Getting to the "Oh!": The learning journey of a two year old.

Emma just turned two years old. It seems as though she has instantly acquired the ability to put short sentences together and carry on a real conversation. She has also begun to learn by asking questions, which at times can be irritating, yet delightful if I can be patient. Her favorite words are "Why", "Where", and "When" - always in the form of a question. Case in point: Me: "Emma, It's time to put your shoes on." Emma: "Why?" Me: "Because we are going to the store". Emma: "Where?" Me: Fred Meyer. Emma: "Why?" Me: "To buy groceries" Emma: "When? Me: "As soon as you put your shoes on." Emma: "Where?" Me: "On your feet" Emma: "Oh!" It often becomes a game to see who how quickly I can get her to the "Oh!". I hope she never outgrows the ability to question, and that I never grow tired of helping her along this wonderful journey. 

Still My Hero

Gotta weigh in again on the Lance Armstrong thing. Makes me sick to see one of my heroes fall from grace. I hear Lance is doing a tell-all interview with Oprah. Regardless of the outcome - he's still a hero to me. Nobody can take away his accomplishments, regardless of the tactics he used. Doping is widespread in the cycling world - always has been. I'm not excusing the cheating aspect of it all, but seriously - if virtually all the riders have been doing it for years - how can you really call it cheating? How far back should they go to strip riders of medals? You can't really re-write record books. How many humans do you know who can do what the Tour de France competitors do - they SHOULD  be taking some kind of drugs! Take NASCAR for instance - how often do you see crew chiefs get busted for some sort of restrictor plate or similar equipment violation? Do they go back and erase the win record of the driver when that happens? How is doping, which simply means using chemical or mechanical means to get more oxygen into the blood, any different than finding a way to get more oxygen into a combustion engine? I'm betting all the NASCAR crews cheat - they just get better at eluding the checks and balances put in place to catch them - they play the odds. Isn't that what Lance really did? And on the subject of heroes - JFK played around, won an election with his dad's money, yet he saved the world. And we all know he's not the first President to "cheat". Alan Shepard was medically disqualified to go into space - but he sought out a surgeon to fix him, then bullied his way back into flight status - and eventually walked on the moon. How many NFL players do you suppose are jacked up on pain killers just to be able to walk on the field? How is that different from steroids? And speaking of the dreaded "Juicers" - aren't they paying the ultimate price anyway? Are we really going to look back and try to erase from our memory how we felt when those records were broken? Do we REALLY know jut how many records were broken (or set) unfairly? Do we really WANT to know? I find it annoying that the only ones who really suffer in these instances are those of us that are made to feel we aren't allowed to cheer for our heroes anymore - because someone with self-imposed authority has decided that's the way it should be. Lance - you are still my hero. I will wear my Live Strong gear proudly. I don't think you cheated anyone but the system. Ride on my friend.

Meeting Ben Stein

I had the supreme honor of meeting Ben Stein last night. No, I didn't win any of his money, but I got a good dose of his wisdom and charm. Ben was the keynote speaker at the Boise Chamber of Commerce Gala Dinner. I have to admit I've been a big fan of Ben ever since he uttered those famous words "Anyone?..... Beuller?" In Ferris Bueller's Day Off many years ago. But there is much more to Ben Stein. When he walked on stage and pulled out a large overstuffed brief case, removing an equally large bundle of papers, I was convinced it was a prop. Nope - this guy came prepared to deliver a lecture - and he blasted through those notes at a dizzying pace. Ben was not only entertaining, but spot on with his assessment of the current state of our economy, our political climate, and where this country's education programs need to go to once again to "Be all we can be". Ben has a home in northern Idaho, and he made it clear how much he "love love loves" Idaho, referring to the state as a sort of "club" that everyone wants to be a part of. He also made no bones about his love of this country, and our military. He poked fun at both political parties, but his resounding message was one of getting this country back to work (sound familiar?) and preparing our kids for those jobs that we desperately need to fill - not just pushing them through college for meaningless degrees. Afterwards, I went up to introduce myself and thank him. I figured I'd be lucky to get a polite "Hello". But to my surprise, Ben engaged an a lengthy conversation with me, asking about my military service, what I did, how long I served, what's like to serve on a submarine - "Did you get to fire the missiles?" It was an experience I will always cherish. He did that with everyone he met, genuine interest and compassion. He took a business card from a colleague of mine at Wyakin Warriors, removed his huge, packed, over-sized wallet and carefully placed it there as he questioned her about our organization. We stuck around for a bit, equally entertained by Ben's interaction with other guests and his interesting wardrobe selection - suit, tie, and black Keds sneakers. The guy is a class act, and if you ever get a chance to hear him speak - make the effort to meet with him and talk one-on-one. You'll be glad you did.

Lance Armstrong - Fraud or Persecuted Hero?

This is a sad day for the world of cycling - and competitive sports. Not because of anything that Lance did - but because of the witch hunt that he finally acknowledged is not worth fighting against. USADA has decided to ban him from sports and strip all his titles. Why? Did they prove anything? Nope. Did Lance admit to any wrongdoing? Nope. Has any shred of evidence been introduced showing him guilty of blood doping or drug use? Nope. He simply decided enough is enough. As he has stated over and over - he knows who won all those titles. His opponents know. The world knows. Enough said - he's moving on. He beat cancer. He has helped thousands, maybe millions, do the same. he has inspired us, motivated us, proven that winning simply means never giving up. Now, his critics want to jump on the band wagon and accuse him of quitting - so he must be guilty, right? It saddens me - because Lance has lost nothing. He walks with his head held high and sticks to his convictions. Yet, because of USADA's relentless efforts to discredit Lance, they have instead discredited the sport of cycling, shamed themselves, and called into question the very purpose of what they (USADA) do for sports. Seven Tour de France titles stripped from Lance? No - it's seven tours gone forever. The commentators of future tours won't even discuss this epic battles between Lance and his rivals - so those great athletes also lose - again - Ullrich (2000, 2001, 2003) Alex Zuelle  (1999), Joseba Beloki (2002), Andreas Kloeden (2004) and Ivan Basso (2005). Baseball greats who openly admit to using drugs in the past write books, make comebacks, and live the life of kings. Football doesn't even get touched - too much money at stake. Other sports? Who knows? Lance just keeps moving on - refusing to give in. he didn't quit. He already won - and he knows it. 

Remember the "look" when Lance won the 2001 Tour? It came in the 10th stage , with Armstrong and Jan Ullrich battling in the Alps in the first mountain stage. Out of the saddle, his toes pointed down as he danced on the pedals, Armstrong suddenly slowed and looked over his left shoulder, his eyes fixed on Ullrich's face for four or five seconds, seemingly challenging his chief rival to match the bold move. Armstrong then lit the afterburners, roaring alone toward the peak. Eight miles later, hehad gained two huge minutes on the 1997 champion, sealing his third Tour victory before the three-week race was half over.

That's exactly what Lance has done again. He turned around, looked USADA in the eyes, and moved on a clear winner. Way to go Lance. Keep riding.

Are you a Driver or a Passenger?

As I was walking out of the grocery store the other day I noticed a woman walking to her SUV. She clicked her remote and the rear hatch opened. Then she got in and the hatch closed by itself. She started the car and the seat belt engaged automatically. I'm sure her GPS, Bluetooth phone, climate control, seat adjustment, mirrors and everything else was done for her. We as a society are becoming mere passengers, not drivers, of our own vehicles. We chat with friends, surf the internet, text, and shop while our vehicles deliver us to our destination. We are oblivious to our surroundings. As a motorcycle rider, this kind of scares me as I traverse the roads. I have to be even more aware of my surroundings. In contrast to these "cagers", those of us that ride bikes have a totally different experience. We almost never start a ride without suiting up in proper protective riding attire. We do a safety check of our bike - tire pressure, lights, brakes, etc. We mount our bike and become one with a machine. Our legs are literally wrapped around the engine and our feet and hands are in complete control at all times. We adjust the mirrors, start the engine, and with every twist of the throttle, we feel the vibration of the engine, smell the gasoline that fuels it, and hear every tick, rattle, and hum that indicates the performance of our machine. We rely on our instruments to monitor speed and performance - no cruise control, no Bluetooth, no GPS. The motorcycle goes where we direct it at all times. Our lives depend on what we see, hear, feel, and control. As inherently dangerous as riding a bike can be, I feel safer in many ways because I am ENGAGED totally in the operation of the machine that transports me. I'm a RIDER, not a passenger. Why should driving a car or truck be any different? Turn off the phone. Put it away and pay attention to your surroundings, your instruments, and your actions. The life you save might be your own - or mine.

Wednesday Wisdom - Its not just medicine......

I worked two years for Thomas Cuisine Management here in Boise. TCM is a premier food management company, servicing over 50 accounts throughout the NW. Unfortunately, they do not service the St. Luke's healthcare system, where I went through a surgical procedere this week. The medical staff here is second to none, from my personal physician, to the nurses and surgical specialists, and of course the orthopedic surgeons. I wish I could say the same the about foodservice, another vtal component of the healing process. After a painful night following surgery, I was greeted with cold french toast and a warm smoothie. On my way to physical therapy tday, my lunch was dropped of at my room and was subsequently cold when I returned. Then when I ordered dinner (Chef's Salad, soup, pudding), my meal was delivered without a straw, or a fork, or the extra salad dressing I had ordered. I called room service and was assured my meal woud given priority. Over an hour later, after my nurse had rustled up utensils for me, the guy from room service finally showed up. Since I had already finished my meal, I asked the guy if he could take the empty tray for me. "No, we can't do that. Are you kiddin me? Kudos to TCM for keeping their standards high, treating their customers with respect, and setting clear expectations for their management team.

Wednesday Wisdom - Pulling Together

Pulling together – 10 Rules for High Performance Teamwork

From the book by John Murphy

Rule # 1 - Put the Team First

            High performance teams recognize that it takes a joint effort to synergize, generating power above and beyond the collected individuals.

Rule # 2 - Communicate Openly and Candidly

            To empower a team, begin by sharing information.

Rule # 3 - Be part of the Solution, not the Problem

            Effective teamwork requires that everyone leads and everyone follows from time to time, creating a powerful dynamic that invites proactive leadership.

Rule # 4 - Respect Diversity

            Healthy partnerships achieve a level of understanding beyond the norm, an almost uncanny ability to intuitively “read” each other’s minds.

Rule # 5 - Ask and Encourage the Right Questions

            The art of questioning is indeed a key leadership skill. It is a “pulling” technique, challenging people to think, to probe, to investigate, to challenge assumptions and to find answers for themselves.

Rule # 6 - Use a Rational Problem Solving Process

            Gather data, review the facts, and clearly define the problem. Then use logic and human impact analysis to make a decision, carefully weighing the pros and cons of ach option.

Rule # 7 - Build Trust with Integrity and Example

            Trust is a learned behavior, as is distrust, and it is a direct reflection of the team’s leadership.

Rule # 8 - Commit to Excellence

            High performance teams view honest mistakes as part of the learning process

Rule # 9 - Promote interdependent thinking

            Build for your team a feeling of oneness, of dependence on one another and of strength to be derived by unity

Rule # 10 - Pull the weeds

            Great teams also understand that life is full of choices – so pull the weeds and give everyone else some room to grow.