Teleios Blog

While shopping at Lowe’s this weekend I noticed something I had looked over many times before. I was shopping for blueberry and raspberry bushes for our farm. Have you ever noticed the tags on the bushes depicting the fruit growing on the tree? This is brilliant marketing.

I write this post somewhat reluctantly, but I feel compelled to do so because it is such a challenging time for our country. I am not reluctant out of lack of heartbreak for what happened in Minneapolis. The family of George Floyd watched their loved one die at the hands of someone who is supposed to be in a position of trust. It is unacceptable, and wrong on so many levels. My reluctance in writing this post is not because I do not want to speak to the wrong, but rather that I don’t want to jump on a bandwagon and simply repeat what is in the echo chamber. Many authentically want change but some are joining the echo chamber because of peer pressure, I don’t want to be one of the later just offering up platitudes.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

What in the world is going on?  I am sure you have said those words these past two weeks, I know I have.  Two weeks ago, my family and I were on Spring Break in Florida when all this hit.  We cut our trip short and came back early.

Today, in the midst of the chaos and unpredictability we’re all experiencing, a friend shared an idea with me that impacted me deeply. He said that now is a great time to challenge our families, especially our children, to begin journaling. Why, you ask? Because 25 years from now we will look back on these times and realize that history was being written and defined during the day-to-day lives we led and the choices we made during this time. Much like other historical times have shown us, we’ll be marked and changed by these events.

What is the difference between a $2.2 million settlement, and a 110k fine? The answer is: an effective compliance program.  

I recently did a webinar on the topic of email: how we use it, and how to use it better. 

An organization’s financial accounting system has the potential to hold incredible amounts of useful data. It is like a storage building full of all the information you may need to make strong decisions and plan for your organization’s future. But sometimes the data cannot be easily obtained.

I spent some time over the holidays reflecting on the past year and trying to identify areas where I felt things had gone well, and areas where I felt challenged and wanted to make improvements to my own processes.

Happy 2020!
As we go into a new year and on the heels of the Cause and Purpose blog post, many of you reached out to me and asked a provocative question: who was a key influencer in shaping how I think?  Was there someone in my life who paid forward the wisdom of living with purpose, having a mission statement, defining my values, defining roles, and creating a vision statement?