A Citigroup Coup?

From reports in the media, Citigroup’s CEO was ousted by the Chairman. From statements like “unnamed sources” at Citigroup to inferences about the Chairman’s relations with the incoming CEO, the situation has been made to sound like conspiracy.

Until October 15^th, Vikram Pandit was the CEO of Citigroup. It is said that Michael O’Neill, Chairman at Citigroup, called Mr. Pandit into his office. O’Neill is said to have given Pandit three options:

Jonathan Winters Says Don't Wait For the Right Moment to Be Successful

“If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it!” – Jonathan Winters 

There is always opportunity. It may, however, require more effort than you anticipated. Think of the times you had an incredible drive to accomplish something. During those times, when your desire was strong, it never mattered what others thought of your process to obtain it. You did what it took and fulfilled your goals.

When you have clear, organized thoughts about what you want to achieve combined with a powerful intention, it is very difficult for you to

When Once Is Not Enough

One mantra of many highly committed people is: once is not enough. In fact, when they have produced an extraordinary result, they are already planning the next accomplishment before the first is completed. They are driven by successful outcomes.

They are people who are often looking for a better way to do things. They sometimes solve a problem that no one ever thought was a problem. However, this is not to be confused with more, better or different. Nor should you mistake them for perfectionists.

The perfectionist is

Andrew Carnegie's eye opening quotes on becoming successful

“The men who have succeeded are men who have chosen one line and stuck to it.” – Andrew Carnegie

How often have you been told: don’t put all your eggs in one basket? Most of us have been taught this philosophy since childhood. As a result, we pursue investments, career and romantic relationships with the belief that we should always have a backup plan. Unknowingly, this results in valuable time focused on

The Power of Partnership

We’ve all heard the saying: no man is an island. Yet, a select few, including myself, persist with the contrasting philosophy of being an island. Napoleon Hill, on the other hand, speaks explicitly about the power of 2 or more minds committed to a definite purpose. Hill called this coming together of people a mastermind.

Hill says that to accomplish anything great, 2 or more people must put their minds together. He compares it to the natural elements. When you mix hydrogen and oxygen in the correct proportion, you get water. While both elements are important, neither can create water on it’s own. He said the ideal number in a mastermind is 6-7 people. Depending on the size of the goal, 12-13 can be perfect.

He further explains that when a man and woman come together for a definite purpose,

Wallace Stevens quotes on what the world depends on

“After the final no there comes a yes.  It is on that yes that the future of the world depends.” Wallace Stevens 

Getting beyond the final no is what drives successful endeavors. Whether it is a negotiation, invention, sale or marriage proposal.

The word or indications of no can only mean your approach was not a match for the outcome. You either asked the wrong way, which means there is another way to ask, or your approach was missing something. You will have to intelligently pursue until your request matches what the other parties need to hear. If it is a process, you may have to

The Only Way Out Is In

One of the elements in our human paradigm is the desire to be right about our point of view. Although being right feels good, it is not innate. We inherited the desire from our parents. They rewarded us for giving right answers. When we reached school, our teachers reinforced that same philosophy; we were rewarded with A’s for giving right answers and coloring between the lines.

While the feeling of being right is euphoric for some, there are others who gain attention and recognition by being a rebel. That can take the form of being the class clown to being the delinquent. In either case, each person takes the position that their way is right – funny, smart, delinquent, etc.

However, at some point, being right

Woody Allen Quotes On Why You Should Not Be Afraid To Fail

“If you are not failing now and again, it’s a sign you’re playing it safe.”

Woody Allen 

For most of us, failure is something to avoid. Why? It makes us look bad. In some cases, we believe it makes us look incompetent.

Yet, when we go to the gym and lift weights, it is common to

Managing Up: When You Need Buy-In From the Boss

I was invited to speak about innovation by an organization called Execunet. The webinar took place last Tuesday and it was called Transforming Chaos Into Innovation. Many of the callers asked questions about creating alignment as a way to eliminate or reduce chaos.

What I found interesting was there were an equal amount of questions about gaining alignment from