Smart Leaders Smarter Teams by Roger Schwarz - Book review

Smart Leaders, Smarter Teams

How You and Your Team Get Unstuck to Get Results

By: Roger Schwarz

Published: March 18, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 272 pages
ISBN-10: 0787988731
ISBN-13: 978-0787988739
Publisher: Jossey-Bass











"This book starts with the assumption that you're probably making some contribution to your team's ineffectiveness in ways you don't see", writes team leadership strategist, organizational psychologist, and president and CEO of Roger Schwarz Associates, Roger Schwarz, in his engaging and practical advice filled book Smart Leaders, Smarter Teams: How You and Your Team Get Unstuck to Get Results. The author describes the unexpected reason that teams become stuck and fail to reach their fullest potential, and shares proven hands on strategies and techniques for teams to achieve top performance.

Roger Schwarz understands that leaders often face frustration when their teams fail to achieve their desired results. The author provides evidence that the leader is usually causing the team to become stuck and ineffective. Roger Schwarz makes the startling assertion, that the cause of this problem, is leaders hold the mistaken belief that there is one leader in the room. The author even delves more deeply into this obstacle to team effectiveness by offering the answer as one of the leader's mindset. Roger Schwarz calls this roadblock one where leaders have a unilateral control mindset. In this mode of thinking, a leader mistakenly attributes the entire responsibility for guiding all dimensions of the team to a single individual. Roger Schwarz challenges leaders to overcome this mindset and offers the skills and exercises to develop a truly productive mindset.



Roger Schwarz (photo left) recognizes that leaders often lack awareness of their own mindset that is holding back their team. The author also presents the point that in challenging moments, leaders use a different mindset from the one they believe they are using at that time. The leader may uses the unilateral mindset to ensure their own solution is applied to a problem, or that they can't imagine a viable alternative to the unilateral leader concept.Even if a leader is aware that they are utilizing the unilateral leader mindset, they are convinced that it is the proper approach to leading a team effectively to achieve its goals.

Roger Schwarz proposes that leaders change their mindset by discarding the unilateral leader paradigm and adopting some fresh assumptions. Leaders will also have to align systems, policies, and processes in support of these new assumptions. Leaders must openly share and spread to others on the team. At the same time, leaders must build trust across all relationships within the team. To cover all aspects of the change in leadership and strengthening of teams, Roger Schwarz utilized the following overarching structure in the book:

* How well does your team really work?
* How you and your team got stuck: The unilateral control approach
* Getting unstuck to get results: The mutual learning approach
* Getting the puzzle pieces on the table: Mutual learning behaviors 1-4
* Putting the puzzle together: Mutual learning behaviors 5-8
* Designing for mutual learning
* Dealing with common team challenges
* becoming a smarter leader
* Becoming a smarter team

For me, the power of the book is how Roger Schwarz combines a comprehensive overview of why teams fail to achieve their full potential, with a complete strategic and tactical approach to transforming the leader and the team into an effective group. The author demonstrates why standard leadership thinking, in the form of the unilateral leader mindset, is the cause of the group getting stuck and being unable to move forward.

Roger Schwarz not only presents the alternative perspective of mutual learning behaviors and how to incorporate them into the leader's viewpoint, but how to build teams that work together effectively. The author stresses that leadership resides in the entire team, and with every member of the team. This change in thinking liberates the leader and the team to implement the five core values of transparency, curiosity, accountability, informed choice, and compassion. The result is a more effective team that achieves outstanding performance and reaches and even exceeds the loftiest goals.

I highly recommend the team building and leadership transforming book Smart Leaders, Smarter Teams: How You and Your Team Get Unstuck to Get Results by Roger Schwarz, to any leaders who find themselves and their teams stuck and unable to move forward to achieve their goals. This book guides leaders toward instilling leadership into the entire team and all of its members, and establishing outstanding performance.

Veterinary Highlights: Stem Cell Treatments For Paralyzed Dogs

NC State neurologist Dr. Natasha Olby is studying a promising new treatment for paralyzed dogs. Olby has used stem cell treatments to restore partial use of the legs and bladder control to dogs with spinal cord injuries. Her research holds promise for humans, too.

Cartoon Round Up

Brilliant Blunders From Darwin to Einstein by Mario Livio - Book review

Brilliant Blunders

From Darwin to Einstein - Colossal Mistakes by Great Scientists That Changed Our Understanding of Life and the Universe

By: Mario Livio

Published: May 14, 2013
Format: Hardcover: 352 pages
ISBN-10: 1439192367
ISBN-13: 978-1439192368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster












"The purpose of this book is to present in detail some of the surprising blunders of a few genuinely towering scientists, and to follow the unexpected consequences of those blunders, Writes internationally known astrophysicist at the Space Telescope Science Institute, Mario Livio, in his fascinating and insightful book Brilliant Blunders: From Darwin to Einstein - Colossal Mistakes by Great Scientists That Changed Our Understanding of Life and the Universe. The author describes some of the most famous missteps of some of history's most influential scientists, examines the possible causes of those blunders, and considers the relationships between those intriguing mistakes and the workings of the human mind.

Mario Livio understands that the blunders, on the part of the world's most famous scientists, were part of the process of discovery and innovation despite the unlikely process. The author presents examples of blunders made by Charles Darwin, Lord Kelvin, Linus Pauling, Fred Hoyle, and Albert Einstein. Mario Livio examines the theories proposed by these monumental thinkers, and considers the weaknesses and even failures of their theories. To further evaluate these blunders, the author looks at the psychological and even neuroscience based causes for these colossal mistakes. Mario Livio points out that each of the blunders is different from the others, and resulted from each of the scientists blind spots, personal weaknesses, or personality characteristics.



Mario Livio (photo left) reminds us that the blunders were both inevitable, and formed a critical part of the advancement of science and understanding of the world and the universe. The author recognizes that science is not a linear progression, but is more of a labyrinth with twists, turns, dead ends, and unexpected breakthroughs. Some of those monumental breakthrouhs were the result of blunders made by even the greatest of scientists.

Mario Livio provides the theories and discoveries, for which the renowned scientists are best known, and then adds an analysis of one blunder for each individual. Through this approach, the author is able to provide context for the mistake, as well as demonstrate why the actions taken by the scientist was in keeping with their character and worldview. The author considers the following questions and ideas:

* Mistakes and blunders
* Yea, all which I inherit, shall dissolve
* How old is the Earth?
* Certainty generally is an illusion
* Interpreter of life
* Whose DNA is it anyway?
* B for Big Bang
* The same throughout eternity
* The "biggest blunder"
* Out of empty space

For me, the power of the book is how Mario Livio combines a very accessible and entertaining history of science, with in depth analysis of how and why the world famous scientists made their major blunders. The author not only shares details of the blunders themselves, but places them in their historical context. He also examines the psychological, and even neuroscience related causes that predisposed these larger than life personalities to make the blunders in the first place.

Mario Livio presents the important insight that stupendous blunders are a crucial part of the overall scientific discovery process. The road to new scientific knowledge is not a straight line and a neat and tidy pathway. Instead, the events leading to historic breakthroughs are often accidental, unintentional, and even the result of a major misstep on the part of the scientist. In the book, Mario Livio makes clear that without an acceptance of blunders and serendipity, and an understanding of the very human tendencies and biases of the scientists in question, advancement may not be as likely to take place.

I highly recommend the informative and thought provoking book Brilliant Blunders: From Darwin to Einstein - Colossal Mistakes by Great Scientists That Changed Our Understanding of Life and the Universe by Mario Livio, to any historians of science, active scientists, students and faculty at universities, and to anyone interested in how even the greatest of scientific minds can make huge blunders. This book will open your eyes and your mind to the importance of the process in both the scientific method, and to the furthering of human knowledge of life, the world, and the universe.

Problems With Canine Over-Vaccination

by Daniel Beatty, DVM

First and foremost, vaccinations are an important component of health care, prevention and wellness for your dog. I am, by no means, recommending not vaccinating your dog.

It is vitally important to vaccinate appropriately.

For the core vaccines of distemper, parvo, adenovirus (together called DAP) and rabies, appropriate vaccination is as young puppies not before 9 weeks of age and with the final puppy vaccine for DAP at 15-16 weeks of age.

Rabies between 4 and 6 months of age and then 1 year after the initial vaccine.

After these puppy vaccines, boosters of these vaccines should not be given before 3 years and in many instances well beyond 3 years. 

There is plenty of evidence and research to support that giving vaccines more frequently does not improve their effectiveness and instead increases the risk of  adverse reactions.

Research and information from veterinarians like Dr Ronald Schultz, Dr Richard Ford and Dr Jean Dodds has been available since the 1970's and continues on to the present day. In 2006 major vaccine guideline changes were made and posted by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), recommending 3 year vaccination protocols
for the core vaccines vs annual vaccination.

Here are a couple of research articles from Dr Schultz -
http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/images/Duration_of_Immunity_Schultz.pdf
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021997509003338

The consequences of overvaccinating can be immediate or delayed reactions, called vaccinosis.

These reactions can occur anywhere between 24 hours to 45 days. The three major consequences are increased allergy symptoms, autoimmune disorders and cancer. However the list of reactions overall
is quite extensive and includes -

• Autoimmune diseases such as autoimmune hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, arthritis, skin, and even nervous system disorders - seizures, epilepsy.
• Behavior changes increasing anxiety, obsessive behavior, and/or aggression
• Cancers such as fibrosarcomas at injection site
• Muscle weakness and muscle atrophy
• Chronic digestive problems such as inflammatory bowel
• Skin issues such as chronic skin allergies, self-mutilation and tail chewing

How this occurs, although not completely understood, can be attributed to the overstimulation of the immune system and inflammatory system. 

There are two parts to a vaccine, the antigen and the adjuvant. 

The antigen is the specific disease particle that the vaccine is trying to protect against. The adjuvant is the substance that carries the antigen and includes substances that stimulate the immune system.

What the adjuvant does is yell at the immune system - "Hey look over here I have a disease particle that needs to be attacked!"

Substances such as aluminum salts, organics, and oil based adjuvants are all used to stimulate the immune system. These products are really good at their job, which makes for a better immune response to the vaccine. However the problem with these products is that they are really good at their job, which can overstimulate the immune system.

There have been claims that some of these substances can stimulate the immune system for up to 2 years. 

If you are giving vaccines every year you can obviously see the very likely possibility of immune system  overstimulation.

Some new technologies in adjuvants, such as virosomes, appear to have less overstimulating effects on the immune system, less inflammatory response, and have a technique that mimics the natural way the body reacts to an attacking disease. 

Continued research into these types of adjuvants is important in preventing the reactions to vaccines, however using vaccines appropriately and judiciously is just as important and gives us an answer right now to reducing the possibility of vaccinosis in our dogs.

Take home message: The core vaccines of Distemper, Parvo, Hepatitis and Rabies have a duration of immunity much longer than 1 year and even longer than 3 years.

Vaccinating more than every 3 years has no benefit and actually increases the risk  of reactions.

If you base your dogs health only on risk vs reward it is obvious that vaccinating annually is not in your dog's best interest. For those of you that your dog's health is more important than just risk vs reward, it is even more obvious that you should be reducing how often you give your dog vaccines.

***

Daniel Beatty, DVM (Dr. Dan) is an integrative veterinarian that believes in a holistic approach to medicine and wellness. He uses the best of both the allopathic and the holistic worlds of medicine to maintain a proper balance to health and movement for his canine and equine patients. 

He also blogs at Dog Kinetics and loves to teach pet owners his ideas through blogging and webinars.

Articles by Dr. Beatty:
What Acupuncture Did For Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD) 

Related articles:

To Booster Or Not To Booster: Jasmine's Parvo and Distemper Titer Results Are Back
Veterinarians And Vaccines: A Slow Learning Curve 
DAP (Distemper, Adenovirus, Parvovirus): Fourth Year In, Still Full Immunity 

Fearing the Success of Religion

By Alan Caruba

I know any number of atheists and they are generally cheerful, law-abiding, moral people. The ones I know don’t go around demanding that symbols and acts of religious devotion by others be restricted.

I like the atheists I know even if they don’t believe in God or identify themselves as Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, or any other faith group. It’s their choice. The more militant atheists, however, should let others make their choices, too. They should be able to get through a brief, public moment of prayer without being upset about it.

Atheists sometimes refer to the “wall” between state and church, but that is not in the Constitution. There is, however, a restriction on the “establishment of (a state) religion.” The Founders were all religious to a greater or lesser respect. Abraham Baldwin, a delegate from Georgia was an ordained minister. They started each session with a prayer.

George Washington expressed the view of the delegates when he said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.” Thomas Jefferson, who is often quoted for his statement in a letter about the need for a wall between state and church, said “A studious perusal of the sacred volume will make better citizens, better fathers, and better husbands.”

In any group of people there are those zealots who are not content to hold their own beliefs, but insist that they be imposed on all others. This is true of the “secular humanists”, a term atheists use to describe themselves. In the June/July issue of Free Inquiry, a publication for atheists, the editor of the magazine, Thomas W. Flynn, asks “Is Religion Dying?”

Flynn began his editorial noting the vast media attention paid to the recent selection of a new Pope after the former one resigned. “For the span of one long month, the world’s biggest news story was that an institution that styles itself as the representative on Earth of a deity who does not exist would name a new leader.” Flynn described himself as an “old-time atheist…who began his childhood in the uber-traditional, pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic Church.”

Flynn addressed the younger generation saying, “just because you have been lucky enough not to experience religion at its worst, don’t be too quick to decide that this wolf has no teeth.”

Suffice to say that the Catholic Church has over a billion faithful worldwide and that would be sufficient reason for the media to pay attention to the election of a new Pope, but Flynn makes no mention of Islam, a religion of comparable size that has been in the news for the killing of “infidels” (unbelievers) for several decades (if not centuries). It seems like hardly a day goes by when Muslims are not killing infidels in England, France, Sweden, and, of course, most recently in Boston. In Iraq and Syria, they are killing each other.

He described the major religions, which would include Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam, saying, “most of the world’s existing creeds are in varying measures ahistorical, reactionary, authoritarian, misogynistic, and repressive—nonetheless, religion and religious institutions are hugely influential, in culture and (unfortunately) politics as much as they are in the domain of faith.”

Suffice to say, Flynn has a deep distrust of religion no matter what form it takes, but it has surely played a major role throughout the history of civilization for good or ill. He acknowledged that “Religion still matters.”

Flynn worried that “memes newly afoot in our movement—some concerning younger nonbelievers, others circulating principally among them—suggest that traditional free-thinker attitudes of vigilance toward religion may be losing relevance. Advocates note that in recent surveys 20 percent of American adults now disdain any religious identification; among the eighteen to twenty-five set, more than a third do so.” Memes are defined as "an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture."

“Do the math,” said Flynn. “If 20 percent of adults have no religious identity, that means 80 percent still do. If a third of the young are not religious, that means two-thirds of the young still are. Religious believers are very much in the majority, and they are still enormously powerful.”

So, Flynn answers his question, “Is religion dying?” and the answer is no.

Its return to Russia after decades of Communist repression speaks to that. Its growing strength in China worries its Communist leaders. The spread of the Catholic and Protestant faiths in Africa is a real phenomenon. The Islamist attacks on Copts, an ancient Christian faith in Egypt is just one example of the way Christians throughout the Middle East are being killed and forced to flee.

Flynn addressed younger atheists saying the “religious majority still is both pretty devoutly religious and in the majority. Recognize that within it, a still-vital religious Right continues scrabbling to hang onto power—and in some areas is continuing to expand. America’s more conservative churches are home to millions of believers who think we’re all going to hell and don’t think God will mind if they figure out new ways to curtail our civil liberties.”

I see little evidence—none in fact—that the Religious Right wants to curtail civil liberties; that’s what the Left does. Most certainly they were not the ones that militantly opposed a moment of prayer in schools to begin the day or oppose symbols of Christian faith in the public square. Many people of faith remain opposed to abortion that, since 1973, has killed more than an estimated 54 million unborn and some that were born. Humanists have a strange way of showing their regard for fellow humans.

In America Flynn is free to hold and publish his opinion, one that includes his own admission that religion is alive and well in America.

© Alan Caruba, 2013

Shark Tank Ratings

Shark Tank Rating's Season 4

 The Shark Tank once again dominated the t.v. rating's in season 4 finale for the two hour special and was again Friday Nights #1 Show. The back-to-back episode's followed by 20/20 easily won in the rating's once again for the coveted 18-49 Adults for the entire night. Whats even more impressive is the fact that over 1,000,000 new viewers tuned in to see season 4 finale compared to season 3. For the entire fourth season, the Shark Tank grew at a 17% year-to-year increase compared to last year with no signs of slowing down.

Shark Tank IS A WINNER!

As hard as Donald Trump has tried to knock the Shark Tank Show down comparing it to his Apprentice Show, the ratings do not lie. Read More Here-->>>

Dennis N.T. Perkins & Jillian B. Murphy: Into The Storm: Lessons In Teamwork - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Leadership strategist and CEO of The Syncretics Group, Dennis N.T. Perkins, Ph.D.; and Director of Client Services at The Syncretics Group, Jillian B. Murphy, co-authors of the fascinating and teamwork lesson filled book Into the Storm: Lessons in Teamwork from the Treacherous Sydney to Hobart Ocean Race, describe how the skipper and crew of the 1998 race winning AFR Midnight Rambler provide a powerful case study in leadership in times of crisis. Dennis Perkins and Jillian Murphy present the circumstances of the tragic race and why the winning crew was able to succeed where others either failed or met with tragedy. The authors share the leadership and team building principles that worked so well for the skipper and his crew. They also show how those same concepts can be applied readily to any business and teamwork setting, and provide guidance even in the most daunting of crisis situations. Learn how to build and maintain strong and cohesive teams, able to face any odds, and succeed even beyond expectations.

Dennis N.T. Perkins and Jillian B. Murphy are my internet radio show guests on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, May 30, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Leadership strategist and CEO of The Syncretics Group, Dennis N.T. Perkins, Ph.D.; and Director of Client Services at The Syncretics Group, Jillian B. Murphy, co-authors of the fascinating and teamwork lesson filled book Into the Storm: Lessons in Teamwork from the Treacherous Sydney to Hobart Ocean Race, describe how the skipper and crew of the 1998 race winning AFR Midnight Rambler provide a powerful case study in leadership in times of crisis. You will learn:

* Why the skipper and crew of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Ocean Race offer teamwork lessons

* How those lessons apply to business leaders facing a crisis

* How to build effective and cohesive teams that succeed in all situations

* How leaders can build teams that achieve greatness



Dennis N.T. Perkins (photo left) is Leadership strategist and CEO of The Syncretics Group.

He has advised senior leaders in organizations ranging from Fortune 50 corporations to nonprofit associations for over two decades.

His current focus is on developing leadership in organizations, especially under conditions of rapid change, economic adversity, sudden growth, and other demanding environments.

He has written extensively on leadership and organizational effectiveness and is a featured keynote speaker to groups and organizations throughout the year.



Jillian B. Murphy (photo left) is Director of Client Services at The Syncretics Group.

She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and completed her Masters in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at the University of New Haven. Jillian has studied, worked and volunteered extensively in Cape Town, South Africa and coordinated the Honors Study Abroad Program for the University of Connecticut.

She also has significant research experience and has worked with the Networking AIDS Community of South Africa, the African National Congress Women's League and the Department of Epidemiology and Health at Yale University.

My book review of Into the Storm: Lessons in Teamwork from the Treacherous Sydney to Hobart Ocean Race by Dennis N.T. Perkins and Jillian B. Murphy.

My book review of Leading at The Edge: Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition, Second Edition by Dennis N.T. Perkins, Ph.D.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with leadership strategist and CEO of The Syncretics Group, Dennis N.T. Perkins, Ph.D.; and Director of Client Services at The Syncretics Group, Jillian B. Murphy, co-authors of the fascinating and teamwork lesson filled book Into the Storm: Lessons in Teamwork from the Treacherous Sydney to Hobart Ocean Race, as they describe how the skipper and crew of the 1998 race winning AFR Midnight Rambler provide a powerful case study in leadership in times of crisis. Dennis Perkins and Jillian Murphy present the circumstances of the tragic race and why the winning crew was able to succeed where others either failed or met with tragedy. The authors share the leadership and team building principles that worked so well for the skipper and his crew. They also show how those same concepts can be applied readily to any business and teamwork setting, and provide guidance even in the most daunting of crisis situations. Learn how to build and maintain strong and cohesive teams, able to face any odds, and succeed even beyond expectations on Blog Business Success Radio.

May is $10 Month

A word of thanks to the many visitors to Warning Signs who demonstrated their support for my commentaries. May has been designated $10.00 Month to encourage a small donation, although there's a special tip of the hat to one reader who celebrated his 88th birthday with a donation of a dollar for every year of his life!

If you have been thinking about making a donation, finish up May with one of $10.00 or more.

Alan C.

Tackling The Veterinary Terminology: Prefixes (brady-)

Remember the Spelling Bee? Big words are easier to tackle when you understand how they're put together. Veterinary terms are composed in the same way. Just like with other words, the main parts of a veterinary term are a prefix, a root, and a suffix. The difference is that they typically come more directly from Greek or Latin.

A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to modify its meaning by providing additional information. It usually indicates number, location, time, or status.

brady- [brā'dē] - from Greek - slow, delayed, tardy

Things in the body are meant to happen at certain speed. The reason for that being that everything needs to happen in sync with the rest of the body,  as well as the body needs to be able to adapt to outside factors.

If you're chased by a mountain lion, you better run fast!

Ideally, you better run faster than he does. Not that I'm an expert on wilderness survival.

Hyperventilation is a good example of what happens when you breathe faster than your body needs. It results in decrease in blood pressure, dizziness and eventually fainting.

If one wheel on your car turned slower than the other, you wouldn't be able to keep your car on a straight path.

In any system, it is important that things are in sync.

Bradycardia is a condition when the dog's heart beats too slow. This means too slow for the body to get the supply of oxygen it needs. The opposite problem is tachycardia, heart rate that is too rapid.

Then there are combinations, such as bradyarrhythmia, heart rhythm that is slow and irregular, or bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome, aka sick sinus syndrome.

Bradypnea, then is slow breathing rate.

***

Related articles:
Veterinary Suffixes (-itis)
Veterinary Suffixes (-oma) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-pathy)  
Veterinary Suffixes (-osis) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-iasis) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-tomy) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-ectomy)  
Veterinary Suffixes (-scopy) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-emia)
Veterinary Suffixes (-penia)
Veterinary Suffixes (-rrhea) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-cyte) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-blast) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-opsy)
Veterinary Suffixes (-ac/-al)

Veterinary Prefixes (hyper-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (hypo-)
Veterinary Prefixes (pyo-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (myo-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (myelo-)
Veterinary Prefixes (spondylo-)
Veterinary Prefixes (cardio-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (cervic-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (osteo-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (fibro-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (broncho-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (hemo-)

Too Pooped to March?

March 2009 Anti-Obamacare Protest

By Alan Caruba

There have been twenty-seven marches in Washington, D.C. since President Obama took office in 2009. The most recent was on February 13 called “Forward on Climate” in which an estimated 40,000 people demanded action on “climate change” and was largely devoted to protesting the expansion of the Keystone pipeline.

The weather that day was brutally cold and it probably did not occur to participants that humans can do nothing about the climate or that they used lot of gasoline, an oil derivative, to get to and from the march.

The only march in which I participated was the Vietnam Moratorium march on November 15, 1969. It drew 600,000 people and there were comparable marches around the nation that day in which some two million participated. It was a very unpopular war, having been vastly expanded under President Johnson and continued into the Nixon years. There were a dozen major marches opposing it, starting in 1965 and lasting until 1974 when an estimated ten thousand people rallied for the impeachment of Nixon. The war ended in 1975.

Between 1950 and 1999, there were forty-five marches that merited being cited as being of some significance. The most famous was the August 28, 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a civil rights march during which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his “I have a dream” speech. An estimated 250,000 participated. It had been preceded in 1957 by the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom during which Dr. King demanded “Give us the ballot.”

Other marches over the nearly fifty-year period were devoted to demands for women’s rights, a pro-life march, and gay and lesbian rights.

Between 2000 and 2009 there were nearly forty marches, quite a few of which were anti-war marches protesting the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In March 2009, the largest march ever staged by fiscal conservatives as a protest against high taxes and big government—the proposed Obamacare legislation—was held, estimated to have drawn between 600,000 and 800,000 participants, though others put the figure at a million or more. It was notable for the way the mainstream media largely ignored it, though it was broadcast on C-SPAN.  Its sponsors included the 9-13 Project, Freedom Works, the National Taxpayers Union, The Heartland Institute, Americans for Tax Reform, Tea Party Patriots, and ResistNet. It was also one of the most orderly and peaceful such rallies, and by far the largest since the days of the Vietnam War protests.

From 2010 to the present, one of the marches was the absurdist Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear held by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert of the Comedy Channel. It drew an estimated 200,000 people, mostly young, mostly just happy to have something about which to march. In 2011 there was a Right2Know March for Genetically Engineered Foods demanding that GMO foods be reported on the label. In November, Occupy Wall Street demonstrators marched in Washington and New York against the extension of tax cuts, claiming they benefitted the rich.

2012 was a low point for marches on Washington, D.C., with only four. They were largely ignored by the mainstream media; one called for the closing of Guantanamo and another for continued funding for Public Broadcast.

The lack of marches of any consequence, with the exception of the March 2009 event protesting Obamacare begs the question of why such events have been so few. The answer may lie in the way the Internet’s social media permits people to rally electronically instead of physically showing up in the nation’s capital. It may also speak to the mood of the nation, both on the Left and Right, which reflects its depressed economic conditions of high unemployment, and the lack of an issue to mobilize people.

That could change. The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Iraq plays to a war-weary public, the frequent cause for marches during the Vietnam War years. The gathering storm of Obama administration scandals, however, could mobilize public protests.

Will we see another big march in Washington, D.C. this year and the remaining years of President Obama’s second term? Stay tuned.

© Alan Caruba, 2013

Resisting Corporate Corruption by Stephen V. Arbogast - Book review

Resisting Corporate Corruption

Cases in Practical Ethics From Enron Through The Financial Crisis

By: Stephen V. Arbogast

Published: March 4, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 552 pages
ISBN-10: 1118208552
ISBN-13: 978-1118208557
Publisher: Wiley-Scrivener











"Stunned and outraged at the scandalous behavior visible during the financial crisis, I wondered how this could have happened a scant six years after Enron's collapse. Nothing seemed to have changed. Was this in fact true? If so, was this because the important Enronlesson lessons had gone unheeded? The 2nd edition attempts to find this out", writes Executive Professor of Finance at the C.T. Bauer College of Business, Stephen V. Arbogast in the revised and expanded second edition of his outstanding case study based book Resisting Corporate Corruption: Cases in Practical Ethics From Enron Through The Financial Crisis. The author utilizes twenty-seven business case studies and eleven essays to provide a comprehensive range of study in business practices, controls and oversight, and ethics issues.

Stephen V. Arbogast recognizes that the events of the 2007-08 financial crisis were caused by the same ethical failures that plagued Enron. The author points out that upper management was not preventing or stopping unethical practices within their organizations. Laws and regulations were not deterring the unethical behavior in any way either, writes the author.

The question of whether the lessons from the failure of Enron were being ignored, or if the fundamental nature of the financial industry led to these ethical failures is what Stephen V. Arbogast seeks to address and answer. The author provides a methodology and toolkit for students, heads or corporations, business leaders, and members of the legal community to incorporate ethics training into their courses and organizations.



Stephen V. Arbogast (photo left) understands the critical importance of ethical behavior to organizations and to the leaders and employees within that company as well. For the lessons of Enron, and of the financial meltdown to not be repeated, the author presents the cases in the book as an instructional toolkit to resist the temptation to act in an unethical manner. He also examines the course of action taken by both those who acted without ethics, and of those who sought to bring the issues to light through acting as a whistleblower.

Stephen Arbogast offers the cases in two overarching sections with the goal of considering the actions and behaviors of top corporate leaders, managers, and employees. The first section looks closely at the failure of Enron, and its ethics based causes. The second major section examines cases involving the financial crisis of 2007-08 and the companies involved in that series of events. The two major sections are as follows:

Section I: The Enron Cases

* Demolishing financial control, neutering the gatekeepers
* Business model failures, accounting manipulations
* Resisting corruption at Enron

Section II: The Financial Crisis Cases

* New business models undermine standards and controls
* Consequences for gatekeepers and firms
* Financial firms and resisters

For me, the power of the book is how Stephen V. Arbogast a complete framework for the study of ethical behavior in organizations, with case studies of events surrounding the collapse of Enron and the actions of leaders and staff members during the financial crisis. The author creates and builds upon a methodology for researching the critical elements of each ethical breakdown, and establishing a solution that would lead the organization on a more ethical road. With the methodology in place, the next step is the application of the toolkit to real world cases involving ethics based decisions.

Stephen V. Arbogast demonstrates how to incorporate ht methodology into their own and the company's actual decision making and behavior. The addition of the financial sector cases in this second edition enable students and business leaders to examine choices, actions, and events earlier in the process, and later when the outcomes of those behaviors made their impact. In each case, students can decide whether viable solutions and alternatives were available. At the same time, the author makes clear that ethics are still, if not more than ever, relevant in corporate management and governance. The author also asks and considers the question of whether the financial industry model establishes the conditions that lead to unethical behavior.

I highly recommend the essential and landmark book Resisting Corporate Corruption: Cases in Practical Ethics From Enron Through The Financial Crisis by Stephen V. Arbogast, to any students and faculty in graduate or undergraduate business course, law schools, top corporate executives, business leaders at all levels and sizes of companies, public sector decision makers, and students and faculty at any other organizations or schools offering business ethics instruction seeking a comprehensive and decision making based book through the medium of case studies. This book provides the background and the skill set to guide students and business leaders toward more ethical decision making in any industry.

Judging A Mouth By Its Cover: There Is More To Dental Health Than Meets The Eye

Clean teeth equal a healthy dog. True or false?

Yes, it is a trick question. Healthy teeth, or rather a healthy mouth, equals a healthy dog.

But how do you know whether your dog’s mouth is healthy?

There are some obvious signs that there is a problem with the mouth, such as

• bad breath
• discolored, loose, broken or missing teeth
• excessive drooling
• red, swollen gums that bleed easily
• sensitive, painful mouth
• reluctance to eat or chew
• pawing at the mouth
• aggression or depression
• abnormal discharge from tooth, nose or eyes
• digestive upsets…

But what if your dog’s teeth look perfectly fine?

If they LOOK fine, and nothing seems to be going on with them, they ARE fine, aren’t they?

The real dental problems go on where the eye cannot see them.

JD’s mouth looked fine. At his last wellness exam earlier this month, his mouth was graded 1 out of 4 with recommendation for prophylactic cleaning and evaluation.

It was only expected that he was going in to get his teeth cleaned and checked.

We booked an appointment and JD went in last week. And then, a surprise. A thorough examination, which would not really be possible with JD awake, and the x-rays revealed that he had one tooth in the back that was broken, one tooth was loose, and two that had deep periodontal pockets of infection between them and the big adjacent teeth.

JD came back home three teeth short.

Did I mention that his mouth looked perfectly fine? Before the x-rays, JD’s mouth was graded 1 out of 4. After the x-rays, 3+ out of 4.

There is more to dental health than meets the eye. 

Unless you have an x-ray vision, you need an actual x-ray to know for sure what condition your dog’s mouth really is in.

That is certainly one good reason not to skimp on regular wellness exams. It is one good reason not to decline dental work if your vet recommends one. It is also one good reason to think twice about anesthesia-free dental cleaning. Because dental disease only snowballs.

Just because the teeth seem to look good, doesn’t mean they are good.

Jasmine's teeth, on the other hand, didn't LOOK so great but were holding up. Even after they rapidly declined from the steroids, and there were a number of signs that led us to believe the mouth had some serious problems, a close look and x-rays revealed minor issues only. And, unfortunately, nothing that would explain the symptoms we were seeing.

Although discolored teeth and foul breath are upsetting, the real problem is the infection around the teeth. 

When the germs escape into the blood stream, they can affect distant organs like the lungs, heart, liver, kidney, joints and bones and cause physical damage to the organs.

The other bad, and maybe worse problem, is the resulting chronic inflammation. Inflammation releases mediators that damage cells and organs in the body distant to the primary site. These mediators can trigger premature cell death (premature aging), failure of heart valves or changes in cellular genetic material (cancer). This is why oral health is important.

Now, there is the new product out there, OraStrip QuickCheck to detect periodontal disease. Dr. Marty Becker seems impressed by it.

Our vet hasn't tried it yet but maybe it can be a good tool in seeing what the eyes cannot.

How do your dog's teeth look? When was the last time they were seen through x-ray? Is your vet using the OraStrip QuickCheck?

***

Related articles:
Know Your Dog's Enemies: When Bad Breath Can Kill!
Talking Teeth
Anesthesia-Free Dental Cleaning
OraStrip QuickCheck Canine To Detect Periodontal Disease 

Further reading:
Why Does My Vet Want To Clean My Dog or Cat’s Teeth? 
Pets Need Dental Care Too!
Little strip can make a big difference in a dog’s dental health

Abortion, Money, and Free Speech

 

By Alan Caruba

The conclusion of the trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell, convicted of first-degree murder in the killings of aborted babies and involuntary manslaughter in the drug-overdose death of a patient, ignited a renewed national discussion of abortion in America. The discussion has not been aided by the mainstream media that, for the most part, ignored the trial.

According to a report in a British newspaper, a Houston doctor, Douglas Karpen, has been accused by four former employees of delivering live babies during third-trimester abortions and killing them by either snipping their spinal cords, stabbing them in the head with a surgical instrument, or twisting their heads off with his hands. The accusations are being investigated by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The decision by the United States Supreme Court in 1973, known as Roe v. Wade, ran counter to the widespread belief that abortion, except in the case of saving the mother’s life or as the result of rape and incest, should not be permitted. The Court ruled that a woman’s right to privacy under the due process clause of the 14^th Amendment included her decision to have an abortion. The right to an abortion, however, did not extend to what the Court deemed “viability”, the ability of the baby to live outside the mother’s womb. The seventh month, 28 weeks, was cited, though the Court noted it could occur at 24 weeks.

Pro-life advocates believe that a fetus is a human being at the moment of conception. Modern technology has confirmed that a fully formed fetus is indeed a human being in every way short of the birth process.

It has been just over forty years since the Court’s decision. In 2012 The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) released a report that estimated the number of abortions at 54,559,615 based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute. According to the CDC, in 2010 there were 3,999,386 births in the U.S., a rate of 13 per 1,000 of the population. Of these, 40.8% were born to unwed women.

No matter how you look at such statistics that is a lot of dead babies and it can be argued that a society that permits what amounts to mass murder has lost its moral bearings. A society in which many babies are born to single mothers is inviting a raft of social problems. I didn’t give much thought to the Supreme Court decision in 1973 and, in retrospect, I should have.

It is instructive that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg spoke at the University of Chicago Law School on the 40^th anniversary of Roe v. Wade in early May and had some strong reservations about the decision that occurred before she became a member of the Court. “The court made a decision that made every abortion law in the country invalid, even the most liberal. We’ll never know whether I am right or wrong…things might have turned out differently if the court had been more restrained.”

The fact that there still remains active opposition to abortion is a tribute to those who still believe that morality is important, that issues regarding the sanctity of life count for something. There are, however, those for whom this and other issues, the right to express one’s views, and the ability to fund the sharing of those views, must be oppressed.

The Catholic Church in America comes to mind for its steadfast opposition to abortion. For others there is the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC). I recently received a copy of a letter the NRLC sent to U.S. Senators regarding the “Follow the Money Act of 2013” (S.791).

The issue, however, was not about abortion per se, but the ability of the NRLC to raise funds for the advocacy of its views. I was astounded to learn that, in the wake of revelations about the way the Internal Revenue Service has been used to thwart organizations that include the Tea Party movement, others self-identifying as “patriots”, and still others who engaged in educating people about the Constitution, from receiving a tax exempt status that would aid their ability to raise funds to advance their views.

Even the Supreme Court has ruled that money is, in many ways, the equivalent of free speech.

The NRLC letter was signed by David N. O’Steen, PhD, its Executive Director and Douglas Johnson, its Legislative Director.

“The ‘Follow the Money Act’ would be better titled the ‘IRS Political Speech Overseer Act of 2013.’ The bill is a 47-page compendium of devices for government intimidation of nonprofit advocacy organizations that communicate with the public about federal public policy issues, and about the positions and votes of those who make our laws. The bill would make the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Secretary of the Treasury (a political appointee), into overseers of an ever-expanding maze of restrictions on independent speech about legislative and political matters, and into executioners for nonprofit groups that offend the powers-that-be.”

 

The sponsors of S. 791 are Senators Wyden (D-Oregon) and Murkowski (R-Alaska) and the bill was introduced on April 23 before the IRS scandal broke into the news.

 

Citing an analysus of the bill by the Center for Competitive Politics, the letter quoted it, noting that  “The bill would radically expand the reach of government regulation on speech critical of elected officials and force many, if not nearly all, advocacy groups to register and file burdensome reports with the federal government. The registration and reporting scheme also includes the threat of stiff tax penalties on groups and individuals, along with an organizational death sentence that could be imposed by the IRS for errors. If enacted, this bill would dragoon the IRS into a role as political campaign enforcer, a role the IRS is ill-equipped for and does not want. . . .”

The bill defines “Independent Federal Election-Related Activity (IFERA) to include: “any expenditure that...considering the facts and circumstances, a reasonable person would conclude is made solely or substantially for the purpose of influencing or attempting to influence the nomination or election of any individual to any Federal office (including an expenditure for a public communication that promotes, attacks, supports, or opposes a candidate)…” (Emphasis added)

Influencing who gets nominated or elected in America is a very good definition of the democratic process and the right of any citizen to participate in that vital outcome. It is the essence of free speech.

Forgive the pun, but S.791 is an abortion. It is a bill that would throttle public advocacy and the blunt instrument it would use to do so is the Internal Revenue Service, the same government agency that is now in charge of administering Obamacare.

The enemies of free speech are numerous and we are already witness to the way the Obama administration is seeking ways to throttle it in America. The Follow the Money Act must be defeated or your voice and your vote will be silenced and neutered.

© Alan Caruba, 2013

Shark Tank Episode 413 Update

Shark Tank Show #413

Season 4 rerun on May 31,2013 UPDATE

Cousins Jim Tselikis & Sabin Lomac
with new Business Partner Barbara Corcoran

 The Shark Tank continues again this Friday Night with another very memorable episode that first aired earlier this year on February 1, 2013. Tonight's show is all about comfort. You take a talking teddy bear and send him out on a run with his invisible shoes listening to music on his Ipad. After he gets back you feed him some Lobster from Maine and make sure he keeps clean using the ultimate bibbitec bib. LOL, it's still early in the morning. :). More coffee please..

Sound Bender Update

 The Sound Bender probably has perfectionist Steve Jobs rolling over for releasing a Apple devise that had a design flaw in it. Why they designed the speakers in the back with the sound going away from you is beyond me but fortunately Rabi Mosche Weiss has come up with the perfect solution. This clever patented magnetic piece of plastic will have your iPads and iPods rocking 10 times louder then before. Read More Here-->>>

Jeremy Kingsley: Inspired People Produce Results - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Renowned speaker, founder and President of OneLife Leadership and author of the perceptive and engaging book Inspired People Produce Results: How Great Leaders Use Passion, Purpose and Principles to Unlock Incredible Growth, Jeremy Kingsley, describes how the critical element for outstanding leadership is the ability to inspire others to greatness. Jeremy Kingsley presents the concept that leaders are much more than managers, and that any manager can become an inspirational leader whose followers achieve superior results. Despite managers believing that training, technology, processes, and financial statements are critical, Jeremy Kingsley demonstrates that inspiration of people is real missing ingredient to success. Jeremy shares the essential skills that leaders must develop within themselves, and the techniques to utilize those skills to inspire members of the team or organization. Jeremy Kingsley shows what people really want and expect from the leaders they follow, and offers the skills necessary to add them to the leader's toolbox. Learn why it's crucial to become a leader who inspires, and how to become a leading inspirational leader yourself.

Jeremy Kingsley is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Tuesday, May 28, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Renowned speaker, founder and President of OneLife Leadership and author of the perceptive and engaging book Inspired People Produce Results: How Great Leaders Use Passion, Purpose and Principles to Unlock Incredible Growth, Jeremy Kingsley, describes how the critical element for outstanding leadership is the ability to inspire others to greatness. You will learn:

* Why inspiration is the critical element missing from many leadership skillsets

* Why leaders who inspire their teams and organizations achieve superior performance

* How to add the essential skills that inspire others to your own leadership toolbox

* How to transform ordinary performance to the extraordinary through inspiration



Jeremy Kingsley (photo left) is one of the most sought after speakers in the country. Since 1995 he has spoken to over 500,000 people at live events around the world. He has given over 2000 keynote speeches and his messages have reached millions through radio, television, and the internet. He is a master storyteller and connects with audiences through the perfect blend of humor, inspiration, and relevant principles to help each individual. He believes that inspired people produce results and that people can change, grow, and fulfill their personal and professional dreams.

Jeremy is the author of four books, Inspired People Produce Results: How Great Leaders Use Passion, Purpose and Principles to Unlock Incredible Growth (2013), Getting Back Up When Life Knocks You Down (2011), Be Last – Descending to Greatness (2008), One Step Closer – to a life worth living (2004).

World-renowned leadership expert Ken Blanchard said, "Jeremy drives home one of my deepest principles of life and leadership: It's not about you. His message speaks directly to the reader as if it were a personal conversation. Read this book.”

His early years were spent in the frigid winters of Wisconsin and his teen years in the politically charged environment of Washington, DC. In both places Jeremy learned a lot about character, integrity, and passion. After playing three years on the varsity basketball team in high school, he scored over 1000 points and was named Conference Most Valuable Player his senior year.

Jeremy has the heart of an athlete and understands the importance of commitment, determination, and purpose. He then went on to college and graduate-school, Jeremy holds bachelors and masters degrees from Columbia International University.

Jeremy and his wife Dawn, live in Columbia, South Carolina with their sons, Jaden and Dylan.

Listen live on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with renowned speaker, founder and President of OneLife Leadership and author of the perceptive and engaging book Inspired People Produce Results: How Great Leaders Use Passion, Purpose and Principles to Unlock Incredible Growth, Jeremy Kingsley, describes how the critical element for outstanding leadership is the ability to inspire others to greatness. Jeremy Kingsley presents the concept that leaders are much more than managers, and that any manager can become an inspirational leader whose followers achieve superior results. Despite managers believing that training, technology, processes, and financial statements are critical, Jeremy Kingsley demonstrates that inspiration of people is real missing ingredient to success. Jeremy shares the essential skills that leaders must develop within themselves, and the techniques to utilize those skills to inspire members of the team or organization. Jeremy Kingsley shows what people really want and expect from the leaders they follow, and offers the skills necessary to add them to the leader's toolbox. Learn why it's crucial to become a leader who inspires, and how to become a leading inspirational leader yourself on Blog Business Success Radio.