Monthly Archives: April 2017

04/30/17

Values & Skin In The Game

Do you embrace values which require you to have skin in the game? Or are they and you all talk?

Big Red Car here using The Boss’s computer while he’s at church. The Boss needs to spend more time at church. Needs a good sermon.

So, I get on the issue of values with that cute Mercedes convertible who lives over on Gaston Avenue. We’ll talk sometimes and sip some 10W40.

whiteMBconvertible

Big Red Car’s “friend” over on Gaston. They like to sip some 10W40 on weekends when The Boss is distracted. Nice set of headlights?

She’s hot on the subject of values and I ask her, “What about values?”

“Don’t get me started,” she says and burps. The 10W40 is good, but she has a little indigestion. She’s still cute.

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04/26/17

Leadership Style — CEO Shop Talk

Leadership style or cattle today? Hmmm, which one?

Big Red Car here on one of those Texas days that makes you want to get on a horse and herd cattle up the trail, cross the Red River into the Indian Territory, and kick up your heels at a dance hall in Abilene, Kansas.

IMG_1658

Listen, Big Red Car, I am not going to Abilene, Kansas. I like it right here. Go away, Big Red Car. Notice the lovely earrings. Cattle are controlled by numbers and they are assets on the hoof.

Maybe not.

OK, so I wrote a blog post a while ago about finding your “authentic” leadership style. I was talking to some CEOs (me, the Big Red Car, not that other guy, The Boss) and we got on the subject of leadership style. Everybody got hung up on the word “authentic.” Haha, it was funny.

Finding Your Authentic Leadership Style <<< read this

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04/25/17

US v Canada — Canadian Softwood Lumber! Grudge Match

Wait a damn second, Big Red Car. Canadian softwood lumber? A grudge match? What? You got some ‘splaining to do, Big Red.

Big Red Car here on a grayish Tuesday. Still, on Earth as it is in Texas, y’all!

So President Donald J Trump has fired his first shot in the centuries old trade dispute between the US and Canada over the export of Canadian softwood lumber to the US, by imposing 90-day retroactive countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber exports of up to 24%. Hello, Canada!

Canadian US flags lumber

Everyone was expecting the trade wars to start with Mexico or China. Nope — Canada.

Game on, y’all. And, President Trump started it, just like he promised he would. [Promises made, promises kept.] Get some popcorn, a lemonade, and a seat.

This has been a sore spot for so long it is a sore spot within a sore spot.

First, let’s know this is a complex issue with a bunch of talking which  has gone on for so long it has bridged more than a dozen US administrations.

Let’s review the bidding, shall we?

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04/21/17

The Tax Code

The Tax Code, Big Red? Really? Come on, can’t you come up with something better than The Tax Code?

Big Red Car here getting over the Easter holiday. Yes, I know, a little slow on the uptake. Tell me about it. Too much chocolate, I think.

So, the Trump administration is going to tackle the Tax Code, y’all. [The House Republicans did such a crackerjack job on Obamacare, no? Haha. Maybe they get it together next week. We’ll see. Clowns.]

So how did we get into this mess, you ask? [I know you didn’t actually ask, play along. Please.]

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04/14/17

Vision — Selling and Living the Vision

Vision, Big Red Car?

Big Red Car here on a gloomy and threatening Texas morning in the ATX, which is still a great place to be even if there is thunder on the horizon. On Earth as it is in Heaven. [Haha, On Earth as it is in TEXAS! Were you paying attention?]

The Boss has been at this CEO coaching thing for about five years now. During that time period, he’s worked with a lot of CEOs and C suite potentates. Like all things, folks approach life and the business of CEOing in different ways and have different outcomes.

The Boss has told a very small number of CEOs — “This doesn’t look like it’s going to work.”

There has never been a single CEO with whom The Boss has had that conversation who has been surprised. Most of them came to him with their bags packed and The Boss told them they were right and discussed how to wind things up correctly.

The Boss is likely to be more optimistic than a troubled CEO because he has seen CEOs turn things around. When you have seen lead made into gold, you begin to think anyone can do it.

That is, unfortunately, not true. But, there is a common denominator amongst those who do and today we talk about that.

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04/13/17

Gravitas — US Foreign Policy Gravitas

Big Red Car here on an early Thursday morning. Hey, it’s Thursday and who doesn’t love Thursday? Let’s talk gravitas, shall we? [No, gravitas is not something you eat on a toasted bagel with capers and chopped onion. Sorry.]

So, the Trump administration has begun to engage with the Russians.

The first notable engagement was the launch of sixty Tomahawk cruise missiles to strike client state Syria. [The Trump admin launched SIXTY and only FIFTY-NINE made it to the target. Hey, Raytheon dudes, can we get a refund on the one that went swimming?]

Cruise missile launch 2

The Tomahawk cruise missile — when you care enough to send the very best. A thousand pounds of explosive love and gravitas.

 

When you cruise missile a sovereign country on the first date, that sends a certain message as to the seriousness of your intentions. No? Stuff is getting real and fast. Hang on.

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