Ellipsis Advisor

Guest Blog Tania Fowler – One Child at a Time

Illiteracy. One Child at a Time. by Tania Fowler I tutor kids who can’t read. They should be able to, they are in 5th and 6th grade after all, but for one reason or another, they can’t. Lord knows they try. They really try. They look at me with big wondrous eyes and want to

Leave your office

Believe it or not, work doesn’t get done in the meeting room or in your office. Get out of the office. Walk around and talk to your employees. Tell your employees what you are working on. Ask them what they are seeing and hearing little acts of recognition Impromptu Pizza lunches Be seen Listen. Overhear

It’s not about the lines on the orgchart

I had a conversation with a CEO about organizational changes they wanted to make. He was giving more accountability to one of his team members; in essence relinquishing some of his day to day responsibilities – the leader he was promoting would have some of her current peers reporting to her. In addition, some other

Be selfish

Be selfish Look at your calendar for the last two weeks. Are your work priorities well represented: Time with customers Time with team Time developing your people Time on key levers of your business plan Are your personal priorities well represented: Time for health Time for family Time for mindfulness/meditation/writing…. How much of your time

Mark Twain & Robert Louis Stevenson mashup

Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen – Mark Twain   Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others – Robert Louis Stevenson   Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please – Mark

I’m not here to listen to a Thriller

You have 30 minutes to give me a presentation. You have worked on it god knows how long. And while you are speaking, I am flipping ahead in your deck, trying to understand the key assumptions that underlie the points you are making. Don’t make me get out my calculator. If I pull out my

Are the Facts acceptable?

When it comes to decisions, you can rest assured of one thing.  You will never have all the facts.  Good decisions are made with facts, yes. But they include more than that.  Godd decisions are made based on your experience and the experience of those with whom you surround yourself. Good decisions are also a

Leading in Change

The Weather is changing The way we eat is changing The way we learn is changing The way we look at employment is changing The way we get entertained is changing The way we buy is changing The way we socialize is changing The way we travel is changing The way we live is changing

Happy Birthday, Ryan

Today is my son Ryan’s birthday. Ryan embraces the world. Ryan wears his emotions on his sleeve. Ryan is sociable beyond words. Ryan has a hard time saying no to his friends. He will give them the shirt off of his back. Ryan calls or texts his mother every day. Ryan doesn’t pull punches; you

Managing your time

Does how you manage your time, reflect the priorities you have established? Look at your calendar for the last months – do your appointments pertain to those priorities? Look at your meeting agendas – Do your agenda items map to your priorities? How much time do you have scheduled for meetings and appointments? Do you