I read a very interesting article about the Vancouver Olympics titled “Mavericks with Medals” in last Friday’s Wall Street Journal. It noted that of the 37 medals won at the Winter Olympics by athletes from the United States, four of the athletes who won individual medals were “mavericks.” These athletes earned that moniker by training on their own, sans financial and coaching support from their national governing body (NGB). The US Olympic Committee and the NGBs work hard to raise …

I had a drink last week with a woman I’ve known for decades. I admire Ceile a lot and think she’s a pretty darn good leader. She’s also a fan of the movie “Office Space” and does a spot-on imitation of the scene where the “Bobs” (Slydell and Porter) recommend promoting Peter and challenge Lumbergh’s objection (Now we had a chance to meet this young man, and boy that’s just a straight shooter with upper management written all over him.). …

This turn of a phrase was widely reported from an address on the state of the US economy by President Obama’s chief economic adviser, Larry Summers.  He spoke these words last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Summers is a very smart guy; he’s past president of Harvard University and former Secretary of the Treasury under Bill Clinton.

His quotable quote is consistent with what I’m hearing from the business owners who are members of my Vistage CEO …

The pot is still boiling in Indianapolis. It’s been eight days since the Colts pulled their starters in the third quarter of the game against the New York Jets and turned their back on the opportunity make NFL history by running the table and having a perfect season. The loss to the Bills yesterday has only fanned the flames.

Polls are running 4:1 against the decision, and Payton Manning’s post game apology notwithstanding, fans’ feelings are running the gamut from disappointed …

On Christmas day, a Nigerian named Uman Farouk Abdulmutallab failed in an attempt to blow up a jetliner flying from Amsterdam to Detroit. In the aftermath, it became clear that the $40 billion in security precautions put in place since 9/11 had failed. In response, the Department of Homeland Security decreed that all passengers on international flights would not be allowed to leave their seats during the last hour of the flight. It took about 48 hours before the “leaders” …

The lesson I learned in my economic classes in graduate school that has had the greatest impact on me is what economists call “The Law of Unintended Consequences.” This term is credited to sociologist Robert K. Merton (who also coined the term “self-fulfilling prophecy”) and states that contrary to the belief that only the results originally intended by a particular action will occur, unintended results also occur. And usually, these unintended results are unforeseen and undesired.

An unintended consequence of my …

One of my favorite Vistage speakers is Michael Allosso; he spoke to my key group in 2008 and came back to Indy twice this month to address my CEO group and share Part Deux with my key group. Michael is an actor, director and 2007 Vistage Speaker of the Year; he’s presented to Vistage groups almost 600 times.

The goal of Michael’s talk is to make us better communicators; he maintains that the things an actor must do to be successful …

I just finished reading my third novel by author, Nevil Shute. I first heard of him in 2007 when Vistage speaker Herbert Meyer (who worked for the CIA) recommended Shute’s book “Kindling” and called it “a book every teacher should read.” The book was published in 1938; it contrasts the power of government fiscal policy with the power of a single person with a cause. It has a lot to say about accountability and taking responsibility for one’s actions. When …

The words above were written by William Shakespeare in Act IV, Scene III of his play, Henry V. And today, October 25 is in fact, the Feast of St. Crispian. It’s also the anniversary of the victory of King Henry’s tattered and outnumbered army over the French in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

This blog pays homage to two big thinkers. The first is William Shakespeare, who gave us this wonderful play and the stirring words of Harry the king …

I had lunch with my friend Mike last Friday. We’ve been doing this once a quarter on a Friday afternoon since the fall of 2002. All 29 of our quarterly lunch meetings have been at R bistro (http://www.rbistro.com/), chef Regina Mehallick’s great eatery on Mass Ave in Indianapolis’ arts district.

I met Mike in 1999; the #1 thing we have in common (other than the same first name) is being members of what Fast Company Magazine calls free lance nation. …