image credit: Corbis

Week of June 20, 2016

“My father didn’t tell me how to live;

he lived, and let me watch him do it.”

Clarence Budington Kelland

American writer and journalist

 

“Daddy Data” 

Something as important as fatherhood deserves to be a field of study unto itself.  For a recap of the most recent findings, check out this summary from the Smithsonian: “Eight New Things Science Says About Being A Dad.” 

Are You A One Per center?

This year’s elections have featured at least one candidate with a passion for reducing income inequality who repeatedly invokes the “one per centers”; that small slice of Americans who supposedly control most of the wealth.    Just what does it take to be a “one per center?”   Check out this article from Forbes and see if you qualify. You may be one of them?

Lessons from Coach Yo-Yo

There are many lessons for business people in fields other than business.  Usually, it’s sports.   The arts, however, can enlighten executives as well. 

In an individualistic culture like ours, the super stars stand out.   But the real superstars know the value of their peers in pushing them to the next level.   To wit, world class cellist Yo-Yo Ma sat down with Harvard Business Review and shared the importance of peers to any “performer,” not just those in business.

Check out this 18 minute video  (written text also provided) with the artist on how his peers keep him at the top of his craft.

How LinkedIn Lucked Out

Most of you know that Microsoft just announced the purchase of networking site LinkedIn for $26 Billion (with a “b”).  Most acquisitions end up not creating additional value but this one might be different because both companies desperately need something they don’t have now.   Technology blogger and former PC World columnist Robert X. Cringely provides the business case on this transaction…a good lesson for all of us.   Take a minute for his one page analysis of how “LinkedIn Got Lucky.”

The Life Altering Power of the Small

Here’s one more commencement speech that deserves your attention.  It was delivered by James Citrin, Leader of the CEO Practice at Executive Recruiter Spencer Stuart, to the graduating class of Wesleyan University.   Mr. Citrin advises that it’s the small things that make the difference in life;  and that the difference between  success and mediocrity in life turns out to be actually rather small…if you start soon enough.  His talk on the “Life Changing Power of Small Things”  is well worth your time….and that of the young people in your lives.

Econ Recon:  A Brexit Primer 

The upcoming vote in the UK of Britain’s exit from the European Union (aka “Brexit”)  has not been much noticed in the US until last week’s murder by a disturbed individual on a London street  of a young UK Member of Parliament who opposed the initiative. 

How important is this decision?   Alan Beaulieu of ITR Economics brings you up to speed on what “Brexit” means for the UK and the world in his latest blog posting:  “Brexit-What You Need to Know.”