Please do not vote!

Now that I have your attention, please do not vote in the upcoming elections unless you know something about the candidates: local, state and national.

Too many people just vote for a party or a person without really understanding their positions. To prove my point, I listened to a clip someone sent me about a radio disc jockey who sent someone out to ask people who they were voting for. Almost everyone that responded said Obama, but then the interviewer listed all the positions and had the person again pick which positions matched theirs. Most of the people picked McCain's positions and were mad at the interviewer for tricking them. No, they are uninformed and only voting for a name.

My son Tyler, did the same thing with his 5th grade class as part of their discussion on thinking for yourself. Most of the kids said they would vote for Obama, but when Tyler listed there positions on the whiteboard and asked them to pick which side they agree with most, they picked McCain.

So ALL of us have a responsibility to be an informed voter. Just about any news website, Foxnews, MSNBC, etc, have a voter guides of position comparisons. For Christians, the AFA and local organizations can also provide a voter guide to accurately compare the candidates. My suggestion is start with the Bible! It tells what is important. Opposition to Abortion and Homosexulaity, are 2 examples of where the Bible is clear. We need to vote for candidates at all levels who support biblical truth.

REMEMBER: A lot of the focus is on McCain & Obama, but the Congress can Stop any crazy ideas from bring put into law. So those elections are just as important as the President.

SO, get informed and then VOTE!!

Hello from Arizona!

I was welcomed to Arizona on Monday with 90 degree temperatures, unfortunately it was at 8:00 PM! But since it was a dry heat, it only seemed hotter than the 50 degree temps I left in Columbus. Glad I left my sweater in my car, I would have looked an idiot getting off the plane with it on.

Long days of work are not giving me much downtime. 5 training sessions per day for 3 days keeps me busy. Each session can last up to 2 hours, and tonight is the late night with the last session ending at 8 PM local time which is 11 PM Ohio time.

Yesterday was Angela's birthday. I asked what she wanted and all she wanted was a trip to Gatlinburg for her birthday present. Since we are going there next week on vacation, that will be easy to do. I'll let her buy herself something special.

Tyler called and they finally rented his old house! He was so excited, now he can send his Christmas list (yes our married school teacher son still sends a list to Santa). I think I will ask his wife, Rachel, to sign it before he sends it showing her approval.

Other than not being with my queen, I am enjoying the trip OK. Arizona is a nice place to visit, if you like brown.

I am staying at a resort close by that used to be the spring training location for the San Fransisco Giants baseball team. The pool is in the shape of a baseball bat, the hot tub is a baseball, and the front parking lot is laid out like a baseball diamond! Pretty cool.

Food great, that's all for now.

Press ON!

What I do for a living.

Many of my friends, and even some family members who want to know what I do for a living. It is hard to explain but here goes.

My job is unique in that I am work with all aspects of the business: sales, manufacturing, and R&D, developing leadership development programs and teaching them how to solve problems.

To help my family and friends understand what I am doing traveling, I have added the Blog from the LaMarsh Consulting group. I am the only certified instructor in the company for this program.

When I am traveling, this is about 75% of what I am doing, teaching people how to successfully manage changes related to projects or strategic plans.

Bible in a minute

What should we do while we are waiting for God to answer our prayers?

Wednesday Catching up.

1. I was in Chicago Monday and Tuesday for a training class. Just got back into town. I did get to eat at my favorite breakfast place, Walker Brothers. I had pumpkin pancakes and a baked omelet, both very good.
2. Did you hear the news about the guy who named his new born baby girl, "Sarah McCain Palin Smith"? And DID NOT tell his wife! He was on the news this AM and mentioned that his wife did not think that was a good idea. Talk about someone in trouble.
3. Did you notice gas prices? They are below $3 per gallon! Now if we could get them below $2 again, all would be well.
4. How is your 401K? Mine was down about 10%, but I am not worried, I cannot retire for awhile anyway.
5. Getting ready for a vacation at the end of the month, annual trip to Gatlinburg with our TN friends. Should catch the leaves turning just about the right time.
6. How about them Browns?! They finally looked like a playoff worthy team, now, can they keep it going.
7. Buckeyes have a tough one this week at Michigan State.
8. Had a great family bonfire and hayride last Friday. Jordan was there with some of her friends as well as everyone else, other than Tyler and Rachel. They chose to spend the week in Destin, Florida with her grandparents. Good choice!
9. Most exciting thing about the hayride was Charlie brought a stun gun, and let people act like they using it on each other. The only question I had was, why? If I wanted shocked I would put my finger into a light socket.
10. On a related note, there was a guy in my class this week who is a certified taser instructor, what are the odds?
11. Start teaching at MVNU - Newark, on Monday 10/27, teach Human Resources Management.
12. That's all for now, PRESS ON and MAKE GOOD DECISIONS!

Things I don't get - updated Friday

• On my way home from work tonight, I counted 23 McCain signs and only 6 Obama signs, yet the media wants to tell us that McCain is behind in the polls? Sounds like they are not polling the right people.
• Why do we "park" in a "driveway" and "drive" on things like the "bluegrass parkway" which doesn't have grass or a place to park.
• Why do people use "safe haven" laws to drop off their teenagers at hospitals? I heard on the news tonight that Nebraska passed a safe haven law for mothers did not want their new babies, but so far 9 teenagers were dropped off by parents, 1 from another state!
• Why has Brandon not brought Mandy home yet? They went to Lancaster
• Why the TV show "The Office" is not on every night? (Thursday night's show was an instant classic)
• Why family members can be hurtful to other family members and nice to non-family members?
• Why when our family plans to have a bonfire the temperature goes up to about 80 on that day?
• Why Jesus died for me, but I am glad He did!
• Why are some people so willing to help others and others avoid it like the plague?
• Why do some people only go to church on Sunday morning?
• Why are the Buckeyes rated so low in the polls when they have a whole new starting backfield than those who started the USC game?
• Why do some people never say thank you?

Nehemiah - The Leader

As I am sitting here studying for my CONNECT group lesson, I am reflecting on how great a leader Nehemiah really was. All he did was:

1. Saw a need
2. Took ownership of it
3. Created a vision of success
4. Laid out a plan
5. Got others to join in in the cause.
6. Stayed with it until it was completed

No meetings, no complaining, no saying "why doesn't someone do something?", no starting something and then stopping halfway through.

He took it upon himself to solve the problem. No miracles from God, nobody healed or raised from the dead. God simply answered prayers by providing a leader with favor, strength, and wisdom. Then the work of God was put into action in the day to day grind of committed workers under his leadership, ordinary people enjoying God's blessing as they followed a gifted leader.

I look at leaders at work that are good, 1 of the things that makes them successful is that ability to focus on 1 or 2 clear goals and staying with them until completion.

Bad leaders follow what I call a "management by best seller" approach, whatever the latest fad or new management book on the market is, they adjust their focus and direction to that.

Guess which one people like to follow? Right, it is the one who has a clear focus on the future, the one who does not start and stop 6 times throughout the year, the one who can explain in simple terms to their departments what success looks like. Good leaders are visible supporters of their teams efforts, are organized in their thinking and action, and encouraging to the team.

I look around today and see very few leaders as described above. I am so disappointed with the politicians and this financial bailout, too few stood up and said this was not a good idea. No one in a leadership position publicly stated any opposition. I just have a bad feeling that we taxpayers will suffer as a result of the decision made by 545 people in Washington.

$700 Billion (that's with a "B" as in BIG) is a lot of money. I am not even sure it is going to the right people. I know me and all of my friends could use little of that right now. Washington has lost touch with me and the people I know.

Can anyone say, Palin/Gingrich is 2012?

Nehemiah come back, we need you now!

Press On!