“The learn-it-all does better than the know-it-all.”

November 9, 2020

Good morning! I just opened the window so I could listen to the heavenly sound of gentle rain as I write to you. A stupid black squirrel is hanging upside down from his toes while leisurely eating from a squirrel-proof feeder.
Our newest grandson, Jack Montgomery, was born November 5th out in Washington City; welcome, Jack!

• If you are serving — or have served — in the armed services of the United States of America, thank you for helping to preserve, protect, and defend our Constitution.
  • Veterans’ Day is this Wednesday, November 11th, a solemn day of recognition and appreciation just for you.
  • Thank you for putting your life on the line — literally.
• I read this last week in a provocative and outstanding work of fiction:  “We carry what’s been done to us for all our life.”
  • That can be rather dark and heavy – or it can simply be a fact and our attitude serves to overcome all things negative.
    • The infinitely mysterious and unsolvable complexities of life.
• “If everyone is thinking the same thing, that must mean no one is thinking.” (Franklin)
• “Don’t attach yourself to a person, a place, a company, an organization, or a project… attach yourself to a mission, a purpose…”  (Sinek)
  • (Or, from this perspective, a vision.)
• “The learn-it-all does better than the know-it-all.” (Nadella)
• From The Economist:  Air passenger traffic decreased by 94% the first month after the COVIDs hit worldwide… it is rebounding bit by bit but will be changed for a long time.
• How do effective leaders solve problems?  (McKinsey)

1. Be ever-curious
2. Tolerate ambiguity and stay humble
3. Take a dragonfly view; i.e., 360 degrees and multi-prism
4. Pursue occurrent behaviour (now! — that’s new vocabulary for me)
5. Tap into collective intelligence
6. Show and tell — a story, like a picture, is worth 1,000 facts (but we so-often forget!)

• From WSJ:  Rental car companies are saving the day — or trying to — by selling their fleets as used cars to a public highly motivated to travel on the ground….
• From Leadership First:  “Surround yourself with positive people who are going to push you toward greatness.
  • It would be best if you choose the people around you wisely because they will have a significant impact on your potential and how successful you become.
  • If you surround yourself with people who have a strong desire to improve and better themselves, those qualities will help push you to be better.  On the other hand, if you associate with people who engage in self-destructive habits, those habits will start to affect you negatively.
  • Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions, especially during these (COVID) times.  According to Mark Twain, small people always do that, but the grats make you feel that you, too, can become great.
  • Being around like-minded people will help you reach your goals and, in the process, help you to become extraordinary.”