William Bigelow

COO, Blount Fine Foods

Richard’s subject matter and writing style are the perfect combination to provoke and inspire new ways of thinking. I encourage you to read 52 Steps Forward so you can become similarly inspired.

RECENT POSTS
Learning Brilliantly Delivered as the Revelation of Ignorance

Learning Brilliantly Delivered as the Revelation of Ignorance

The Regret All learning fills a void where ignorance once occupied. Perhaps a less off-putting word may be “unknowing,” but we must accept the harsh light of reality. When you have a little length in the tooth, there can be a tendency to feel bad you remained ignorant of particular information for so long. Of course, you are in good company. The salt and pepper-haired crowd often say, “All I...

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The Worst Thing that Ever Happened? You Don’t Say…

The Worst Thing that Ever Happened? You Don’t Say…

His Story A crestfallen friend bared his soul and shared his tale of woe with the expectation of receiving sympathy. What I heard was a tale of triumph and offered my congratulations. How can one fact situation create a response entirely contrary to the anticipated one? It is all a matter of perspective. “Bob” told me the failure of his business cost him his life’s savings and provoked feelings...

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It’s Not Your Fault but It Is Your Responsibility

It’s Not Your Fault but It Is Your Responsibility

Each of us can point to circumstances not of our own doing to justify our current state (poor family, “wrong” skin color, surname ends in a vowel, went to Podunk school, etc.). All of them may be true, but it is equally true that all may be overcome if we assume responsibility for our response. The Exemplary We have famous role models. Oprah overcame a very disadvantaged upbringing to become a...

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When the Phone Rings, You Need to Answer It

When the Phone Rings, You Need to Answer It

And sometimes it rings when we are unprepared or wish someone else was called. The title refers to the times we are confronted with an opportunity to help someone and need to respond affirmatively even when the timing is wrong, we do not want to, or we do not feel suited for the task. It Rings We would immediately jump to the aid of a heart attack victim and perform CPR armed only with the...

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Most Likely, the Answer is Within You

Most Likely, the Answer is Within You

We are constantly searching for a brilliant solution to our problems so we can take the right action. The reality is that, in most cases, the answer is already known to us and it isn’t very brilliant. A lack of will, not knowledge, most often holds us back from reaching our goals. If you want to increase sales, you could undertake an extensive analysis of your brand positioning statement, total...

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