As the end of July approaches, you’re probably half way through your summer internship. Whether or not you got a coveted gig at City Hall, it’s time to take stock of your progress and learning and think about what you’ve gotten out of the experience to date and how to make the internship meet your [...]
Topics: Asking for Help
“Undercover Boss” and the Missing Information Loop
February 10, 2010 – 4:25 pm
It’s hard to argue that a primetime network T.V. show that debuts after the Super Bowl has any mission other than to entertain the masses. It’s perhaps unfair then to ascribe any responsibility to the “Undercover Boss” other than the blatantly obvious—we all knew what we were getting—another reality show.
In reality T.V., however, [...]
How to Ask for Help – Without Looking Stupid
November 11, 2009 – 11:26 am
Last week, more evidence emerged in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s debacle over the mishandling of the Bernie Madoff über-fraud. While the SEC failed repeatedly to uncover the greatest Ponzi scheme in our country’s history ($50 billion and counting), the New York Times revealed a tale of “unseasoned people uncertain about what to do and [...]
Get it Right, Not Fast: A Lesson from Walter Cronkite
July 20, 2009 – 7:46 pm
I was watching “Remembering Walter Cronkite” on TV last night and I was blown away by the following story: Cronkite was on the air doing the nightly news and received a call during a commercial break from Tom Johnson, Lyndon Johnson’s press secretary, to inform Mr. Cronkite that Lyndon Johnson had just passed away. At the [...]
Generosity in Action
June 9, 2009 – 12:15 pm
I spend a lot of time coaching people on how to ask for help without sounding dumb. I’m a firm believer in getting the help you need upfront instead of spinning your wheels on the backend- 2:00 am alone in the office is never fun (banker flashback). So I love this quote from Michael Wilbon, an ESPN [...]