May 24, 2021
Good morning!
Thought we might get to a steamy, humid ninety degrees (F) on Saturday, but nope, only to 88. Oh the joys of sharing our yard with the cardinals! Congratulations to Phil Mickelson — gives hope to all of us who are getting a bit older.
- Things in the emerging-from-the-COVIDs world are starting to happen faster in reverse than they happened 15 months ago… are you ready?!
- Have you observed the speed at which things are randomly and chaotically happening, some of it guided, much of it unguided?
- Fascinating. Are you ready?
- Is nothing sacred?
- They are successfully cultivating truffles (though not the perigord nor the Italian white varieties) in North Carolina. (The Smithsonian, June 2021, P. 40)
- Perhaps this is agriculturally/ horticulturally somewhat analogous to the California wine industry?
- CBS’ Sunday Morning featured Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young yesterday on the 50th-year anniversary of their album, Deja vu.
- I was going to reminisce for a bit, but the topic is too complicated, exhausting, and expansive for these pages.
- Just go listen to some of the music; enjoy!
Hiring The Right People
- Job postings: Your next most important communication might be perfectly chosen, enticing words aimed at attracting staff.
- If you’re looking for good people, they’re scarce. Get ready to compete with other employers who need and want workers as much as you.
- What is your plan? (Without A Vision Consultancy LLC can help!)
- To the immediate point: If you’re interested in diesel mechanics — or know of someone who is — I have a job for you right now.
- Or, for that matter, foundry work.
- The other day I visited my old-fashioned barber who is in his 80s and still going strong.
- His price for a basic haircut is $12, but I tip 67%.
- It’s my way of helping to jump-start the economy.
- There was some other point I wanted to make about this but I’ve forgotten what it is.
- “I’ve been happier with my victories than I’ve been sad with my defeats.” (Nadal)
- “To show your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable, to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength.” (Jami)
- Authentic leaders embrace those moments of weakness; why? Because vulnerability is power.
- This suggested by faithful reader, Paul: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” (Warren)
The Impact of COVID-19
- “There is a 95% probability that the COVIDs have led to between 7,000,000 and 13,000,000 excess deaths worldwide, according to our modelling. The official statistics say 3,300,000, so how can those data be so wrong?”
- Solstad, a senior data journalist at The Economist, reveals the real story of the COVIDs based on excess-death figures on The Jab podcast.
- The short answer is that to get counted in the official statistics, you need to be tested, and poor countries, and even middle-income countries, can’t afford or don’t elect to prioritise testing everyone who died.”
- A good friend gave me Malcolm Gladwell’s latest book, The Bomber Mafia.
- I’m on page #77… I’ll let you know.
- “Revolutions are invariably group activities…”
- “The vaccines are beating back new strains of the virus, but the poorest countries do not have access to the vaccines.” (The Economist, 2021)
What Makes Employees Stick Around?
- Employees (is that becoming pejorative vocabulary? Workers? Staff?) stay when they are: (Margo, 2021)
- Paid well
- Mentored
- Challenged
- Promoted
- Involved
- Appreciated
- Trusted
- Empowered
- Valued
