What in the hell is going on in America? With the recent turmoil of mass shootings, gun control attempts, the IRS Scandal, and racially charged incidents like the Zimmerman/Martin Tragedy, one could easily think America is as squared away and effective as a football bat.
I, along with many other patriots, still believe we are the greatest nation on earth. We are the melting pot, a conglomerate of numerous cultures all residing in one FREE land. All of this nonsense and hate between races is ignorant. With all the anti-American focused hate, we need not be fighting amongst ourselves, we have plenty of others to target. If you pay any attention to the mainstream media, they saturate the airwaves and other venues with all the bad going on in the world and very seldom focus on the good. I'm here to tell you that in spite of all this BS, America is still America and I saw her today.
The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (CVMA) Chapter 27-2 out of Virginia hosted their annual fundraiser ride called Bull Run III. Proceeds from the event will be donated to The Virginia Wounded Warrior Program. The ride began at Whitt's Harley-Davidson in Manassas and traveled through the Virginia countryside, ending at VFW Post 8613 in Shenandoah. I was fortunate enough to attend this ride with my brothers from the Strength & Honor Motorcycle Club (SHMC). Our club consists of current and former law enforcement, military, and emergency services personnel. What I witnessed when we rolled into the small town of Shenandoah was noteworthy and amazing. First of all, I must call out that a couple hundred motorcycles rolling into anywhere is an event. Well Shenandoah was ready and many of their residents lined the streets waving American flags welcoming us to their town. As we made the left off of the highway and headed toward the VFW, the local fire department had positioned two ladder trucks, and with their ladders extended and crossed, they created the perfect platform to suspend a huge American flag... Wow! Now, don't get me wrong, I have not been living under a rock and have seen celebrations of this nature before. What was so awe inspiring to me was all of the ages represented and seeing folks standing at the ends of their driveways, etc. waving and welcoming us into their town. Thanks to CVMA 27-2 for hosting this event and thank you Shenandoah, VA and VFW Post 8613 for your hospitality. This my friends is America. She is alive and well and I saw her today.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
A CALL TO ACTION... ENOUGH ALREADY!!! EVERYTHING IS NOT A RACE ISSUE!!!
I don't know about you but I am sick and freaking tired of hearing about the Treyvon Martin and George Zimmerman tragedy that occurred in Sanford, Florida. I am absolutely appalled at the behavior of folks protesting this unfortunate event and making it a racial situation. There are elected officials, professional athletes, and other media hungry zealots jumping on the race/hate crime bandwagon and wearing their hoodies in protest... What a bunch of ignorant morons.
This incident is NOT about race people, it's about poor judgement and quite frankly, it isn't real clear exactly who had the worse judgement, Martin or Zimmerman. Either way, the one thing we do know is a human life was lost. A "colorless" spirit was taken from his family too soon and that is unfortunate. What's worse is the likes of Reverend Al Sharpton and Reverend Jesse Jackson getting involved and making it into something it never was. You can bet your sweet ass anytime these two knuckleheads get involved it's going to be a circus.
We now have the family of Treyvon Martin in DC meeting with Democrats to share their experience and help further legislation on racial profiling. The "white" police chief in Sanford resigned and has been replaced by an appointed "African American"... Oh, that's sure to solve the problem. My head is spinning from this insanity.
Color should be irrelevant here. America is RED, WHITE, and BLUE. It's not black, white, or any other color of the rainbow. Slavery ended decades ago and most folks who complain about their persecution because of race really have no idea what that really looks like. In fact it's much more likely that any persecution they have suffered is because of their ignorance or misplaced sense of entitlement. I spent many years as a law enforcement officer working the streets and I can tell you without any doubt that stupid comes in all colors and is present in all levels of society.
It's time we, the American public comprised of all colors and ethnic backgrounds stood up and put an end to this nonsense. We cannot stand by and allow our judicial and political systems to be influenced by the squeaky wheel.
Enjoy the Ride...
This incident is NOT about race people, it's about poor judgement and quite frankly, it isn't real clear exactly who had the worse judgement, Martin or Zimmerman. Either way, the one thing we do know is a human life was lost. A "colorless" spirit was taken from his family too soon and that is unfortunate. What's worse is the likes of Reverend Al Sharpton and Reverend Jesse Jackson getting involved and making it into something it never was. You can bet your sweet ass anytime these two knuckleheads get involved it's going to be a circus.
We now have the family of Treyvon Martin in DC meeting with Democrats to share their experience and help further legislation on racial profiling. The "white" police chief in Sanford resigned and has been replaced by an appointed "African American"... Oh, that's sure to solve the problem. My head is spinning from this insanity.
Color should be irrelevant here. America is RED, WHITE, and BLUE. It's not black, white, or any other color of the rainbow. Slavery ended decades ago and most folks who complain about their persecution because of race really have no idea what that really looks like. In fact it's much more likely that any persecution they have suffered is because of their ignorance or misplaced sense of entitlement. I spent many years as a law enforcement officer working the streets and I can tell you without any doubt that stupid comes in all colors and is present in all levels of society.
It's time we, the American public comprised of all colors and ethnic backgrounds stood up and put an end to this nonsense. We cannot stand by and allow our judicial and political systems to be influenced by the squeaky wheel.
Enjoy the Ride...
Friday, March 2, 2012
Business is About People First, Numbers Second!
Wow, it's been too long since I sat down to write an entry in this blog. The topic people focus vs. numbers focus in business and my somewhat strong opinion on the subject combined with some recent transactions compelled me to write this... Enjoy and practice it! PEOPLE ARE YOUR BUSINESS.
I am a firm believer in the fact that leaders who focus on the numbers in business more than they focus on the people will ALWAYS be chasing the numbers. Conversely, those focusing on the people while still paying attention to the numbers will find hitting those numbers is a little easier.
This seems like a really simple process yet countless leaders, or should I say, people in senior positions who are supposed to be leaders, continue to miss the boat on this. Wake up folks and smell the damn coffee. If you keep focusing on only the numbers, those people responsible for helping to make the numbers are going to get fed up with your BS and dial it back or go somewhere else. Seriously, how are you caring for your strongest asset, your people? How about the person or persons responsible for closing the last "big deal", how did you thank them, did you thank them? If you are thinking to yourself, "they were paid a commission, or they got a paycheck", you are exactly the knucklehead I am addressing by writing this. It's time for you to step up and pay attention to what actually matters to people. Beyond making enough to survive, monetary compensation doesn't even make the top three on the list of what is important to employees. Strangely enough, when management is asked to list what they think matters most to employees, money is usually at the top of the list.
Don't misinterpret what I'm saying here, numbers are important, we are in business to make money. My point is they aren't as important as the PEOPLE. Focus on the PEOPLE and the numbers will follow.
Now get out there and LEAD and remember to ENJOY THE RIDE!
I am a firm believer in the fact that leaders who focus on the numbers in business more than they focus on the people will ALWAYS be chasing the numbers. Conversely, those focusing on the people while still paying attention to the numbers will find hitting those numbers is a little easier.
This seems like a really simple process yet countless leaders, or should I say, people in senior positions who are supposed to be leaders, continue to miss the boat on this. Wake up folks and smell the damn coffee. If you keep focusing on only the numbers, those people responsible for helping to make the numbers are going to get fed up with your BS and dial it back or go somewhere else. Seriously, how are you caring for your strongest asset, your people? How about the person or persons responsible for closing the last "big deal", how did you thank them, did you thank them? If you are thinking to yourself, "they were paid a commission, or they got a paycheck", you are exactly the knucklehead I am addressing by writing this. It's time for you to step up and pay attention to what actually matters to people. Beyond making enough to survive, monetary compensation doesn't even make the top three on the list of what is important to employees. Strangely enough, when management is asked to list what they think matters most to employees, money is usually at the top of the list.
Don't misinterpret what I'm saying here, numbers are important, we are in business to make money. My point is they aren't as important as the PEOPLE. Focus on the PEOPLE and the numbers will follow.
Now get out there and LEAD and remember to ENJOY THE RIDE!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Life Is Like Riding A Motorcycle... You Are Either In Control & Charting Your Own Course Or You Are Riding Bitch!
Before you get your panties in a bunch because I used the term "riding bitch", please understand this is a common term used in the biker community. Simply put... If you are a passenger on a motorcycle, you are "riding bitch" and you have no direct control over where the bike goes, how fast, etc.
Life can be like that if you let it. How many of you have let go of the handlebars and are letting someone else chart your course? Are you working on your goals and making progress toward fulfilling your dreams? If you aren't working on yours, then whose are you working on?
I hope my use of the term "riding bitch" did ruffle your feathers a bit. Why? Because maybe that will be enough to get you to realize it's time for you to take charge of your life and live it the way you want to!
It's time to grab the controls and take your life in the direction you choose, are you up for the challenge?
Enjoy the Ride...
Life can be like that if you let it. How many of you have let go of the handlebars and are letting someone else chart your course? Are you working on your goals and making progress toward fulfilling your dreams? If you aren't working on yours, then whose are you working on?
I hope my use of the term "riding bitch" did ruffle your feathers a bit. Why? Because maybe that will be enough to get you to realize it's time for you to take charge of your life and live it the way you want to!
It's time to grab the controls and take your life in the direction you choose, are you up for the challenge?
Enjoy the Ride...
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Integrity... Don't Compromise Yours and Don't Tolerate Other Who Have None!
Integrity is yours and it is something nobody can ever take from you. In fact, the only person able to compromise your integrity is you. So what is integrity anyway? Wikipedia defines integrity as a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness that is a verb or accuracy of one's actions.
In life and in business, integrity means doing what you say you'll do, delivering on your commitments. It means standing by your values and not compromising them for anyone. Living a life of integrity has it's challenges. You'll find that not everyone has high integrity and you may even find it necessary to sever ties with others who do not have the level of integrity you expect. In my experience I have found that when people with low integrity are found out and confronted, they run, so you might not actually have to do the severing of ties, just call them out on their lies and they will run.
Say what you mean and mean what you say!
Enjoy the ride...
In life and in business, integrity means doing what you say you'll do, delivering on your commitments. It means standing by your values and not compromising them for anyone. Living a life of integrity has it's challenges. You'll find that not everyone has high integrity and you may even find it necessary to sever ties with others who do not have the level of integrity you expect. In my experience I have found that when people with low integrity are found out and confronted, they run, so you might not actually have to do the severing of ties, just call them out on their lies and they will run.
Say what you mean and mean what you say!
Enjoy the ride...
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Slow Your Roll... Don't Get Spun Up About Things Beyond Your Control
On a recent trip to MCB Camp Lejeune, I was reminded of how little regard Mother Nature has for our schedule. My flight departed Jacksonville, NC bound for Charlotte at approximately 3:00 PM. Due to the weather in Charlotte, our planned flight path was south along the coast with plans to change course at Charleston, SC and head back around the storm and arrive in Charlotte after it had passed. I must add that this was the Friday prior to Memorial Day weekend and the 70 passenger plane I was on had me, a couple of other "older guys" and 60 some young Marines VERY anxious to get home for the holiday weekend.
Approximately an hour or so into the flight, the captain informed us that the Charlotte Airport was now closed to all arrivals and we were landing in Charleston, SC to refuel and wait out the storm. The response from my fellow passengers to this news was less than joyful. Many of them began to voice their disapproval with the plan and place blame on the airline, etc. The next 2+ hours of sitting on the tarmac with the 30 minute update intervals was no more enjoyable and did nothing to reduce their discontent. Fortunately, I had a good book and was making good use of my "extra" travel time. We did get to deplane for about 20 minutes and I ran into an old friend Jack Daniels and we got a few minutes of "quality" time together prior to getting the call to re-board.
We did eventually get to Charlotte and my planned 7:00 PM arrival into DC turned into a 12:30 AM arrival. Good news is there was no traffic to deal with on the ride home!
The point of sharing this experience is to call out the fact that we often get caught in situations such as this that are well beyond our control and we get all spun up about it. My question is why? There is literally nothing that you can do so why fall victim to the spin? This is all about mindset and your ability to control how you respond. Jack Canfield, co-author of the Chicken Soup book series, uses the formula E + R = O to explain what I am talking about. Events are going to happen in your life. How you choose to Respond will determine the Outcome. It's that simple. You are in charge of you and how you deal with what occurs in your life. Don't waste your valuable time and energy getting spun up about things that you have no control over!
Enjoy the ride...
Approximately an hour or so into the flight, the captain informed us that the Charlotte Airport was now closed to all arrivals and we were landing in Charleston, SC to refuel and wait out the storm. The response from my fellow passengers to this news was less than joyful. Many of them began to voice their disapproval with the plan and place blame on the airline, etc. The next 2+ hours of sitting on the tarmac with the 30 minute update intervals was no more enjoyable and did nothing to reduce their discontent. Fortunately, I had a good book and was making good use of my "extra" travel time. We did get to deplane for about 20 minutes and I ran into an old friend Jack Daniels and we got a few minutes of "quality" time together prior to getting the call to re-board.
We did eventually get to Charlotte and my planned 7:00 PM arrival into DC turned into a 12:30 AM arrival. Good news is there was no traffic to deal with on the ride home!
The point of sharing this experience is to call out the fact that we often get caught in situations such as this that are well beyond our control and we get all spun up about it. My question is why? There is literally nothing that you can do so why fall victim to the spin? This is all about mindset and your ability to control how you respond. Jack Canfield, co-author of the Chicken Soup book series, uses the formula E + R = O to explain what I am talking about. Events are going to happen in your life. How you choose to Respond will determine the Outcome. It's that simple. You are in charge of you and how you deal with what occurs in your life. Don't waste your valuable time and energy getting spun up about things that you have no control over!
Enjoy the ride...
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Employee Engagement... Put the GAS in Your Own Tank!
Employee engagement... What the heck is that anyway? Sounds like some catch phrase conjured up in the world of academia. Are we talking about how committed or involved in something people are? Maybe whether or not they "Give A Shit?"
I think that's exactly what we are talking about... the "GAS" factor, just how much do you Give A Shit about what you do and how well you perform? I am a biker and as you well know motorcycles run on gas. I am responsible for putting the GAS in my own tank, yes even in New Jersey! So what do I mean by that? Well it's pretty simple. Whether or not an employee is engaged our committed to their work is on the employee. Many people want to place the responsibility of this on the organization they work for and while they surely play a part, the ultimate responsibility is on the employee. You are responsible for your own happiness, stop looking to others and external things to make you happy.
If you work for a jerk or an organization that doesn't appreciate you, go somewhere else! Don't waste your precious time and energy on people and organizations that don't value it! Don't let people and situations spoil the GAS in your tank.
Enjoy the ride...
I think that's exactly what we are talking about... the "GAS" factor, just how much do you Give A Shit about what you do and how well you perform? I am a biker and as you well know motorcycles run on gas. I am responsible for putting the GAS in my own tank, yes even in New Jersey! So what do I mean by that? Well it's pretty simple. Whether or not an employee is engaged our committed to their work is on the employee. Many people want to place the responsibility of this on the organization they work for and while they surely play a part, the ultimate responsibility is on the employee. You are responsible for your own happiness, stop looking to others and external things to make you happy.
If you work for a jerk or an organization that doesn't appreciate you, go somewhere else! Don't waste your precious time and energy on people and organizations that don't value it! Don't let people and situations spoil the GAS in your tank.
Enjoy the ride...
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