leadership dots are now ONLY available at:  www.leadershipdots.com/blog If you wish to receive daily dots in your email as I hope you do, you MUST TAKE (a really quick) ACTION to receive them in the new format. 1) Go to www.leadershipdots.com/blog 2) Type in your email address and then hit the "FOLLOW" button. That's all there is to it. Easy peasy! Thanks for reading ..read more

In addition to hosting baseball, Yankee Stadium is also the home field for the New York City Football Club (soccer) even though the seasons overlap. As a result, the grounds crew at the stadium needs to convert the playing field from baseball to soccer and back as frequently as for one match. On the day we were there, the crew was out laying new turf to cover the infield dirt and anchoring the soccer goal stands in the outfield. Later the pitcher’s mound will be leveled and the field restriped – all for one soccer meet before the Yankees return to baseball. This seems like the kind of transit ..read more

One of my stops while in New York was a tour of Yankee Stadium, a place that is filled to the brim with history and legacy. Everywhere you go there is a reference to the 27 World Champions that the franchise has won – clearly impressive since second place is St. Louis which has only won 11. I noticed that the last trophy that the Yankees brought home was in 2009, which made me wonder when their championship dynasty occurred. What I learned was that since 2000, 12 different teams have won the World Series, with the Yankees only winning twice in those 18 years. The Boston Red Sox and the San Fr ..read more

On this Independence Day, not only do we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but it also marks the anniversary of the passing of President John Adams and President Thomas Jefferson. They died within five hours of each other on this date in 1826, the 50thyear of the country they helped to found. Adams and Jefferson were key patriots in the revolutionary effort and both contributed immensely to establish the democracy we have today. But after years of collaboration, the two differed significantly on how to run the country and they became bitter adversaries… …until they ch ..read more

One of the things that make Manhattan great is how the city is characterized by its districts: the financial district, meatpacking district, the jewelry district, etc. While I was there we stayed in the garment district, and while I am neither a sewer or fashion aficionado, the retail this area attracts was fascinating. Blocks of stores carried the most unique fabric patterns, furs, laces, feathers and leathers. Entire buildings were dedicated to nothing but embellishments and garment accessories. If you wanted the exact button or closure, the Garment District is your place. Having ..read more

You will no longer receive leadership dots in your email after July 6 unless you follow the steps below. If you wish to continue receiving daily dots in your email as I hope you do, you MUST TAKE (a really quick) ACTION to continue receiving them in the new format. To ensure there is no interruption: 1) Hit "Unsubscribe" at the bottom of this email. 2) Go to www.leadershipdots.com/blog 3) Type in your email address and then hit the "FOLLOW" button. That's all there is to it. Easy peasy! I hope you'll follow the dots to their new home. Thanks for reading ..read more

I just returned from a fantastic trip to New York City, a place that could not be much more different from where I live. Everything about Manhattan screams energy and a frenetic pace – quite the contrast from life in small town Iowa. When was in the Big Apple, I felt transported to another world not just a different city. “New York is a great place to visit but I wouldn’t want to live there,” I said to my sister. It reminded me of the corollary that is often said about our state: “Iowa is a great place to live but I wouldn’t want to visit.” There is truth to both statements. It is difficult ..read more

It used to be that there was a photo developer on every corner. Drug stores, department stores, drive up kiosks, separate one-hour photo stores – everyone had a substantial amount of space and equipment dedicated to processing pictures. And then came the camera phone and sharing took place digitally instead of through print. Approximately 52 million photos are uploaded onto Instagram each day, and none of them need a developer for processing. Some stores still offer photo developing, but I wonder how long they will continue to utilize prime retail space for such functions. Target ..read more

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle at LaGuardia airport, travelers now have the option of a respite. Soundproof cubicles with a writing shelf are available to rent in 15-minute increments (for $30/hr). It reminded me of old-fashioned phone booths, only with an Internet connection and place to sit down. These booths provide a place to conduct calls, participate by video or just get work done without distraction. They bill it as “a workspace to think, create, connect and recharge.” I could use one of them in my home! In a world of open office spaces and community gathering points, there ..read more

In a move that I will never understand, the Iowa state legislature approved the sale of fireworks but left it up to individual municipalities to decide whether or not it was legal to shoot the devices. In the city where I live, it is illegal to light off fireworks, but very legal to sell them. Thus, in several parking lots throughout town, we have big tents of vendors selling the pyrotechnics that are forbidden to be (legally) used. Of course, the vendors have no incentive to clarify the distinction to customers, and buyers assume that they are legal because they are being ..read more