Friendly People Are Caring People,

Throughout Human History, People Have Developed Strong Loyalties To Traditions, Rituals, And Symbols. In The Most Effective Organizations, They Are Not Only Respected But Celebrated. It Is No Coincidence That The Most Highly Admired Corporations Are Also Among The Most Profitable. Why? Because Everyone Involved Is Committed To Certain Non-negotiable Core Values. Traditions Keep Them Alive. Rituals Such As Special Occasions Reaffirm Them. Symbols Serve As Constant Reminders Of Their Enduring Importance.

It Is Easier To Talk About Money -- And Much Easier To Talk About Sex -- Than It Is To Talk About Power. People Who Have It Deny It; People Who Want It Do Not Want To Appear To Hunger For It; And People Who Engage In Its Machinations Do So Secretly.

Our Future Will Be Shaped By The Assumptions We Make About Who We Are And What We Can Be.

The Difference Between "winners" And "losers" Is Not Whether They Face Obstacles And Setbacks - We All Do, And It Is Inevitable That Plans Do Not Unfold Exactly As Imagined Or That Unexpected Events Surprise Us Or That A Few Mistakes Happen. The Real Difference Is That "winners" Bounce Back From A Fumble Or A Loss By Refusing To Panic, Analyzing The Situation And Looking For Positive Actions They Can Take To Correct The Problem, And Then Go On To Resume Winning.

Sports Is A Perfect Activity In Which To See Streaks And Cycles, Organizational And Otherwise, In Action - And To Watch Confidence Build Or Erode. There Are Repeated Episodes Of Performance With Similar Rules And Clear Winners Or Losers. I Added Team Sports To My Studies Of Business Because There Are Excellent Parallels To Work Groups In The Performance Of Sports Teams And Also Excellent Parallels To Larger, More Complex Businesses Or Organizations In The Strategy, Structure, And Culture Surrounding Any Particular Team.