Monthly Archives: June 2010

June 2010: The Outliers

Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell, 2008.

Wow, this book really opens your eyes to what makes highly successful people so… successful! I have read it over and over because it is absolutely fascinating.  We usually think of highly successful people having genetics and lots of luck but actually the true story is very different – much more complex and interesting than it first looks. Based on extensive research, Gladwell exposes some fascinating commonalities between extremely successful people including Silicon Valley billionaires, professional ice hockey players, New York lawyers, the Beatles and the Asians at math.  The chapter on why commercial airlines crashes occurred is enough to convince you to never fly again!

But my takeaway is Gladwell’s research undeniably confirms that it’s the opportunities that young people are exposed to that make all the difference in the world.  It’s their family, their community, their culture and even their birthplace and birthdates that initially open doors for them.  And then it is their willingness to seize those opportunities and with dedication, support and more doors opening that true success is achieved.  It inspires me to double my efforts to open more of those doors for both our young people in Northern Nevada but also adults in our community.

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June Tip 2010: Mentoring Others

Mentoring Others: Giving Others an Opportunity

It’s been a very busy month with training commitments, a flurry of family arriving in town and the excitement and rush of high school graduation festivities for my daughter, Barbara. She is off to Syracuse University in New York along with many of her classmates who are also heading to the East Coast for school.

As I watch the excitement of these new chapters unfolding, I am struck repeatedly of how important it is for these young adults (and us older folks too) to find and maximize our opportunities not only in this life chapter but in that next exciting chapter. And it’s those relationships, the professional and the personal, that open doors and help pave the way.

  • Give Informational Interviews
  • Invite a young professional to partner with you
  • Create opportunities for several of you to collaborate

Pass the mantle of expertise down to that next generation. Then you can jump to that next adventure for yourself.

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