February 16, 2026
Good morning! It wasn’t Woodstock, but it was witnessed by far more people — and it might have made just as significant an impact in much less time. Whew! A flood of February feasts… how could anyone keep up?! Football, Abraham Lincoln, Paczkis, Curling, Blue Bunny, Friday the #13, Luge Runs, Valentine, Adopt-a-Hundt… on and on…The New Yorker might have said it best: “Time to celebrate their monumental athletic achievements by pointing out all of their minor mistakes.”
Should we all try the luge doubles at least once? I think so.
Or how about going face first, just an inch or two from the deadly ice at 80 MPH? (They call this one Skeleton because that’s probably how the experience ends.)
- We have now survived the darkest one-third of the year.
- And, you can accept that as an astronomical fact, or as a metaphor — or both.
- A suggestion: If you have watched Ken Burns’s latest documentary detailing the North American colonial war for independence; i.e., the fledgling United States vs. Great Britain…
- … watch it again, and again for a third time…
- … there is SO MUCH information in the footage it is impossible to grasp it all in just one — or two — viewings.
- Number one takeaway: There is SO MUCH we didn’t (don’t) know… and still lots more Ken just brushed over.
- Please, please, I beg of you, if you learn nothing more…
- … there is no such thing as Presidents’ Day.
- The holy day, if you choose to celebrate it, is George Washington’s birthday, good or bad, right or wrong… that is the day Congress chose and made into law.
- And, for the record, his birthday is still six days away, but get started so you’re ready come Sunday.
- Be sure to bake your cherry pie at least one full day in advance… it will slice and taste much better.
- If you’re planning a big George Washington party, pay heed.
- In a recent national survey with probably zero scientific integrity, the #1 most important — and most widely desired — schnack for a holy day was…
- … wait for it… wait for it… Nachos.
- Now, there are hundreds of different variations of Nachos, but it won, nevertheless… edging out both pizza and wings. (Mactas)
- Don’t lower the bar, raise the person.
- Results matter, performance matters, but… without people you won’t have either one.
- A conundrum?
- According to Gallup, only 20% of employees strongly agree that their organization’s performance management helps them to do outstanding work.
- Employees reportedly want:
- Clearer expectations
- ‘Stronger leadership direction
- More focus on development
- Real recognition and improved culture
- Or, put another way… better leadership. (Eades)
- It costs the most — relatively, according to 2025 data — to live in a number of Caribbean countries (Bermuda wins in a landslide!), Switzerland, Iceland, or Singapore…
- And, it costs the least — according to those same data — to live in India, Libya, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. (Neufeld)
- The United States, Canada, and Australia are about smack dab average when compared to 155 other nations.
- Colleges have emeritus positions; businesses and organizations can benefit from them, too.
- As the work force ages, there are more ways for seasoned workers with deep institutional knowledge can contribute. (Hannah, Etc., et al., 2026)
- What if we thought of older workers as being in a distinct career stage, where their perspectives and continuity were recognized as especially valuable?
- According to the World Health Organization, the proportion of the world’s population over the age of 60 is on course to grow from 12% to 22% between 2015 and 2050.
- Many of these people are choosing — or will choose — to stay involved.
- “We encourage leaders to focus on the upsides of older workers… because of their wisdom and continued high capacity to contribute.
- From our research, elders in (healthy and successful) organizations take on four distinct roles:
- Steward
- Ambassador
- Futurist
- Catalyst” (Ibid., M.I.T. Sloan School)
