The Garden

May 18, 2026

Good morning! Happy Feast of Queen Victoria! Here’s one for you:  Why does a crisp 40-degrees (F) morning feel refreshing, invigorating, energizing, and euphoric, whereas…… the same exact combination of weather, sky, sunshine, and breeze in the evening results in a shivering search for a jacket or the warmth of a fire?

• Tip o’ the day:  If you awake in the middle of the night, never look at the clock.  Keep your eyes closed, concentrate on breathing.  (Kee)
• A bit o’ history of The Declaration of Independence (13 colonies vs. George, 1776>):
  • From which colony was John Hancock — and why did he hog the page?
• It’s probably sour grapes, but it’s a bit annoying year after year to keep learning the best country in the world is…
  • … wait for it…
  • … wait for it…
  • … Switzerland — or Norway — or Denmark — or Sweden — or Holland… (U.S. News & World Report)
  • C’mon!  How — and when — do we win this one?!
  • [BTW, this organization does the college rankings, too.)
• If it FEELS like you have less money, you probably do… especially for approximately 73% of my readers — and a much larger share of the general population.
  • Inflation hit 3.8% last month — while wage growth was 3.6%… resulting in possible vertigo, fewer groceries, or general disorientation.   (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026)
  • Major culprits?  You guessed it:  Petroleum — Foods — Tariffs — Insurances — Taxes… wait…
    • “Uncertainty and stress were the most common words United States citizens used to describe their financial futures.”  (Navy Federal Credit Union)
• Note to self:  The C.P.I. was 258.115 when the plague hit in March 2020.
  • On April 30, 2026 the C.P.I. was 333.020  (Consumer Price Index – United States Department of Labour)
  • Which calculates to 4.84%  average annualized inflation the last 6+ years — by the old math.
• 10,000 steps a day has become a broadly-accepted norm and mandate… as well as a goal for some of us.
  • Surprise, surprise, it was invented by The Japanese following the 1964 Olympics…
  • A pedometer was invented, marketed, and sold… its name?  10,000 steps, but in Japanese, which I do not speak — sadly.
  • The brand became the behaviour… amazing… and was sustained.
  • The primary motivation for purchasing the device?  We don’t want to be like the fat, lazy U.S. people!
• Looking for the secret to a longer, happier, healthier, more meaningful life?
  • Get outside into the garden!  Dozens of indisputable benefits… unless you have an injured back…  then at least go to watch.  (Benzil, MD = research driven)
• True?  False?  “No leader outperforms the talent on her/his team — and no team outperforms the quality of its leadership.”
• The artificial intelligence honeymoon period is ending, and the C-Suite is starting to ask harder questions.
  • “It saves time.” won’t cut it and is not a business plan.
    • Time saved is an input (what were you doing with that time previously?!) and revenue produced or influenced is an outcome.
  • Here’s your homework:
    • Efficiency:  We produced more, faster, with the same team.
    • Quality:  We produced a better-performing product/ service.
    • Revenue:  Bottom line increased due to directly attributable line items up above.
  • If you can’t prove it, it didn’t happen.  (Murray)
• “A leader’s title is temporary, her/ his impact is lasting.”  (Armstrong)

“The weight that crushes us is the weight we carry alone.”  (Dickerhoof)

• Leadership audit o’ the week:
  • Am I spending more time managing tasks than developing people?
  • Are my people getting better because of me?
  • Am I using in-person communication and healthy coaching as much as possible?
  • Do I prioritize people, processes, or policies?
  • Would my team follow me to the finish — or watch from the sidelines?