I grew up the youngest of three kids in a typical, middle-class family. My parents never saved for college for any of us. When I graduated from high school, The U.S. was in the middle of a recession. The local manufacturer that my dad and older brother worked for was laying people off rather than […] Continue reading → We both sat there awkwardly. Two strangers thrown together. As the mentor, he felt obligated to start. But it was clear that he didn’t know what to say. He finally started by asking me about my background. I spent some time summarizing my career and asked him about his. He gave me a digest of […] Continue reading → “They come in here thinking they know everything.” “Somebody needs to put them in their place.” “Put the phone down and listen.” If you are a baby boomer – or even an older Gen-X worker, you’ve likely either said or heard others make at least one of the above statements. There is no doubt that […] Continue reading → “I am not a role model. I’m not paid to be a role model. I’m paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court. Parents should be role models. Just because I dunk a basketball, doesn’t mean I should raise your kids.” – Charles Barkley, 1993 Nike commercial. I recently had dinner with two friends. We’re […] Continue reading → My high school basketball coach called me “uncoachable.” In parent-teacher conferences, my teachers told my parents that I was “unwilling to learn.” My parents wondered why I didn’t listen. They had low expectations for me in college. While I did struggle in college, I made it through. Then something happened that changed my approach to […] Continue reading →