In his book “Adventures in the Screen Trade” William Goldman wrote NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING. Literally. The words appear in all caps, twice. Goldman, who wrote such classics as “Marathon Man” and “The Princess Bride” (novel and screenplay for both), was referring to studio executives. He illustrated his point by citing multiple examples of high-ranking executives […]
The Art of Giving Advice and/or Feedback
For those of you who feel the urge to be helpful (or simply find yourself being directly asked for input), please consider that providing useful insights is much more difficult than it seems. Example – backstage just before a sketch show, a talented performer is stressing out to the point that he looks like he […]
Why You Should Ignore Advice (and what to do instead)
If the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, then advice is the asphalt. This is especially true of unsolicited advice. Almost any recent college graduate has received it. Well-meaning friends and relatives begin offering insights unbidden. Ostensibly they are trying to help. In reality, they are talking to themselves. You can confirm this […]
A Lesson In Leadership from the NBA
What will people remember 100 years from now of the current pandemic? Statistics might get tossed about, and some details about the virus may stand out. But individual dates and actions will most likely be lost. Some should be preserved, not only for what happened, but also for who took action. Consider March 11, 2020, […]