Back in the day, elevators were run manually by an operator controlling a lever that started, stopped and sometimes regulated the speed. It required some skill; a trained operator could deftly increase the velocity of the flying cage, slow down, open the door, let people on and off, step back, reengage, and do this cheerfully, all day long. "Watch your step" really meant something back when a passenger was at risk of tipping her toe on a lift that had settled an inch or three below the threshold.

Charles Schwab, Bill Gates, Lou Gerstner, Brenda Barnes - what do these CEOs have in common? According to Harvard Business School Professor Quinn Mills, an expert on leadership behaviors, their personality profiles classify them as introverts. Quiet CEOs may not be obvious - they can be quite comfortable on stage or socializing with colleagues and friends. The introvert test is that they don't get their energy from other people. They leave the party early and recharge by retreating to their offices or studies, spending their favorite time reading or thinking.

Sometimes, as the saying goes, opportunity comes along, dressed in overalls, disguised as work. Such was the case back in 1919, when Conrad Hilton went seeking fortune in Cisco, Texas. The 31-year old intended to buy the town bank, but when he arrived for the meeting, the owner upped the previously agreed-upon price. Hilton said no thanks, and huffed off down the road searching for a night's lodging.  When he arrived at the only place in town, a flophouse, he couldn't get in the front door. Exhausted oil field workers were lined up, renting rooms in eight hour shifts, some with their heads down on the dining room table, or slumped in chairs in the lobby.

I'll never forget the time years ago when I was working on a project that required a client send me a critical set of data by a mutually agreed upon date. I even padded in some time so I'd have it in plenty of time. The deadline slid. And kept sliding. They wanted to be sure they had it all before they sent it. I finally got down on my knees and begged. Our team pulled it together in time for the senior leader briefing, but we pulled out our hair in the process.

When it comes to your own retirement planning - the very words make you shudder, don't they?  It's been a depressing pursuit for most of us for a long time, the recent stock market high not really making that much difference, yet. Most of my friends tell me that by traditional retirement calculators, they'll be able to stop working when they are about 93 years old.  

There are two reasons at our house to look forward to Sundays.  Football is a given. The other is a close second...taking the dog for a long walk. We live in a town built for walking. The sidewalks bend and wind through neighborhoods and meet with a brook path lined with trees and pretty New England Capes and Colonials. Eventually you come into town where you can stroll along window shopping before you reach our guilty pleasure destination - Bruegger's Bagels. If you leave the house early enough, you can buy a bagel hot out of the oven, with cream cheese oozing out of the sides onto the waxed paper wrapper. Personally, I like the jalapeño bagels with jalapeño cream cheese. 

It was 6:30 PM, I was on my way home and saw the tire pressure diagnostic come on. It's a funny graphic...four tire-like images, three green, one red...indicating that my right front tire pressure was going down...24...18...12...10...

A month or so ago, a colleague and I boarded a short flight to Philly. We were assigned to Zone 1. Everyone who flies knows that if you don't get to sit in the big kids cabin (first-class), at least Zone 1 gets you on the plane early enough to find a spot for your carry-on luggage.

The Monsignor, in his 90's, doddered over to the front of the church, turning to face a small group in the first few pews. They were the wife and daughters, cousins, nieces, nephews and a couple of friends who were "like family" to Tom. We had assembled for a closing prayer after a wake punctuated by some hearty laughter and too many tears. Anticipating a brief ceremony, we had no expectation that any words might comfort us; no hope anything would salve the searing pain we felt after losing him to a long, brutal battle with cancer.