Sylvia Lafair
Charles sat down and wiped the perspiration from his forehead. He looked at the fifteen others in the room. He could not decide if he felt relieved or embarrassed. That was it. Finally, John broke the silence by saying quietly, “We are truly sorry. Thank you for your honesty and openness.†There was nothing more…
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Twice a year we do a program for leaders and emerging leaders. It is a four session program spread over five months. Each time I include clips of leaders who have and continue to make a difference in our world. There are a few staples, like Nelson Mandela and Abraham Lincoln. We choose from a…
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I was sitting having a quick dinner in Manhattan with some colleagues. The place was packed and the noise level high. Just a typical 6:30 p.m. time of workplace decompressing, after one of those typical rush and get it done days. At the table to the left we heard “No one should be forced to…
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There is an old saying, “Technology changes, people don’t.†It’s kind of depressing to think that with all the good stuff at our finger tips, we are not much different from Neanderthal man and woman. Well, maybe we dress better. As social beings, everything we do is interactive and contextual. And yes, technology has changed…
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Last weekend we trekked to Manhattan for the season premiere of ALIVE: 55+ and Kicking. And what a day it was. Just being in the presence of the executive producer, Vy Higginsen would have been enough. However, the day brought so much that I simply want to stand up and applaud the entire cast and…
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Since most of us prefer information to be fast and direct, here is the missing puzzle piece right up front: what happened in our original organization, the family, goes with us to work…whether we like it or not. When I stumbled on this counter-intuitive nugget of knowledge it changed the direction of my career to…
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I have a birth to announce. Beautiful babies come in various packages. Some in the warm skin of an infant son or daughter. Others as works of art, music, photography, dance, the written word. Joan Scharff just gave birth to a wonderful book of poems and pictures. I met her several years ago when she…
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We know all the basics: lots of fresh air, sleep, fruits and vegetables, friendships, and loving parents. There is one extra area that works like a charm. It is kids teaching kids. You see, too much adult supervision and youngsters stop listening. All they hear is blah, blah, blah. And more than that, there is…
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I sat through the Golden Globe Awards hoping to see and hear something that would stay with me emotionally. With all the sixth grade humor about butt holes, alcohol and sexual innuendos I was able to multitask and get some work done on my new book, “Every Word Counts.†I kept thinking “When did we…
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I just came home from shopping for the last minute gifts for my family. Was it fun? Well, some of it was and some of it was rather annoying. I took time to observe my reactions to the good moments and the sour ones. Then I found some research that aligned with my feelings and…
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