Supporting our veterans all year round

Editor’s note: This week’s Ask the Professor column is based on Don’s ongoing conversation with his longtime friend and colleague Dr. Gary Koch, of Kankakee. Koch, who is a veteran, was a longtime psychology professor at Olivet and then later director of a doctorate program at Argosy University in Chicago.

Published in the Kankakee (Illinois) Daily Journal August 25, 2021

The imminent question arising from several discussions with Dr. Gary Koch is best summed up by: “What can businesses and individuals do to more fully recognize the sacrifice and contribution of our veterans.”

Neither Ed nor I were in the service, but we have family members and friends that were. Gary was a Vietnam era veteran who served in the U.S. Navy. Those of us who are age 60 or older remember the turbulent late ‘60s and ‘70s when the nation was deeply divided over Vietnam.

At the time, rightly or wrongly, the war was loathed and despised by a sector of our population. And in too many cases, from Hollywood, the media and our universities, those serving were disrespected and criticized.

Thankfully, during the 1980s and onward, Americans have come to honor our vets whether they fought in World Wars I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam or more recently, the various Middle East conflicts. Today the vigorous level of patriotism and appreciation for our brave men and women is fitting, but we must never forget and need to find new ways to show our appreciation.

Over the years Dennis Marek’s Daily Journal column featuring local veteran heroes has been an admirable service to our community.

We realize that many local groups honor and respect veterans, and we are in no way underestimating those efforts. But Gary has mentioned several other things we can do. We will share a few of his ideas, and then I and Ed will add additional ideas.

First, consider offering year-round discounts on food and other services. Second, more intentionally announce veteran days in the media, on electronic signs and newspapers. Third, on Veterans Day in November, give a special 10% discount to veterans. Many stores already do this, and more could.

Fourth, publish the names each year of this areas’ servicemen and women who gave their lives in service to America. Fifth, more churches need to intentionally honor veterans on holidays such as Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Veterans Day.

A brief comment here on holidays from (me) Don. We all enjoy holidays and time off. But especially on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, beyond the barbecues, fishing and picnics, more of our citizens need to stop, pause and reflect on their significance.

Schools, colleges and universities should use these days to talk about what it really means to have served our country and especially the sacrifice involved in giving the “last full measure.”

Our schools need to spend more time teaching about the price paid by all races and ethnic groups’ service members to support our freedom and bill of rights. We often hear “We can never forget,” but frankly, we are less likely to give it our full attention unless we deliberately plan to do something tangible.

If you have never visited the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, take your family up to this beautiful and sacred place some Sunday afternoon. There you will see the graves of tens of thousands of service members and their spouses, many of them who died in wartime.

This experience is especially significant for children and young adults to see. Parents and grandparents, this is an excellent opportunity to educate the next generation. Also, if you have never attended the Memorial Day celebration at Lincoln National Cemetery, plan on doing so in 2022.

Most communities now have monuments that celebrate the lives of service people. In my hometown, there is a beautiful granite display listing hundreds of veterans. Consider sponsoring the engraving of someone’s name you know in our community.

In Floyd County, Iowa, where I grew up, I made a modest $100 contribution to have my Dad’s name added. I’m now in the process of having my late brother, Richard L. Daake’s name added.

He served in the early 1970s and then went on to have a successful career as a professor. I believe every veteran who served needs to have their names displayed at a local memorial for future generations to remember.

You might also consider displaying a special support flag for veterans. If you go online and type in “Veterans Day flag,” you will see several choices. I just purchased a flag that displays the logos of all the branches of service and plan on flying it year-round.

Perhaps some local businesses could carry these items. They would make great birthday or Christmas gifts. Next, Ed will add a few more suggestions on what we can do to show them the respect and honor our veterans deserve.

Against this backdrop, our U.S. service personnel (veterans) have willingly offered their lives in pursuit of our American way of life.

The right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness is a doctrine that is enshrined in our Bill of Rights, which is the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

These amendments guarantee fundamental rights and civil liberties, such as the freedom of religion, the right to free speech, the right to bear arms, trial by jury and more, as well as reserving rights to the people and the states. Without our veterans protecting these rights, we would descend on the slippery slope of being a “Banana Republic” and become an authoritarian state based on terror as we now are witnessing in Afghanistan, where the only rights you have are what the Taliban says you have.

Gaining an unparalleled view, our veterans are the bulwark of our American civilization. Without our veterans our very way of life would be dramatically altered.

The undercurrent of emotions is somewhat ambiguous, as, in the past, our veterans have returned from several recent wars and were not appreciated nor recognized. Combating this, and with this sense of pride and wonderment, we need to be ever vigilant and thank our veterans for their service to our nation.

As such, and, as listed below, are some simple strategies for thanking our U.S. service personnel and our veterans who are always diligent and ready to move to the front lines and make the ultimate sacrifice in serving and defending our great nation.

1. Show up: (Attend and honor those on Veterans Day)

2. Donate: (Give generously to veteran organizations or VA hospitals)

3. Fly a flag: (Fly the U.S. flag the correct way and never disrespect the flag by stepping on it or using it in a disparaging way to criticize our great nation. Millions of men and women have died in service to our country and our flag.)

4. Ask someone about their service: (Show respect when you see a veteran and thank them for their service.)

5. Write: (Write a letter to veterans in the hospital or VA centers and thank them for their service. This simple gesture goes a long way in showing they are appreciated.)

6. Don’t confuse Veterans Day with Memorial Day: (These are two different holidays, and Memorial Day is to honor our fallen soldiers.)

7. Visit a VA hospital: (Take time to visit a veteran and thank them by bringing a small token of appreciation – candy, books, personal care items, etc.)

8. Local businesses can offer discounts to veterans: (A small discount off the sales price or special promotion is a nice touch to thank a veteran for their service.)

In the final analysis, our country needs to be thankful and show respect for our veterans. By expressing gratitude for their service, we can begin the healing process for those who not only have physical but emotional scars as well for protecting our freedom.

We are indeed home of the free and land of the brave due to our veterans. Let us continue to show our gratitude for these heroes.

Don Daake, MBA, Ph.D. holds degrees from Kansas State University, the University of Iowa, and the Florida State University. He is professor emeritus at Olivet, where he taught for 22 years. He can be contacted through the Daily Journal at editors@daily-journal.com or directly at ddaake@olivet.edu

Dr. Edward Piatt, Ed.D., MBA, is an adjunct professor of business at Olivet Nazarene University in the MBA/MOL program. He also serves as an adjunct professor in the doctoral program and doctoral dissertation advisor at Trevecca Nazarene University. In addition, he is also an organizational consultant and specializes in Emotional Intelligence. He can be contacted through the Daily Journal at editors@daily-journal.com or directly at epiatt@olivet.edu.

Down in the dumps? How to pull out: Advice from two old Grumps

Published Kankakee Daily Journal Wednesday, August 18th 2021

Everybody has a down day now and then, but if it becomes a habit you will find people shying away from, avoiding you, and not wanting to do business with you.

Across the years, as I have travel down Iowa Highway 3 from Oelwein to Waverly, Iowa I always smile when I drive by the little town of Readlyn. Their welcome sign is a big colorful sign that says Readlyn is home to “857 people and one old Grump!””  “The legend of the Old Grump tells about a ‘rider of the rails’ who jumped off the train in Readlyn and decided to stay because of the friendly people.” As to being a grump, I try to be a good natured Grump and since I’m generally surrounded by good natured people my “grumpism” is usually controlled.  Let me suggest how we can stay as upbeat as possible in these challenging days.

First, as the 19^th century father of modern psychology, William James, proclaimed that it is easier to behave your way into feeling good rather than sitting around waiting to first be happy to feel better.  The popular saying “Fake it until you make it” originated from social psychologist, Amy Cuddy.  No doubt we have all had days where we just did not want to go to work or take on a job, but once we get going the feelings follow the behavior.

Second, surround yourself with people who uplift you and you elevate them. I know you might think that is easy to say, but we can choose to associate with those who, despite problems, stay optimistic. Even when surrounded by “Johnny rainclouds”  we can make a difference by what we talk about, how well we listen to others, and when possible showing unexpected kindness.

Refuse to join “pity parties.” The grumpism in me can easily fall into that trap, and it is something I must constantly work on.  On the other hand, insincere hype is also a turn off to. When you ask someone how they are and they say “If I was any better, I’d be twins.” But if others around us have genuine concerns or issues we need to take it seriously and be empathic rather than bushing it off with a trivial phrase about how great we are.

Third, do something extraordinary for someone else. Recently we’ve have had two occasions to help friends with some challenging situations. One of them involved traveling several hundred miles and investing over $500 in travel costs.  I and my wife did not do this to get a warm fussy feeling, but as a result it has been one of the most rewarding things we have done this year.  Even doing small things for others dramatically can lift your mood and make you happier. 

Fourthly, learn about and practice the principles of positive psychology and gratefulness in particular. There is strong scientific support for positive psychology principles that go beyond the “rah, rah” of typical motivational speakers. Researchers and writers from the University of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Harvard and many other prominent schools have documented its effectiveness.  Let me share what I consider the best source if you want to learn more.  It is Penn’s web site overseen by Martin Segliman, who many consider the Father of Positive Psychology https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/  

One positive technique is to write down every day for even 30 days three or four things, people, or situations you are thankful for. It will start transforming not only yourself but those around you. See Janice Kaplan’s book The Gratitude Diaries.

Fifth, as an employer, employee or a customer understand true grumpiness is highly contagious unless you inoculate yourself with a sense of good cheer and goodwill.  We can make a choice to maintain our poise even in difficult situations. Let me illustrate this last point by two very different experiences I had right here in Kankakee County in the last couple of weeks.

First the potential grumpy story and then I’ll end on a positive note. On Tuesday, a week ago I was shopping at a well-known national retailer. Everything was going well until I tried using my credit card.  I tried inserting the chip card twice, it said “error.”  So then I tried to swipe the card and because of the chip it would not swipe. So I informed the clerk. I might be misreading her, but there was a look of irritation on her face. She proceed to come out of the checkout station grab my card, and somehow made it work.  I did not feel like a valuated guest or customer that day. When questioned about how she got it to work, she said it had to be misread 3 times before it could be swiped. So how was I to know that?

In the process of writing the article, I thought I better practice what I preach so I thanked her and smiled.  Over the last couple of years I have purchased in excess of $7,000 of services from this store. Most time the service has be good and I was not about to let whatever was bothering her nosedive me into a bad mood.  That having been said, I’m sending a letter to the corporate management and local management asking them to remind their employees that acting irritated at a customer is hardly the way to grow a business or keep employed.

Now for the anti-grump example. We regularly dine at the Family House Restaurant in Bradley-George’s place. The food is always good, the restaurant spotless, and service is first-rate.  One thing you noticed if you dine there regularly is that they have very little turn-over.  People work there for years.  Even as busy as it was, our waitress had time to visit with us awhile and told us she had worked for the business for 45 years.  That goes back all the way to the Golden Bear Days.  She was attentive and took really good care of us and enjoys her job.  On the way out I told the owner, how I so appreciate the consistent service and long-term employees.  No grumpiness in this place.

As Emerson reminds us “So of cheerfulness, or a good temper, the more it is spent, the more it remains.”

Don Daake, MBA, Ph.D. holds degrees from Kansas State University, the University of Iowa, and the Florida State University.  He is professor emeritus at Olivet, where he taught for 22 years. He can be contacted through the Daily Journal at editors@daily-journal.com or directly at ddaake@olivet.edu.

Watch the donut, not the hole: Focus on the right things

Focus on the Donuts not the Hole

Watch the donut, not the hole: Focus on the right things

“Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Abraham Lincoln

“Just tell yourself, Duckie, you’re really quite lucky.”  Dr. Seuss

November 4, 2020

It is terrific when you are a subscriber to Amazon Music through your Alexa, how you have access to hundreds of thousands of songs. I have always been partial to the raspy but clever songs of the late Burl Ives of “Holly Jolly Christmas” fame.  Amazon will play hours of his songs, and one I recently discovered is “The Donut Hole.” The essence of the song is contained in the opening three lines: “When you walk the streets you’ll have no cares; If you walk the lines and not the squares’ As you go through life make this your goal Watch the donut, not the hole.”You might ask, is this really a business column?  Yes, this advice is relevant for all of us in business, in our homes, and the community.  This counsel is not to deny reality, but much of what we consider real these days is shaped by outside forces that don’t consider our best interests above their own.  We live in a “donut hole focused world,” I’m afraid.

No matter what your political beliefs, you’ll have to admit both sides have done their best to claim that if the “other side” wins, we are headed for dark times. To do this, they deliberately take things out of context, use unflattering pictures of opposition candidates, and sometimes outright lie. (Of course, truth or falsehood itself is often in the eye of the beholder.) Each election cycle, we are convinced it is the worse ever. Probably not the case. If you want a dose of reality, visit the Lincoln Library and Museum in Springfield. Much of what was said about Lincoln makes today’s rants and raves look tame.  The point is: while we all need to be informed and, in this age of Covid, careful and circumspect now more than ever. But we also need to focus on how fortunate we are to be Americans in the 21^st Century.

Secondly, having been a part of the marketing industry as both a practitioner and academic, I sometimes cringe at how marketing is executed. Indeed, marketing is essential to our economy and can be done ethically. The tried and true AIDA technique used since the 19^th Century seeks to get you Attention, Develop your Interest, Create a Desire, and get you to take Action. But it can work on emotions in sometimes questionable ways.

A significant number of techniques rely on creating a sense of dissatisfaction, discontent, and over-promises how your life could be much better if you just purchased this or that.  Furthermore, marketers may try and convince you that to be somebody, you need their products. Or you may stink and need their deodorant, or you are an environmental reprobate if you buy certain products, or only if you take supplemental “X” you be in perfect health. In summary, just like politics, much of the marketing of products and services is designed to make you dissatisfied.  Essentially we are encouraged to focus on what we don’t have (the donut hole) instead of on the delicious donut (or bagel for the more health-conscious readers.)

Please spend a few minutes with me focusing on all of the good things we have in businesses and in our personal lives. In saying that, I do not want to diminish the hard times, so many people are having, but rather encourage us to share with others, sometimes in simple ways.

First, we live in an incredible technological age. For less than $1000, we can carry around a computer (a notebook or a phone) with more power than the million-dollar computers of the 1960s.  This power has opened up education, entertainment, and communication like never before. An international call that a generation ago might have cost $200 can now be made for a few cents.  High-speed internet and sophisticated software have made it possible for millions of people to work from home rather than lose their jobs during the pandemic. Many of you, like me, have family members who live far away. We cannot visit our daughter and son-in-law in Seattle these days, and yet through Zoom or Skype, we can invite them right into our house.  We are planning a Christmas family gathering service via Zoom with family members from coast to coast. An idea for you too?

Secondly, Google and its family of products, including search, maps, translator, scholar, and YouTube, have revolutionized the world for most of us. Like me, many of you have undoubtedly taken on projects that have saved us hundreds of dollars in business and our personal lives. While at first, many small businesses felt threatened by e-commerce, increasingly today, whole new businesses are being created as hybrid brick and mortar or purely online companies with very little limited need for capital.

Thirdly, our area is blessed with vast improvements in health care and medicine in the last ten years, with significant expansion by Amita, Riverside, OAK, and various other medical practice groups. What used to require a trip into Chicago can be done locally, not only reducing the hassle but employing local people of the highest quality.

Fourthly, this area’s job situation (despite Covid) is perhaps the best I have seen in the last 25 years.  Expansions by Riverside, Nucor, CSL, Silva, and FutureCeuticals, and many other small and mid-sizes businesses have been impressive. We will get through the current hard times. A cautionary note, though, do whatever you can to support our local restaurants and other businesses (that have had, in my opinion, unfair and unreasonable restrictions placed upon them.)  Everyone has to judge their level of comfort but patronize these businesses as you can.

As we approach, Thanksgiving focus on the donut, not the hole. If you don’t like donuts, then focus on your bagel, tofu, flatbread, or whatever metaphor you like. Finally, to cheer yourself up, go ahead and Google Burl Ives “The Donut Song” for a good laugh and encouragement and pass it on! Whether you are four years old or 94 years, it will make you smile.

Dr. Don Daake holds a B.S. degree in South Asian history from Kansas State University, a marketing MBA from the University of Iowa, and a strategy Ph.D. from Florida State University. He can be contacted through the Daily Journal at editors@daily-journal.com or directly at ddaake@olivet.edu

Ten Management “Bloopers” that aren’t so funny and what should be done about them

Ten  Management “Bloopers” that aren’t so funny and what should be done

October 2020 by Dr. Don Daake

Some of you may be aware of New York-based, nationally syndicated radio personality John Bachelor. Mr. Bachelor is a novelist and one of the most literate media personalities on the air today. His is not a call-in radio program, but instead, he interviews authors; covers people in the news with topics ranging from astronomy to the Middle East; medical breakthroughs; historical figures; and much more.  Whenever I listen to him and his guests, I feel like I’m back at the universities I attended (Kansas State, University of Iowa, Florida State), hearing talented and brilliant professors. He broadcasts on WLS 890 AM 9 p.m.–12 a.m. But I primarily listen to his podcasts at: https://audioboom.com/channel/johnbatchelor 

Here is where I’m going with this–so many of Mr. Bachelor’s podcasts raise interesting dilemmas and issues. A good share of his podcasts titles end with the question, “and what should be done?”  It is a powerful technique to not only raise issues, but also to pose solutions.  From time to time, I have started to use the same approach as with this column. I’ll then add some wisdom on the four main points from prominent people in the form of pertinent quotations.

We usually associate “bloopers” with actors making funny mistakes. But we are all prone to bloopers. Some bloopers or things that we laugh at actually aren’t so funny to the people involved. Managers, supervisors, parents, athletes, employees all make mistakes from time to time. But I want to focus on ten managerial bloopers that have serious consequences and then suggest what is to be done. All of these are based on real situations from my friends, family or my experiences of working multiple jobs over 40 years in four different states.

Managerial Blooper # 1.  Setting an “urgent meeting” with an employee but not stating the purpose of the meeting.  This is incredibly tough on an employee, when on a Friday afternoon, the request is made for a Monday meeting.  No matter how good the employee is, it can destroy their weekend with worry.  For some bosses, it is just thoughtlessness, but for others, it is a cruel manipulation. So what is to be done? Always be willing to give the reason for a meeting, so the person has a chance to reflect on it. “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”George Bernard Shaw

Managerial Blooper # 2 Without warning, people are called in and dismissed or fired.  Then they are immediately escorted to the door by security. Unfortunately, this has happened in some businesses here locally.   Does it make sense to trust someone for 20 years and then not trust them for a couple of weeks to give them time to finish things? I’m convinced that this blooper is punishable by 3-5 years in Purgatory.  What is to be done? Sometimes, downsizing is necessary, but be humane and fair and assist the person in the transition!  Frankly, if I worked for such an organization, I would leave because I would be afraid that eventually, I would be the target.  Furthermore, in the long run, these organizations will have trouble recruiting “the best of the best” and will continue their slide towards mediocrity. Ralph Waldo Emerson gets to the core of this issue when he says, “Men are respectable only as they respect.”

Managerial Blooper # 3.  Spending the vast majority of your time with problem employees rather than with your best employees.  Those of you who are, or have been a boss, have employees that create big problems. The same is true, by the way, with teachers and  unmotivated students. Of course, it is our responsibility to see what we can do to help. But I have found if you care more than the employee/student than they care about their own future; you are throwing “good money after bad.”

In the meantime, there is a tendency to leave your best employees alone.  But they may feel that neglect and feel unappreciated. Let me use a metaphor. Suppose you are drilling for oil. At a low prospective site that may have 10,000 barrels potential, you invest lots of money and have no profit. At another site, there are at least 100,000 barrels. But you are spending so much time and money at the inferior site, you do not have the resources to get the most return out of the superior site.   With people the solution is: make sure you give the person(s) who are not producing a chance to improve. If they don’t, even if you can’t release them, shift more of your time, attention, and appreciation to make the best even better. “Building a culture of purpose-filled employees who are engaged every day is sustainable only if your team feels supported.” Darren Wilson

Managerial Blooper # 4. Hitting the added work button for your employees to do more, but never hitting the subtract button.  Obviously, as a manager, you want your employees to be as productive as possible. Hopefully that benefits everyone. But in recent times most organizations are asking employees to do more and more with less and less. That might mean more reports, more presentations, more this and that.

In many cases, the “Top Brass” in the organization require you as a maanger to initiate new services or products that you in turn must pass on to your employees.  Assuming these are really important, you need to take a comprehensive look at what you are doing that is no longer vital.   I’ve been in situations where I have seen employees (myself included) called on the carpet for even bringing up the work overload and time-wasting nonsense.  As a manager, you must be an advocate to do away with meaningless time-consuming tasks that are no longer important to your mission.  “Where your attention goes, your time goes” Idowu Koyenikan

In part two, we will focus on six more of these managerial bloopers and again focus on what can be done.

Part II

Managerial Blooper # 6. Not responding to e-mails or phone calls in a timely manner.  No should fell obligated to respond to every e-mail or phone calls in this day of spam, phishing, and even illegal telemarketing, but if you do not response to e-mails from people you know or work with, you will soon be viewed as maybe a nice person, but highly unprofessional.. Timely can vary anywhere from an hour to up to 2 days. According to RMRS “When it comes to personal emails, people appreciate a quick response time during normal working hours, but if you get back to them within 48 hours they’re usually pretty cool about that. For business emails, people usually expect a response within a few hours, but a response within 24 hours is acceptable. For business communication, almost all the existing research focused on email. Based on a 2018 study, 41% of people expect an email reply within an hour from their boss or employees. Well over 77% of people expect a reply within a four-hour period.” 

Even if you cannot get into details an acknowledgement  that you have received the e-mail and will get back to the person in a day or two is acceptable. Not responding at all will absolutely cause you to loose customers, the respect of your colleagues, and perhaps even have serious job consequences. Some times I have literally not seen an e-mail or phone message until several days late. If that happens apologize profusely.  On the positive side of what should be done. If you are a quick responder you will be high on the other person’s list of a manager who is first rate. For both in-person appointments and other communications here is a good reminder “Arriving late is a way of saying that your own time is more valuable than the time of the person who waited for you.      Karen Joy Fowler

Managerial blooper # 7 Calling a meeting without an agenda that is distributed 2-3 days ahead of time.  Too many times an agenda for an importance meeting past out a few hours ahead of time or more likely at the meeting itself. Not one has time to reflect or research issues and come fully prepared. What is to be done was best illustrated from by my former boss, Dennis Murphy at Eastern Iowa Community College. At the end of each meeting he would ask for items for the next meeting and make a deadline of several days if we wanted to add items. His rule was if he did not get out the agenda at least 2 days in advance we did not have to attend the meeting. “If you are leaping a ravine, the moment of takeoff is a bad time to be considering alternative strategies.” John Cleese

Managerial Blooper # 8.  Treating all employees the same. While obviously company policies line out what you must do to comply with mandated equality, pay and benefits, most managers have some discretion on what they do on the upside.  In today’s environment it is almost impossible to reward the best employees what they deserve. An employee who contributes 30-40% rarely gets that much more in raises and bonuses (with the notable exception of sales people.) But some employees love to travel and ben[fit from conferences. Others may deplore travel and would rather have access to books, online training or even the occasional special event outside of work. Yet others would value an extra ‘comp” day off to spend with their family. What needs to be done is to find out how much discretion in terms, of time, money, and resources you have. And then for goodness sake ask your people what they value the most. From brainyquotes.com “The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become. If your treat an individual… as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.”

Managerial Blooper #9  Criticizing in public.  Criticizing a colleague or employee in public has long-term detrimental effects. People do not forget this.  One of the worst cases I ever experienced was when my boss was dressed down by the president of one our three community colleges in Eastern Iowa at a dinner meeting.  We were all so stunned that this happened.  To this day I have regrets that all of us did not get up and walk out on our boss’s boss.   But as usually the case in situations like this, we were afraid for our jobs. This is a tough one but if I could do it again, I think all of us collectively should have gone to the Chancellor and demanded an apology, not only to our boss Ron, but to each of us! “I have yet to find the man, however exalted his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval than under a spirit of criticism.”
– Charles Schwab

Managerial Blooper # 10.  Failing to hire the best people because you are afraid they will challenge you and even try and take your job.  Dennis Murphy former boss (who claimed somewhat in jest, he was the best boss I ever had, In face he probably was), prided himself on hiring people who were better than he was. While he was a manager of talent, he understood that in most functions of the business he could find people that were better than he was in a particular area. But too many managers who get promoted live in a constant state of fear that better people will challenge them on issues (which they should); at times outshine them (which they will); and get more attention. The paradox though is, by hiring these type of people they will be seen and as a first rate manager of talent. “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” – Steve Jobs