be called white suburbia just outside of Toronto. At the time my knowledge of our indigenous population consisted of th...
This came out of a recent “Think Tank, Brain Trust, Support Group” meeting, or TTBTSG for short — it’s a trusted group where many things get discussed, and sage insights are given (well, at least on t...
“My life is fine… although I could use something interesting.” I didn’t say this but heard it uttered as I was running stairs. Two people were walking up the stairs of the Wallace Street Bridge as I w...
“Dwell on the beauty of Life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” If the Internet is to be believed this quote and insight is from Marcus Aurelius who was one of the better Roman Emp...
As the languishing effects of COVID -19 continue, one of the habits I had fallen into was not blogging on a regular basis. The excuses, and there are many, would come easily but none would serve any r...
Recently I listened to a marketing professional who offered a perspective on striving for marketing excellence (and I suppose commercial excellence by extension ). I found it inspirational enough that...
It has been a little more than 365 days since the World Health Organization announced a novel coronavirus had been isolated from a person in hospital, and it will be a less than 365 days when everyone...
The 2020, and soon to be 2021 pandemic is figuratively a party that everyone has been invited to — upon reflection I think you’d be hard pressed to find someone who has not been effected by COVID-19....
As I reflect on the spectrum of people that can offer a perspective on Covid 19 I can’t help but think of it in terms of a “drunk old guy at the end of the bar with an opinion” as being a one and Dr H...
A man was walking along minding his own business when inexplicably he fell into a hole, and as much as he tried, he just couldn’t get out. As he looked up he could see people walking by and started as...
As I was explaining how it all unfolded he was laughing, he offered perspective and thoughts for the next time, and then he said, “Doesn’t the sense of accomplishment feel good”. * As I was explaining...
This is not meant to be a philosophical reflection or a confession of any sort but simply an observation on something relevant to anything you may want to accomplish. “Where I was, where I am, and whe...
It’s not that I ever really run out of ideas for blog topics but sometimes what I have in the proverbial “hopper” seem a little stale so every so often I fish for ideas, and the waters are always plen...
Let’s just put it out there right away so there is no need to read any further unless you want to. In a Harvard Business Review article by John Coleman entitled For Those Of You Who Want To Lead, Read...
There is a question that we ask ourselves every so often, particularly when we are being reflective — “How will I do when the situation gets difficult?” Or as people who put memes together like to say...
“Do you think we are in a crisis?” The answer came through the lens of a man who was born into the depression, knew what it was like not to have food on the table, survived polio, knew the impact of r...
I am not trying to be flippant when I say we are all in the middle of a very large Virology 101 classroom — as COVID 19 infiltrates the populations of the world we are all better understanding virus m...
Why would anyone ever want to surrender the podium and in effect give the microphone to a substitute? It just seems very counter intuitive; after all, who can tell your story better than you? More aff...
I should point out that as I write this I’m refreshed and have been sleeping really well ever since I beat an annoying head cold — I know this because the withings fitness watch I got for my birthday...
truth [tro͞oTH] NOUN — the quality or state of being true. (the truth) that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality. a fact or belief that is accepted as true. Our smart devices are listen...
December is here, and if you’re operating to the calendar year, it’s a time when all your efforts for the past eleven months are coming to an end — a time of final pressures and final celebrations, an...
I will have to say blog writing has become a little more difficult of late — the reasons when I look in the mirror seem to revolve around my inability to come up with a topic, sensing I have said it a...
At the very least I will introduce you to Calvin and Hobbes (or reintroduce you) — created by Bill Watterson, this iconic comic strip follows the exploits of a young boy named Calvin, and his sidekick...
A team by definition is when there is more than one person involved — in fact, as I think about it, I would be hard pressed to think of a situation where there isn’t more than one person involved; exc...
I’m not really sure if what I’m about to say is reflective of anything in particularly or just an example of me trying to be helpful — I would like to think it may offer some insight into the importan...
“Dwell on the beauty of Life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” If the Internet is to be believed this quote and insight is by Marcus Aurelius; he was one of the better Roman Emper...
Ultimately this may just be just two independent events that happened in close succession and I’m just mashing them together to get my word count up — let’s see where we land before making a call one...
It came about in a conversation. We were talking about the challenges of the day and I was struck with how profound these words were, “I will find a way to make it happen”. I suppose the struggles of...
There are reasons we needed to move seven cubic yards of gravel through 175 yards of forest to a meadow (that’s 160 meters for those of you who prefer the metric system) . And because of this task, a...
Putting aside the minor offences of breaking and entering, destruction of property, and theft (if you considering eating someone’s porridge wrong) , Goldilocks’ real crime was instilling the expectati...
I suppose in a literal sense it would involve some heavy equipment, a relatively large crew, planning, co-ordination and enough time to make it happen, but in a figurative sense it seems “moving the g...
I am only one, but I am one. I can not do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. Edward Everett Hale I hadn’t heard of Edward Everett Hal...
I listened to a very informative talk last night by John Englander. I stumbled onto the video as I was checking out the news on YouTube — it’s one of my sources for current events I have to admit. The...
Your text — This strategy course is one of the more interesting courses so it makes all the weekend strategy group work worthwhile. My text — Hope you’re all more strategic for it. Your text — So I ha...
I’m actually in the middle of writing a blog on strategy but the other day I was reminded of a very important imperative so I’ve put that blog on the back burner for the time being (I’m sure I’ll get...
Waiting rooms are hushed at 9:30 in the evening. I know this because a few months back I found myself in one such room as I helped a friend who was having a CT scan. It was where people in gowns wait...
I looked at my calendar for the week and was struck by two appointments I had on Wednesday and Thursday — I even mentioned it to a friend who just laughed. I’m still wrestling with whether it’s funny...
All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning. Great works are often born on a street corner or a restaurant’s revolving door. Albert Camus If you are like me and don’t know who A...
Recently I wrote a blog outlining the three steps for getting things done and wanted to take some time exploring the steps a little deeper — what will make this even more fun is my friend Renée Cormie...
Recently I wrote a blog outlining the three steps for getting things done and wanted to take some time exploring the steps a little deeper — what will make this even more fun is my friend Renée Cormie...
What the reasons are I’m not really sure — Maybe the long winter has gotten to me and I’m just waiting to the first day of spring before I start up again. Maybe the busy days have me too tired to blog...
Not so long ago I was dared to start “vlogging” and even wrote a blog about it titled “Maybe I should”. It may be open to interpretation if I’d actually been dared but at the very least it needs to be...
I will admit the title I chose made me cringe a little because I’m always a little suspicious about anything that touts an easy road. How does the saying go again… oh yes, “Anything worth doing is nev...
Other than this quote I’ve never read Henry Miller — although he is definitely an author that is on the list of must-reads. “One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at thing...
Lee and I have known each other forever, and although an exaggeration, we did start our careers together a very long time ago. I was in sales and he was my trusty Product Manager — we were a small gro...
I think there must be something buried deep in the human condition that craves some sort of simple proxy for things very complex and important. I know that physicists crave this because there is an on...
As the seminar was coming to an end she emphatically stated — “Shortcuts don’t work!” It’s not that I hadn’t heard this before, or that I don’t understand what it means, but for some reason it seemed...
I will be using the definition of adventure rather liberally; using it figuratively and will definitely be using it as a verb! It’s far more action oriented that way. ad·ven·ture [adˈven(t)SHər, ədˈve...
He was a old school General Manager — he smoked too much, definitely enjoyed his scotch, would go toe to toe with anyone over the business, and protected his people with a passion. He was the sort tha...
“How business schools are adapting to the changing world of work.” I just finished reading this and it got me to thinking, and apparently to typing. In short, it offers a commentary on how business sc...
Yes, I am well aware that our current and most popular iteration of Santa Claus is the result of the Coca Cola Company wanting to sell more sweet, syrupy, fizzy water. And for almost a century this be...
In the convoluted filing system that is my computer I have a file that is simply labelled “sayings” — it is the home of a collection of quotes and sayings. They were curated over almost a year; a dear...
In one form or another there is a good chance you have seen the following quote if you’ve ever Googled Socrates or surfed for what seems to be an infinite number of motivational quotes — “And in knowi...
An opportunity cost is defined as something that is given up in order to acquire or achieve something else, and it’s something we deal with each day as we decide what needs to get done. Maybe it’s jus...
As good friends are apt to do I enjoyed a good meal and honest conversation the other night; when we weren’t serious we were laughing out loud. And being the generous type, we are also apt to invite o...
I’m not sure she meant to be so loud when she lamented, “There is just not enough time in the day”. She was though, and I heard her from the other side of the room. One day. 24 hours. 1,440 minutes. 8...
I almost wrote that the only time we aren’t generating ideas is when we are sleeping; I then smiled with the recognition that we dream. Although I have absolutely no research to back it up, I am going...
It was hidden in a box and forgotten. Correction, some people knew there was a box and generally knew what was in it — although arguably, this did mean it was forgotten. I only found it through happen...
I got it in my head a couple of weeks ago I needed to update my professional photograph as part of my ongoing, ever evolving personal branding to ensure I’m portraying an image that reflects my value....
With full disclosure this isn’t about self-reflection, disillusionment with my lot, or wanting something so badly but never achieving it — in some ways it’s really a simple “bait and switch” . I suppo...
As a sales leader was lamenting about the performance of one of her sales representatives she looked at me and said, “You know, 94 % is a great mark on a chemistry test but not so great as a performan...
It’s a lot easier to simply say you are going to Boston for a business trip instead of Newton (which is a suburb of Boston) — it’s simply more recognizable and comes will less explanation; although di...
An old adage came up in conversation the other day, “People don’t buy drills, they buy holes” If you are in sales you may have heard this — it is a reminder that people purchase what they need and you...
At this time of year you would be hard pressed to find anyone in Canada who hasn’t started to think about winter… I’ll be shameless and will say, “winter is coming” — and with the approaching season,...
The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depth. Beautiful people do not just happen. I...
Sometimes, if you happen to take the time to look, you may see something that will cause you take a moment and pause — and in that pause you may simply take the time to appreciate what you are experie...
If you haven’t heard this from me before let me offer something up for your consideration — "Everything we deal with can be categorized as either an opportunity or a problem". Sure some philosophies m...
There is something about getting away, putting yourself in a different context, and giving yourself some time to regain perspective — as well as reflect and reenergize. This is not something new and y...
I was with some long time friends and telling a colourful story when someone happened to infer what I was talking about was "bold". To that someone else offered up a detail from my past that I had for...
When you are able to get away from the bright lights of the city you are given the opportunity to look up; it's a glimpse, if you're philosophical, that offers perspective. Surrounded by stars, you ca...
To be exact, what he used to say was, "Pissing in your own pants to give yourself a nice warm feeling" The "he" I refer to was my first boss when I decided to get into the rough and tumble world of ma...
I will go out on a limb and say that it is very rare that the first idea, first prototype, first draft, or the first of "anything" is also the last — in fact, I will be so bold to say it never happens...
The small blind The big blind Two cards down The flop The turn The river Best hand wins These were the terms and concepts that we wrestled with on a Saturday night — the brand of poker that we had dec...
"Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result" This is the popular urban definition of "insanity" , and I suppose a formula for frustration, and definitely insight into t...
Amelia Earhart said this... "The most effective way to do it, is to do it" If you are not familiar with Amelia Earhart , she was an American aviation pioneer and the first female pilot to fly solo acr...
One day it was there and the next day it wasn't — what had looked like a successful small business was now empty. The sign in the window didn't offer any insight as to why but rather that the owner wa...
Many life times ago I was in a working session about something that literally wasn't memorable enough to remember, except for a comment about my spelling on a large flip chart. Having thought about th...
If you read anything I write (which I really appreciate by the way) you will know that I am a big advocate for "different". Different stimulates ideas, offers perspectives to better understand situati...
The Internet has attributed the following quote to Socrates — "In knowing that you know nothing, that makes you the smartest of all" Socrates The Chinese whispers of 2400 years offers up a fair reason...
I will have ridden approximately 1,060 kilometres and raised a little north of $12,500 over the past five years at the end of this weekend — all to help conquer cancer in our lifetime. For my efforts...
