Last week, after having a somewhat frustrating email exchange with a colleague, it struck me how much this new environment has changed our communication practices - and the impact it could have on productivity, creativity and relationships. Aside from group meetings now being conducted primarily via Zoom, it seems as though many one-on-one conversations that used to happen in person…
This past weekend, while in Maine, my wife and I went for a long walk through the woods to the local country store. Upon arrival, we saw a crowd of about 40 people, and about a dozen old Ford Model A's parked in the road. Curious, we asked a bystander what was going on. He told us that a local…
Last week, I tried something new. My two kids and I decided to take a surfing lesson, and see if we could ride the waves. After putting on our wetsuits, we followed our instructors to the water’s edge, where they explained the basics of the equipment and demonstrated a few techniques for “popping up.” We then practiced a few times on land,…
A few weeks ago, while traveling up north with my family, we decided to look for a place to go for dessert - preferably a good ice cream shop. Since it was already a bit after 9pm, most all places were closed. But, we came across one Google listing for a cheesecake place called Momo’s that was open nearby and had…
Working from home/anywhere for the last three months has certainly had its benefits. The 1-minute morning commute. The daily dinners with the family. And, of course, the business boxer-briefs. In many ways, we’ve all demonstrated our resiliency and ability to adapt to new environments. However, it's certainly not perfect. And, with pre-COVID office-life unlikely returning anywhere in the near future (if ever),…
Over the last week or so, I've struggled with how to publicly respond to all that is happening around us. As my heart breaks and blood boils, I know I cannot stand silent. But honestly, as a middle-aged white male, I am concerned about saying or doing the wrong thing as sensitivities have never been higher. Sure, like many, I…
This past weekend, while taking a walk around my neighborhood, I couldn’t help but notice the many home projects that people were working on. In several yards, people were planting new vegetable and spice gardens. In one, a couple was building a shed. And, in another, a man was in full garb, tending to his new beehives. While I can't be…
The last several weeks have certainly tested all of us in many ways. Staying calm and collected despite the stress, uncertainty and isolation can be difficult. However, while taking a moment to reflect, I noticed that someone in my house was taking very well to this situation. In fact, she seemed happier than ever. Who, you ask? Jasmine. Our dog. So,…
I hope you and your family are staying safe, healthy and positive. While being stuck at home with family has its benefits, it can also become a bit claustrophobic - and, if listening/watching the news, a bit depressing. So, today, I come to you with a bit of goodness and positivity in hopes that it lifts your sprits and gets…
Early last week, I began writing a somewhat satirical blog post related to the Coronavirus. Way back then (it kind of feels like a different era), it seemed harmless. But, just over a week later, as businesses shut down, schools close, sports seasons abruptly end and toilet paper flies off grocery store shelves — it seems a bit less appropriate (perhaps I’ll…
As you know, I often get inspiration and ideas for my blog posts from my kids. We can learn so much from those who are hungry for knowledge, excited for every moment ahead and not (yet) beaten down by life’s events. But, today, I thought I’d share some thoughts on the unsung hero of my family - Jasmine, our 6-year…
This weekend, while my wife was away on a “girls' trip,” my kids and I moved her home office to another location, and replaced it with a ping pong table. (She uses her work office and our kitchen much more than her “home office,” so it only seemed fair…). My 12-year-old son, Josh, believes that the ping pong table was purchased to…
There are some people who make a lasting impression and impact in our lives. Many of them we know well — family members, friends, teachers and colleagues. But others are part of our lives in a different way. We may never meet them, but somehow we grow to know them well, respect them and constantly learn from them. There…
As we approach the holidays and end of the year, we often ask one another about resolutions for the New Year. However, at least for me, it seems difficult to consider the year ahead without reflecting on the year behind us. It's the experiences and lessons of our past that can most effectively guide our future. Additionally, we often get so caught up…
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure and privilege of attending my second CEO workshop with Michael Allosso, a prolific director and actor - but also an incredible speaker, motivator and teacher for business leaders (check out michaelallosso.com). In his sessions, entitled “You on your best day,” Michael shares a range of insights, tips and tricks to help people become stronger…
If you read my blog posts, you know that I often share stories of my kids. Well, it’s less because I’m proud of them (which I definitely am), and more because I learn so much from them — from their thoughts and perspectives, to their openness and their actions. The truth is that we can learn quite a bit from our…
I recently recalled memories of my childhood, when my mother asked me to go downstairs and put the clothes in the dryer for her. Being the “aiming-to-please” son that I was, I quickly ran downstairs to do exactly as told. A few hours later, my mother asked me to fold the dry clothes and bring them upstairs for her. At that point, I…
A few weeks ago, while traveling with my family, I thought it would be funny to “prank call” my kids in their hotel room. Pretending to be the front desk attendant, I called their room to tell them that there was a package at the front desk for them. The first time I called, my 15-year old daughter answered, and she immediately texted…
A few weeks ago, I was reviewing a presentation for a team who was going to share a big - and potentially “game-changing” - idea for a client. They were excited to share it and put together a deck that included a slew of great ways in which it could come to life, including executional details that they had thought…
This weekend, as I was re-organizing our dishwasher to make room for the dinner mess, I had a thought (aside from “who loaded this thing?!"). Our dishwasher is not much unlike like our heads/brains. If overloaded, not everything will get done properly and some things may even break. If not organized properly, it will likely require more cycles and extra…
After my last blog post, a friend commented that my posts have been a bit negative lately. And after re-reading them, I had to agree. I generally live life with a glass half full mentality, and share many of my learnings from that perspective with you here. But, somehow, I got hit with a case of "complainitis" - and it took a…
If we’re connected on social media, you may know that my family and I recently had a very frustrating travel experience with American Airlines (AA). In short (I could go on quite a bit), it took my family 40 hours to get from Boston to Cabo San Lucas. It took our luggage more than 60 hours to get there. And,…
Recognizing that collaboration is critical to our success at Small Army, we recently invited an expert on the topic to conduct a few workshops to help us improve our skills. Overall, we walked away better because of it. However, there was one part of the session that caused me a bit of discomfort (and, honestly, frustration). With about 20 people in my…
Last Wednesday, for STEAM week, I volunteered to speak at my son’s 5th grade class. While I initially thought I’d talk about the world of advertising (creativity, math/analytics, etc.), I thought it may be more fun to chat about the relationship between drumming (Arts) and Math. Upon arriving in his classroom (and after the Pledge of Allegiance), Josh's teacher asked…
This past week, my family and I went on vacation to Chamonix, France. Once there, we were in awe of the mountain scenery, the food and, of course, the skiing. But, the other thing that quickly caught my eye was the many paragliders soaring like birds high above the valley and mountain tops. As I watched them, I kept hearing the advice…