Paul Olean taught me a lot early in my career.
Some lessons were about marketing. Some about sales.
But the best ones were about leadership.
Here’s one I’ve carried with me ever since:
If you’re the employee — don’t just bring your boss a problem.
Think it through. Bring ideas for how to fix it.
In the mid-’90s I worked at a screen printing shop in Phoenix.
No AC. 110°F outside. The shirt dryers ran at 300°F.
Some took salt tablets to avoid dehydration.
The pressmen worked hard. Eight hours a day, pulling ink.
Pedro was the best. Fast, precise. Almost never made a mistake.
His standard...
Want to stand out without needing talent? Be reliable.
Years ago, I was a new sales leader managing a team of eight.
I told the president I’d be in Texas with family for the holidays. He nodded and said, “Just make sure there’s coverage.” Meaning: at least one rep available for inbound calls betwe...
About 25 years ago, I was at a party and met a retired man who was still bitter.
He’d been laid off from a company he gave 35 years to.
The kicker? It had happened a decade earlier — and he was still seething.
Here’s the lesson:
It’s natural to want fairness. And yeah, layoffs suck. Especially w...
Several years ago, my daughter was working in a tough environment.
Lazy coworkers. Helpless leadership. She was doing the heavy lifting, getting none of the credit.
I told her: give it your all anyway.
She gave me a look.
Fair. It’s frustrating.
But here’s the thing—you don’t do it for them.
Y...
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