Habit #5 – Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood


Stephen Covey defines this habit as listening to a person with genuine empathy. which in turn invites them to listen with empathy to you. If this sounds vaguely familiar, it should. Whether it’s a parent who told you that “God gave you two ears and one mouth, so you can listen twice as much as…

Read More

Habit #4 – Think Win-Win


This is my favorite of the habits, as it is at the core of any great team. In Rabbi Daniel Lapin’s Book, Business Secrets from the Bible, Lapin repeatedly states that the purpose of business is to serve the needs of others. After all, if you aren’t serving the needs of anyone, then you have…

Read More

Habit #3 – Put First Things First


Habit #3 – Put First Things First In our last installment I commented that habit #2 may be the most easily understood habit for me, and I stick to that statement. With that said, habit #3 is probably where I fail the most. To give a frank self-assessment, this is where I become my own worst…

Read More

Fun 401(k) Math – Defensively Investing Your Retirement


So this post will be a bit of a departure from my normal data ramblings and musings, but hopefully it’ll show that analytical minds will analyze just about anything. I know mine does! As any of my current or previous coworkers will tell you, I am a huge advocate of investing in your 401(k) for…

Read More

Habit #2 – Begin With the End in Mind


Habit #2 – Begin With the End in Mind This may be the most easily understood habit for me, and if you’ve read this blog previously, you’ll find it a recurring theme here. Whether it’s having the foresight to plan ahead and architect the data warehouse (instead of just fulfilling the basic requirements), building it…

Read More

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Data Workers


My kids attend an elementary school who follows the Leader in Me program run by Franklin-Covey. Part of the program is to emphasize the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People when praising individual performance and citizenship actions among the students in the school. With school kicking back off recently, I was inspired to start a…

Read More

Business Before Metrics


Don’t let the pursuit of metrics hurt your basic business model. It is imperative to remember that metrics in and of themselves should supplement and enhance business decisions, but not necessarily be the end all and be all of your business. On this Memorial Day, I can think of no better example than that of…

Read More

Greater Purpose


I’ve talked repeatedly about planning ahead and the importance of having a perfect data transfer for your data to tell the complete truth. Here is a real life example of this philosophy in action. Several months ago, I stumbled across this video about a new tradition at the University of Iowa’s home football games. Take a moment to…

Read More

Lessons From Childhood – The Three Little Pigs


For those not familiar with the children’s story, you can click here for an entertaining rendition, or read further. The story begins with three little pigs, each of whom chooses to build a home – one of straw, one of sticks, and one of bricks. The first little pig build his home out of straw. He…

Read More

Thinking Inside the Box


When I was 19, I attended a leadership school where one of the sessions focused on trying to sell an otherwise undesirable product. In the workshop, we were given the opportunity to try and come up with reasons to purchase a bucket of excrement. Many of the people concentrated on the practical uses for poop….

Read More