“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.” – John F. Kennedy (September 1962)

Check out this Washington Post article about how Mark Murphy, CEO of Leadership IQ, helps his employees set hard goals for themselves, and how this has … read more

About a month ago, I had the opportunity to spend a whole day with Marines.  And it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.  I’ve always felt a lot of respect for Marines, and although I had met several in my lifetime, most of my impressions of the Marines came from ads and news stories. I expected a group of men and women who exhibited behaviors consistent with the Marines’ values of “honor, courage and commitment”.  Through a jam-packed day…from 7AM to 11PM, I learned … read more

If I asked you what the sound of Freedom was, what would you say?  Someone singing the National Anthem?  The ringing of the Liberty Bell?  How about the sound of a Harley Davidson Motorcycle?

Living in DC, I’ve gotten used to the sight and sound of “Rolling Thunder.”  For those of you who don’t know, Rolling Thunder is the name the organization that plans the annual Ride for Freedom to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall over Memorial Day weekend.  Since their original ride in 1988, the event has grown … read more

Last night I sat down to draft a “Brand Manifesto” for one of our clients.  (A Brand Manifesto brings a brand promise to life by emotionally connecting with the audience and inspiring them to rally behind the greater meaning of the brand’s core purpose.)  My team remarked how inspired the writing was, and asked me how I did it.  Well, I thought, I guess I was inspired by memorable rhetoric I have encountered in life…The Declaration of Independence, MLK’s “I have a dream” speech, and even Jerry Maguire’s … read more

Everyone knows that Google is one of the most creative companies out there.  We love the morphing logo that celebrates St. Patrick’s Day, New Year’s and other special occasions.  Admittedly, Google has been a household name, world-wide, for a decade, but I thought it was still a bold move…and one that suits Google’s culture…to change their name to Topeka for April Fool’s Day.  (If you haven’t heard the story, Topeka, Kansas unofficially re-named their city for a month in hopes of being one of … read more