Entries by Charles Collie

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Are you hiring donkeys?

When Pat Summit, legendary women’s basketball coach at the University of Tennessee, told her Dad that she had lost her first game as head coach at Tennessee, he answered, “You don’t take donkeys to the Kentucky Derby.” He was not disparaging donkeys. Donkeys are great at some things but no one would mistake a donkey […]

All Change is Personal

One of the key pieces of my business and personal philosophy that I share with every client is that “all change is personal.” I alter it slightly when working with an organization, saying instead, “all organizational change is personal change.”  Though many have challenged me, it proves true time and time again that unless the […]

Get a Job

For years education has been focused on helping people “get a job” but shouldn’t it be helping people “find their calling?”  I’m sure many of you just nodded your head and some even said something like, “of course” or “hell yeah.”  It seems a “no brainer” that we would all be better off and happier […]

Reality

So, lots of people are into reality shows.  My wife and daughter love “The Amazing Race.”  But that’s not what this post is about.  I’m talking about the “real” reality.  So what is it?  Even more to the point, Is it?  Is there such a thing as reality?  Our world deals in so much “spin” […]

Unique: Good or Bad?

At a recent luncheon for my alma mater, Hampden-Sydney College, a statement was made by the speaker that should be taught in every university, every management class, every marketing class and heralded by every politician or leader.  The speaker was one of my heroes – John Adams, Chairman of the Martin Agency – a legend […]

Perfection

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupery In most organizations (companies, non-profits and governments) improvement is sought by adding complexity.  More rules, more regulations, a more detailed employee handbook, more technology, an added process.  But like most obese Americans’ […]