Doing Business in Real Time
About this Blog:
The global economy has a life of its own, it lives in real-time, and we are all part of it. Hello brave new world.
A Life People Only Dream About
The rank of self-made man or woman is the most honored rank in business (and life)
Is the world created moment to moment in real-time by our intentions and our actions? Is the world just a dream that we believe in and act on? What would happen if I lived as if this was true?
Since the most honored title in business is the title of self-made man (or woman), maybe it is true.
But it’s scary. What if I act and the world doesn’t respond? And it’s hard. The world is always testing my commitment. I’m a self-appointed guru and Grand Poobah of IT agility and business innovation – who the heck am I to do what I do and say what I say? Maybe I should just get over it; do something else; make smaller plans even if they don’t stir my soul. How do I know what to do?
These thoughts swirled through my head the other day as I walked down the street from my office to the local coffee house. The place is a bohemian mix of college students studying, folks from the neighborhood visiting, and free-lancers working on their latest projects. As I walked in, my favorite spot opened up; it’s the cushy armchair by the plate-glass window up front that looks out on the sidewalk and the grand old apartment building across the street. From there I can survey the patrons, listen in on nearby conversations and watch people passing by outside. I dropped my coat and stuff on the chair and went to the counter to order my usual – a large foamy café-au-lait served in a big ceramic mug.
While waiting for my ‘au-lait, I looked down at a pile of newspapers and picked up an old copy of the Chicago Tribune (Sept. 25, 2007) and took it back with me when my drink came.
Flipping through the pages, a man’s picture caught my eye. I found myself looking down at the smiling face of an older man, maybe early 70s, full white beard neatly trimmed, thinning white hair, sun-tanned face - something of a cross between Santa Claus and Ernest Hemingway. I saw the article was an obituary for this man; his name was Robert L. Link (1929 – 2007). As I started to read, I felt a tingling sensation at the back of my head and yes… it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
What is that phenomenon that happens when you have a question; when you’re looking for an answer; when something like this just pops up? You know what I mean; you’re thinking about someone and then they call you on the phone; coincidences happen that seem to be more than just coincidences. Is Robert L. Link (or some higher power) trying to tell me something?
Robert worked at one of the major Chicago TV stations in the 50s and 60s and rose to become executive producer of a popular show and the station program director. Then in 1969 he left the station for a sailing voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.
“And it changed his life,” said his friend and business partner Lorraine Freeman. “He never went back to work for anyone ever again.” Robert Link found his passion in sailing. In 1971 he sailed with Ted Turner off Australia and they won the Sydney to Hobart race. He was involved in the Southern Ocean Racing Circuit.
“Well I’ll be…” I said to myself. “Yeh, but he was buddies with Ted Turner and that opened doors for him,” said another voice inside my head. At that point a dueling chorus of
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