Review of "Who's Your Mike?" by Kurt Wilkin

 There are numerous reasons why I am excited that Kurt Wilkin has decided to share wisdom that he has gleaned from his own career of growing several successful businesses, as well as offering lessons he has learned in guiding other business owners. Kurt is a gifted storyteller. In "Who's Your Mike?" he uses his natural “down home” style to illustrate principles of how to grow a successful business to the next level of profitability. He lays out the clear and easy to understand principles. And then he is fearless in sharing through successes and mistakes, how he has come to embrace those principle for himself and his clients. I have personally benefitted from Kurt’s generous sharing of lessons learned. I am excited that now a broad readership will have the same opportunity as those of us who know him personally.

Updating the Role of Chief of Staff - A Timely Republication

 

In light of the fact the I have undertaken to begin a search for the Chief of Staff in support of the CEO of a client company - a growing tech company in San Francisco - it makes sense to republish an article first posted a few years ago. Anyone wishing to be considered as a candidate for this role would be well served to read or re-read this description of the Chief of Staff role. The strategic approach to the COS role described below is precisely the vision that my client's CEO has for the role they are creating.

One of my earliest Blog postings addressed the role of Chief of Staff in the private sector.  At the time that I wrote the White Paper that I shared in that Blog posting, it was rare to find a corporation that was employing a Chief of Staff in support of a CEO or Chairman of the Board.  In the intervening few years, I have become aware of a significant increase in the awareness of the effectiveness of a Chief of Staff in optimizing the performance of a C-level executive.  

As a result of the Blog post and the White Paper being available on line, I have received countless inquires regarding the Chief of Staff role.  Companies have hired me to help them to define and create such a role, to search for and to hire a Chief of Staff.  Women and men working in the role of Chief of Staff have reached out to me to ask for advice and for help in networking with others operating in similar roles.  One result of these interactions has been the creation of a LinkedIn Group for Corporate Chiefs of Staff.

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4564956&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr

With the increased awareness of this role and its importance, I have been asked to re-address the issue.  So, I have updated and revised the White Paper, and share it with you today.

It is my desire that in reading this comprehensive treatment of the role of Chief of Staff, you may be motivated to think about creating such a role within your organization or sharing this information with those in your network who may also have a need for someone to serve in this role.  I look forward to working with you in creating and filling the role of Chief of Staff to make you an even more effective leader.

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Chief of Staff – A Force Multiplier!

by

Dr. Al Chase

Founder

White Rhino Partners

achase47@gmail.com

A few years ago, I attended a symposium sponsored by the Boston University School of Management.  The two keynote speakers were Lee Iacocca and James Quigley, CEO of Deloitte & Touche.  In preparation for hearing Mr. Quigley speak, I read his bio printed in the conference program.  What jumped out at me immediately was the fact that early in his career with D&T Quigley has served in the role of Chief of Staff in the Office of the Chairman.

I had already begun to be intrigued with the role of Chief of Staff – a role I am convinced is under-utilized in the business world.  Since many of the candidates I place are military veterans, through learning of their careers, I have become familiar with the military functional role of the XO – Executive Officer.  The Navy’s Command Leadership School in Newport, RI devotes an entire course to training XO’s to function in their role as “Second in Command.”  A friend of mine, a West Point graduate and Desert Storm combat veteran, recently spent several years as Chief of Staff supporting the Chairman of the Board of a Fortune 100 Company.  My friend calls the role of the Chief of Staff a “force multiplier.”  Properly deployed, a good Chief of Staff can magnify the effective of the C-level executive he or she is supporting.  Yet I find that it is the rare company that employs a Chief of Staff.  Even rarer is the corporation that has a Chief of Staff and utilizes that person and that role to full effect.

During the course of the BU Symposium, I had several opportunities to have one-on-one conversations with Mr. Quigley, and to query him on his background as a former Chief of Staff.  In answer to my question about his retrospective look at his early role as Chief of Staff, the gist of his answer could best be summarized as follows:

“I am not sure I would be where I am today if I had not been given that extraordinary opportunity early in my career.  I was rubbing shoulders on a daily basis with all of the strategic decision makers in the company.  I was exposed to ideas, challenges, responsibilities and opportunities that most people at my age and at my stage of career never dreaming about.  In addition, I was mentored, coached and stretched by visual leaders who gave me opportunities to prove what I was capable of doing.”

I was interested in testing out whether, in his current role as CEO at Deloitte & Touche, Quigley still held as high a view of the role of Chief of Staff as he had early in his career.  In my last meeting with him that day, I asked: “Do you currently have someone serving in the capacity of Chief of Staff in support of you?”

Quigley answered: “No; I have three different persons in that role, each one providing invaluable support in a specific area of supportive strategic initiatives.”

There is the proof of the pudding!

Chief of Staff - A Force Multiplier

Part II – Functional Roles of a Chief of Staff

In this section, I would like to examine some of the specific functional roles a good Chief of Staff should be able to perform on behalf of the C-level being supported.  My observations are based upon a composite of several Fortune 500 companies with whom I have discussed Chief of Staff roles over the course of the past few months.  These companies include leaders in Consumer Packaged Goods, Electronic Trading, Consulting and Telecommunications.  For the purpose of describing these functional roles, we will assume that the Chief of Staff is serving in support of a CEO or Chairman of the Board.

·          The Chief of Staff Role does not replace the role of a good Executive Assistant. The COS and the EA work hand-in-hand to ensure that the CEO’s time is planned and expended with maximum efficiency and effectiveness.  In short, the EA functions in an administrative capacity – managing calendar, appointments, travel logistics, etc.  The COS operates at a tactical, strategic and operational level, often handling the oversight of projects that do not neatly fit within the organizational chart or fall between departments or leaders areas of responsibility.

·         The COS is best used in tracking strategic initiatives by monitoring progress towards meeting goals and achieving benchmarks, analyzing data, ensuring follow-through on the part of key players, and sustaining momentum needed to drive these initiatives.

·         The COS reviews action items decided upon at each strategic meeting. He/she prepares a written summary, checks with each attendee to get sign-off on agreed-upon dates of completion and confirms the party responsible for following up on each action item.

·         Between meetings, the COS stays connected with members of the committee, collecting data, alerting the CEO to progress or problems in carrying out the initiatives agreed upon.

·         The COS creates and operates a reporting system that allows for a timely flow of necessary data into the office of the CEO from all relevant departments and direct reports.

·         The COS assists the CEO in developing communication between committee meetings, setting agendas, creating initial drafts of communications to key strategic team members, helping to prioritize plans for addressing issues that are impacting progress towards initiative benchmarks.

·         The COS serves as a first alert system – an extra set of eyes and ears – keeping the CEO aware of unanticipated problems to be addressed or opportunities to be considered.

·         The COS develops and oversees a process for capturing, cataloging, analyzing and disseminating key lessons to be learned from initiatives, with a view towards helping the CEO propagate best practices throughout the enterprise.

·         The COS functions in the role of “ambassador” for the CEO, buffering communication with other members of the strategic team in cases where there are sensitive issues to be addressed.

Here is an example of this role in practice:

COS calls Brand Manager for Brand XYZ:

“Tony, this is Sharon. We agreed that next Tuesday you would meet with Bob to report on progress in changing the packaging. You mentioned in your weekly report that your design team is three weeks behind in agreeing upon a new package. I know that Bob is very concerned that if we can’t deliver the next packaging on schedule, we are going to lose more market share. I know your meeting next Tuesday will go well if you come with a specific plan for how to get this project back on track before the next Board meeting. See you Tuesday at 9:00."

It would take a pretty extraordinary individual to be able to juggle all of these balls, satisfy all of the key stake holders, massage sensitive egos and do it all with efficiency and grace. Such an individual would have to have developed a robust set of hard skills and soft skills.  In the next section, we will take a look at these specific skills and intangible traits needed to be an outstanding Chief of Staff.

Chief of Staff - A Force Multiplier

Part III –Specific Skills Needed to Succeed As Chief of Staff

We now turn our attention to examining the professional characteristics, functional skills and personal traits that are required of a stellar Chief of Staff.

A Chief of Staff must possess in abundance a well-balanced arsenal of what are often called “hard skills” and “soft skills.”

HARD SKILLS:

·         Project management – Each strategic initiative being tracked on behalf of the CEO whom the Chief of Staff supports is a project to be managed.  Inherent in the oversight of these initiatives are the sub-skills of:

o   Multi-tasking

o   Time management

o   Prioritization

o   Benchmarking

o   Trouble shooting

o   Reporting

·         Information gathering and analysis – The COS needs to be able to create and to utilize systems (both formal and informal) for gathering on behalf of his/her boss reliable information on what is happening throughout the enterprise with regard to the strategic initiatives being tracked.

o   This aspect of the job can be a challenge, since those charged with providing timely updates are not direct reports to the COS.  This aspect of the job requires a high level of sophistication in communications, interpersonal relations and diplomacy on the part of the COS. (See soft skills below)

·         A keen mind and multi-focal intelligence – The COS will be juggling many balls in support of the boss.  She/he must have a quick but thorough grasp of the salient issues and details of each initiative to be able to make evaluations and recommendations to the CEO.  This is tantamount to being a “jack of all trades” and “master of all”!

·         Poise and grace under pressure – The pressure to perform at the highest level will be relentless, since by definition, each strategic initiative is mission-critical and crucial to the well being of the organization.  No unimportant matters float up to the CEO to be addressed.

·         Finely honed communication skills – The COS will need to be able to communicate in writing and verbally with great precision and effectiveness:

o   Upwards to the CEO

o   Laterally to others on the executive team

o   Downwards throughout the organizational chart

o   Externally to other organizations

SOFT SKILLS:

·         Unimpeachable integrity – By reputation and by consistent performance, the COS must be viewed by the C-level executive as utterly trustworthy.  Each stakeholder must also be confident that the COS is operating on a solid ethical foundation of personal values that are transparent.

·         Selflessness – The COS must gain satisfaction from serving in a support role, and not feel the need to be in the limelight or receive public acclaim for victories and successes.

·         Emotional stability and resilience– Because of the high stakes attached to each strategic initiative that is being tracked, and by virtue of the high level of accountability that is expected of each player, the atmosphere in which the COS works is one of high pressure and high expectations.  Thin-skinned and easily bruised egos need not apply!

·         The ability to give and receive constructive criticism – Human nature and the nature of organizational behavior almost guarantee that the COS will often be operating in an environment when one or more initiatives are off-track, over-budget and behind-schedule.  Supporting the boss in holding individuals accountable, coaching and correcting their performance is a crucial skill.

·         Diplomacy skills – The COS will often be expected to represent the boss in dealing with individuals whose teams may have missed deadlines or benchmarks.  Careers, bonuses and promotions may be on the line, so the COS often operates in a volatile environment in which the wrong word or the wrong tone of voice could derail a delicate situation.

·         Keen judgment – The COS must often make instantaneous choices about:

o   What to bring to the attention of the boss and what to shield her/him from;

§  The ability to “triage” information and determine when the boss needs to get it is also important. 

o   When to speak and when to remain silent;

o   When to intervene and when to let things run their course;

o   What information is reliable and what needs to be questioned and challenged;

o   How to respond to unanticipated developments;

o   How to best keep the boss focused on the top priorities;

o   How to help the boss see clearly through the “fog of war.”

o   When you’re speaking for the boss and when you’re speaking for yourself.

Wow!  We just described Superman or Wonder Woman.  Do such paragons of virtue exist in the real world?  We will address this crucial issue in our next section.

Chief of Staff - A Force Multiplier

Part IV –Finding the Right Person to Serve As Chief of Staff

The kind of person who meets all of the requirements described above is rare indeed.  And such an extraordinarily gifted individual would also have to be content and fulfilled serving in a “support role.” Where would one find such an individual?

My friend, John Byington, reminded me the other day of a terrific and apt quotation.  The line comes from the Korean War era film, “The Bridges of Toko Ri” and has been oft repeated: "Where do we find such men [and women]?"

From my experience as an executive recruiter, I can point to three primary sources where I have been able to discover individuals who possess the panoply of skills, traits and characteristics that are the hallmark of a great Chief of Staff:

1)      Military officers who have retired after a full career

2)      Junior military officers who have 5-10 years of leadership experience leavened with a top-tier MBA to add business sense and analytical tools to their arsenal.

3)      Mature veterans of the “corporate battlefield” who have amassed knowledge, judgment, diplomacy and project management skills over the course of a broad-based business career.

Before describing in detail these three pools of potential Chiefs of Staff, let me offer the observation that the role of COS can be structured in two primary ways:

           

a)      As a role that the candidate would fill on a long-term basis – 5-10 years or more.  In this scenario, the COS sees himself/herself as a “Career XO” – a person who is content to remain in a strategically important behind the scenes role in support of a C-level executive.

b)      As a transitional role that is part of an overall approach to succession planning.  In this scenario, the COS serves for 2-3 years in a strategic support role with the understanding that at the end of that term of service, she/he will be given a general management role with P&L responsibility – Division President, Brand Manager, etc.  During the final year in the COS role, there would be a period of overlap – selecting, training and transitioning in a new COS to carry on seamlessly the support functions.   

Now, back to the three pools of candidates . . .

1)      Military officers who have retired after a full career

This type of candidate fits best in the long term COS role.  For many men and women who have served our nation for 20 years or more, they still desire to make a contribution and build a fulfilling second career that will leverage the depth of experiences and breadth of skills they have acquired in leading troops and running programs.  For the officer who is temperamentally fitted for the COS role, fancy job titles and an opportunity for climbing up the corporate ladder are not priorities.  Having succeeded in being promoted consistently over the course of a distinguished military career, this candidate possess finely honed project management skills, communication skills, sophisticated diplomatic sensibilities and the ability to fully utilize to the company’s advantage both the formal and the informal power structures.

2)      Junior military officers who have 5-10 years of leadership experience leavened with a top-tier MBA to add business sense and analytical tools to their arsenal.  Let me offer a composite description of a typical candidate in this category.  This person is best-suited for the transition role – serving 2-3 years as COS before ascending to a GM role:

·         Graduate of United State Naval Academy, US Marine Corps military intelligence officer whose assignments included a stint supporting Gen. Wesley Clark in his role as Commander of NATO and US forces in Europe.  MBA from MIT Sloan School of business, summer internship and two-year stint as a strategy consultant in the Boston office of Bain & Co.

This “young Turk” is just the kind of leader that a visionary company would want to attract, develop and “fast track” into a senior position.  This extraordinarily gifted and precocious top-achiever will not be attracted to or sufficiently challenged by most rotational training programs designed to groom future leaders, but would thrive in a properly conceived COS role in support of a mentoring C-level executive.

3)      Mature veterans of the “corporate battlefield” who have amassed knowledge, judgment, diplomacy and project management skills over the course of a broad-based business career.

Once again, let me offer a description of a composite candidate from this pool:

BA from Columbia, MBA or continuing education programs from Stern School of Business at NYU.  Over the years, functional roles have includes Director of Sales and Marketing, Director of Business development, Program Manager/Project Manager for mission-critical initiatives, Managing Director Client services.

Because of lifestyle choices, family situation, travel restrictions, etc., this gifted administrator and manager is happy to climb off of the treadmill leading to the top of the organizational chart, and spend the next 10+ years of her/his career leveraging a wealth of experience in support of a CEO, COB, CIO, COO, etc.

In the final section dedicated to the role of the Chief of Staff, we will add some final thoughts and nuances, sum up salient points, and make recommendations on ways to implement the creation of this role.

Chief of Staff - A Force Multiplier

Part V - Final Thoughts

USN Captain Mike Abrashoff (Ret.), former skipper of the USS Benfold, a.k.a. “The Best Damn Ship in the Navy,” has written an insightful first book that is relevant to our examination of the role of the Chief of Staff.  His book is entitled: “It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy.”  Early in his career, Abrashoff served as an Admiral’s aide in Subic Bay, Philippines.  One of his statements from page 22 jumped out at me:

“I was twenty-five years old at the time, and most twenty-five-year-olds don’t get the opportunity to see how the organization runs at a senior level.  It was good training, which businesses could give their up-and-coming young people by making them executive assistants to the top officers.”

Capt. Abrashoff uses the term “executive assistants,” but in context, it is clear that he is really talking about the Chief of Staff role as we have discussed in this paper.  His comments almost exactly echo the words of James Quigley, CEO of Deloitte & Touche – words that I quoted above:

“I am not sure I would be where I am today if I had not been given that extraordinary opportunity early in my career.  I was rubbing shoulders on a daily basis with all of the strategic decision makers in the company.  I was exposed to ideas, challenges, responsibilities and opportunities that most people at my age and at my stage of career never dreaming about.  In addition, I was mentored, coached and stretched by visual leaders who gave me opportunities to prove what I was capable of doing.”

The message is pretty clear. A number of young leaders with extraordinary leadership potential have been encouraged in the development and deployment of these leadership gifts by being given the opportunity to function in the role of Chief of Staff, XO, or whatever term that organization may choose to put on a role that services as a ”force multiplier” in support of a C-level executive.  When structured correctly, a Chief of Staff role provides a triple win:

• The CEO wins because he is freed up to be able to concentrate his time, effort and priorities of strategic initiatives.  He is empowered to “keep the main thing the main thing”!
• The organization wins because its leader is leading more effectively and the COS role is adding to succession planning by attracting, grooming and retaining an unusually gifted up-and-coming leader.
• The Chief of Staff wins because his/her career trajectory is raised and he/she is able to make a major contribution while being mentored and groomed by a seasoned leader.

Ed Cusati, a corporate consultant specializing in improving the effective of Board of Directors, has been kind enough to share with me a flow diagram that points out the complex interactions among all of the stakeholders that must be taken into consideration in creating within an organization a Chief of Staff role.  The CEO, potential Chief of Staff, and Direct Reports must all – from their own vantage point - wrestle with the potential objections and benefits of creating a Chief of Staff role.

Through the amazing network of relationship I have been blessed to develop with some extraordinary men and women, I have access to an unmatched pool of potential Chiefs of Staff.  It occurs to me that because of this rare access to a unique talent pool, and because of my awareness of the effectiveness of a properly deployed Chief of Staff, the role of evangelist for the COS role has been thrust upon me.

So, how can we help each other to move things forward?

I would welcome an opportunity to enter into conversations with companies that you know could use a Chief of Staff.  In the situation in which the role has already been utilized in the company, I would like to be in a position to help that company to identify and to hire the next person to fill the role.  In the case of a company that is just beginning to consider creating such a role, I would welcome a chance to come in and consult with the strategic leaders to define then role, and then to help the company to fill that role with their first COS.

I would appreciate your efforts in joining me to evangelize for the expansion of the role of the COS within corporate America.

Searching for A Unicorn - Chief of Staff to Support the CEO of a Growing Tech Company in San Francisco

I recently republished a White Paper on the role of the Chief of Staff in the private sector.  What prompted this republication was a search I am conducting to fill a newly created COS role for a rapidly growing San Francisco based company.

If you have alread served as a COS or aspire to the role, please consider applying.  This CEO is a visionary who is willing to mold someone fairly early in their career.

Duties of the Chief of Staff:

• Serve as a strategic resource in support of the CEO
• Carry out specific projects that will be assigned by the CEO
• Serve as an extra set of eyes and ears in meetings - inside and ouside the company
• Ensure that benchmarks and deadlines are reached
• Serve as a soundingboard for the CEO as decisions are arrived at
• Optimize communication between the CEO and direct reports

Requirements:

• A track record of superior achievement and promotion
• Excellent communication skills - verbal and written
• Project management skills and experience
• Strategic thinking
• Creativity
• Emotional intelligence
• Flexibility
• Coachability
• Diplomacy skills
• Leading through influence and consensus
• Integrity
• A sense of adventure
• Basic knowledge of the tech start-up world, through experience or robust reading, for example:
• "The Lean Startup" by Eric Ries
• "Zero to One" by Peter Thiel
• "The Hard Thing about the Hard Things" by Ben Horowitz
• Position is based in San Francisco. The company will pay to move the right candidate who is not currently living in the Bay area.

The Unicorn Factor:

• Here are some of the things the CEO said in setting the parameters for the COS search:
• "In hiring executives, I look for fascinating and interesting people. Please don't send me any boring MBAs!"
• "Candidates do not necessarily have to come from the tech world, but they should have basic knowledge of the tech startup ecosystem. If a candidate did not know who Ben Horowitz is, that would be a concern."
• "In building my team, I look for individuals with diverse backgrounds."

So, if in reading about this position you see yourself as a viable candidate, and can tell an interesting life story and career story, send a resume to:

achase47@gmail.com

Include a brief cover letter highlighting why you think you may be a good for this COS role.

Please pass this job description along to anyone in your network who may be interested and qualified.

Thanks.

Al Chase

"Caste" by Isabel Wilkerson - "The Origins of Our Discontents"

 

Isabel Wilkerson established herself as a writer of significant influence with the publication of her landmark work, "The Warmth of Other Suns." This seminal work chronicles the Great Migration of post-Civil War blacks northward to the industrial centers of Chicago, Detroit, New York, et al. In her most recent book, she examines racism in the light of the concept of caste. The subtitle of "Caste" is "The Origin of Our Discontents."

Wilkerson examines three caste systems: India, Nazi Germany, and the United States. Linking these three societies together is not something I would have been able to do on my own, with the author leading the way toward new levels of awareness with her insights and anecdotes. I had chills when I read that when the Nazis came to power in Germany, they wondered how to cement their cultural views of racial purity into a well synchronized legal system They turned to the Jim Crow laws of the post-Civil War South as their template:

"By the time that Hitler rose to power, the United States 'was not just a country with racism,' Whitman, the Yale legal scholar wrote, 'it was the leading racial jurisdiction - so much so that even Nazi Germany looked to America for inspiration.' The Nazis recognized the parallels even if many Americans did not." (p.81)

The author does an excellent job of making her case for racism being a form of caste by sharing the Eight Pillars of Caste that can be found in the three societies examined in this book.

Pillar Number One: Divine Will and the Laws of Nature

Pilar Number Two: Heritability

Pillar Number Three: Endogamy and the Control of Marriage and Mating

Pillar Number Four: Purity versus Pollution

Pillar Number Five: Occupational Hierarchy

Pillar Number Six: Dehumanization and Stigma

Pillar Number Seven: Terror as Enforcement, Cruelty as a Means of Control

Pillar Number Eight: Inherent Superiority versus  Inherent Inferiority

The author spends the remaining 200 plus pages offering specific examples of how these eight pillars have undergirded the particular caste systems in India, Nazi Germany, and the U.S. In a very moving Epilogue, Wilkerson shares how Albert Einstein served as a bridge between the caste systems of Germany and the U.S. After fleeing the antisemitism of Nazi German's caste system, Einstein settled in Princeton, New Jersey. He was shocked to find that he had not completely escaped the depredations of caste:

"In America, Einstein was astonished to discover that he had landed in yet another caste system, one with a different scapegoat caste and different methods, but with embedded hatreds that were not so unlike the one he had fled"

'The worst disease is the treatment of the Negro,' he wrote in 1946. . . . He could 'hardly believe that a reasonable man can cling so tenaciously to such prejudice.'"(p. 378)

When Einstein and his wife learned that acclaimed opera singer Marian Anderson was denied lodging at the local Nassau Inn, they welcomed her to stay in their home, beginning a friendship that endured until Einstein's death. His awareness of the parallel between the oppression of Jews in Germany and blacks in America awakened in him a strong sense of responsibility to act.

"And so he did. He co-chaired a committee to end lynching. He joined the NAACP. He spoke out on behalf of civil rights activists, lent his fame to their causes." (p. 379)

The parallel to our day is striking. As the Black Lives Matter movement has grown in the wake of countless examples of death and injury from police brutality, like Einstein in post WWII America, leading lights in academia, sports, the arts, and politics are using the bully pulpits afforded them by their fame to speak and act against the invidious aspects of racism that persist to our day.

Enjoy!

Al

"Born A Crime" by Trevor Noah - A Moving Memoir of an Early Life under Apartheid

 

I have enjoyed Trevor Noah's comedy and commentary for several years. I was aware that he was South African by birth, but knew very little of the story of his early life. "Born A Crime" is a wonderfully realized memoir that offers a vulnerable and self-effacing window into what it was like to survive as a mixed race young man in the harsh days under Apartheid.

Noah's mother is black; his father is a white Swedish ex-pat living in South Africa. Under the laws of Apartheid, any kind of miscegenation was against the law, so Noah's parents had to keep their relationship under the radar of government and nosy neighbors. It took great effort for Trevor to have any kind of a relationship with his father, who lived in another community from where he and his mother resided.

The author is very transparent about how challenging it was for his mother to raise a rambunctious and rebellious young man. Noah lived on the borders of several worlds - never completely fitting in. He did not neatly fall into any of the legal racial categories, and he had to work hard at creating a place for himself among Blacks, Whites, and Coloreds. He reveals that his mastery of several languages became the skeleton key that opened doors for him to relationships with virtually every segment of South African society. The fact that he became a popular DJ whose services were in demand also opened doors for him.

A vivid memory that the author shares reveals how his natural curiosity led to disastrous consequences. He loved to experiment with how a magnifying glass could concentrate the rays of the sun to heat up a variety of objects. One day he was visiting the home of a white friend, and after showing his friend the trick with the magnifying glass, Trevor and his host went off to explore other adventures. They left the magnifying glass where it was, and unbeknownst to Trevor, the magnifying glass heated an object which eventually ignited the garage, and ultimately the entire house. This misadventure of burning down a house owned by Whites was only one of the many reasons that Trevor and his mother needed to keep a low profile.

Noah credits his mother's strict discipline with laying a foundation that has led to his subsequent success in life. She was able to do this despite facing many obstacles - financial, legal, and relational. The author leaves an indelible impression of how his mother's second husband became increasing more abusive as his alcoholism and paranoia escalated. The dysfunctional relationship climaxed in the stepfather shooting Noah's mother in a fit of jealous rage. She somehow survived being shot in the face.

Prior to reading this moving memoir, my knowledge of Apartheid was on a macro level - being repulsed by the inhumanity of the policy. The book offered me a micro look at how its laws and practices dramatically impacted the life of one young man and those within his orbit. The book is a welcome gift to anyone who seeks to understand how someone who falls between the cracks can learn to navigate the world and achieve fame. Noah uses his fame as a platform to educate and illuminate - a magnifying glass, if you will, that heats up our appreciation of the intricacies of life under Apartheid.

Enjoy!

Al

"Friday Forward" by Robert Glazer - 52 Nuggets of Inspiration

A year ago, Robert Glazer published a bestselling book that shared wisdom about pushing beyond limits for ultimate success and performance. See White Rhino Report review below:

Review of "Elevate" by Robert Glazer 

Even before writing "Elevate," Mr. Glazer had an idea to share some of the best examples from a weekly column he has been writing since 2015. His initial motivation in writing the column was to address each of the employees of his company, Acceleration Partners. His idea was to plant a seed of an idea at the end of each week that would help his employees to enjoy a more restful and refreshing weekend. He soon learned that his employees were sharing the columns with friends and family. Before long, a subscription list grew to over 200,00 individuals from 60+ nations. The topics for the weekly Friday Forward columns consisted of issues that the author himself was interested in learning or exploring in greater depth.

As Glazer began to consider how best to organize and cull from the hundreds of columns he had written over the years, he settled on four Capacities: Spiritual Capacity, Intellectual Capacity, Physical Capacity, and Emotional Capacity. Each of the four sections of the book contains thirteen short columns - nuggets! - illustrating how Glazer or individuals he was aware of had struggled to master an aspect of each of the Capacities. In the Spiritual Capacity section, the author shared thoughts on "A Dad's Influence":

"I have found that one of the most powerful aspects of being a father is seeing the world through the eyes of my children. That lens has become a critical filter for decision-making and thinking about the examples I want to set. It also serves to remind us that the 'do as I say, not as I do' method of parenting or leadership will eventually hit a wall. My kids have become quite good at pointing out my own hypocrisies (i.e., 'Dad, put your phone down!') p. 25

One of the reasons that I chose to share the excerpt above, it that it serves as an excellent example of the author's transparency and humility. In sharing how he himself has overcome areas of struggle and deficiency, he explicitly gives each reader permission to acknowledge areas of weakness and vulnerability, and then to move intentionally beyond them.

In addition to enjoying these 52 selected vignettes, I encourage you to sign up to receive the weekly Friday Forward columns:robertglazer.com/join.

This is the kind of book that would make an excellent gift to clients, employees, family members, and friends.

Enjoy!

Al

Calling All Passionate Readers - Announcing A New Virtual Book Club: 99 Pages

My friend, Rajiv Srinivasan, shares with me a profound love of reading. I was thrilled when I heard from him last week and learned that he would be moderating a new on-line virtual book club called 99 Pages, hosted by YouTube. The concept is simple; each Sunday evening at 7:30 ET/4:30 PT, members will sign onto the YouTube live channel for an hour discussion of the current book selection. Each week, the members are expected to have read 99 pages of the book.

The current book is "Five Days - The Fiery Reckoning of an American City" by Wes Moore with Erica L. Green. The first session of the club took place last Sunday evening. Rajiv had carefully picked four panelists to lead the discussion. Other members of the club were able to chime in via chat with questions and comments.The theme of the book is the five days of rioting and unrest that followed the death of Freddie Gray at the hands of the Baltimore Police in 2015. Each panelist had a unique perspective, which led to a well balanced discussion. Rajiv did a fine job of balancing the contributions of the four panelists with the chat comments and questions that the larger group was contributing.

Here is Rajiv's description of his vision for 99 Pages:

"99pages is on a mission to make reading FUN and ACHIEVABLE for everyone. Each week, we read no more than 99 pages of a book, and discuss on a livestream bookclub broadcast with expert panelists and Q&A. Subscribe at 99pagesclub.com"

On behalf of Rajiv, I invite you to sign up and join us this Sunday evening - even if you have not already had a chance to procure "Five Days." You will benefit from the discussion, and can catch up with the book next week.

ex libris!

Enjoy!

Al

Dear Baseball - A Plea from Guest Blogger Jesse Skaff

A few days before baseball fans got the long-awaited news that there would be a MLB season after all - albeit a truncated one - my friend, Jesse Skaff, penned a heartfelt plea to resolve the impasse that had kept players and owners from agreeing to play ball. I was so moved by reading Jesse's letter that I asked his permission to share it with readers of The White Rhino Report.

It is appropriate that our friendship got its start at a Red Sox game in the "lyric little bandbox of a ballpark" known as Fenway Park. Jesse and his father were seated behind me in Section 21 of the grandstands, directly behind home plate, but a few rows above the box seats. I overheard the father and son mention "The Governors Academy" (formerly Governor Dummer Academy), my alma mater. We quickly discovered that we were fellow alumni separated by a couple of generations. And an enduring friendship was born.

Enjoy Jesse's carefully reasoned and impassioned plea to "PLAY BALL"!

@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Dear Baseball,

As a lifelong, diehard baseball fan, please hear me. Please hear us: the fans. We want baseball. The players want baseball. America needs baseball.

It is no secret that these past 11½ weeks of stalemate are tainting and tarnishing the reputation of Baseball as an institution and league and it is reaching a point of no return. Do you not see the articles – do you not hear the conversations – about people wondering aloud, “would I really miss baseball?” The fact that this is even a remote consideration breaks my heart. It breaks the hearts of the fans – the civilians who spend hard-earned paychecks at your ballparks and stadiums, on your concessions, on jerseys and memorabilia of their children’s favorite player. You have perpetually raised ticket prices and we continue to show up; you have traded away our favorite players and we continue to show up.

You had a chance to be the only sport this summer and command the undivided attention of the sports world; you bungled it. Now, your best chance is to share screen time with two other major sports amidst their playoffs, then compete your end of season with the start of the NFL season. Baseball has traditional, niche viewership and is already struggling to attract a younger, broader audience. In a world where immediate satisfaction is king and the average attention span is decreasing with everything at our fingertips, you are gravely hurting your allure by prolonging the fussing and fighting.

With all the young talent in the game, you are allowing – throwing away even – the excitement brought to us by players like Ronald Acuña, Christian Yelich, and Javy Baez. Without baseball, this is a wasted year of supreme talent.

Dear Commissioner Manfred,

The longer this sad saga continues, the greater the mistrust between the MLB and MLBPA, and the more your following will deteriorate. You have likely already alienated and lost the fans that have thought to themselves, “I’ve been fine thus far without baseball, I don’t really care if they resume.” Do you want to risk losing the casual fans that want to watch, but will abandon the sport for others if it does not come back? And worst of all, do you really want to lose the fans who have stood by the game and wish every night that there was baseball on? It’s no secret that fan engagement and declining viewership – not so long ago the primary concern of the league – are still existential issues to the game.

Don’t take us for granted. Please hear us. We love this game and we want it back.

You may say, “well the fans aren’t in on the negotiations. They don’t know about the business of the game,” and to that we say “fair.” But much has been reported on and disclosed about the abomination that has become these negotiations dare I call them. It is very clear this is about billionaires refusing to compromise with millionaires. We understand the sunk costs already and that players are risking their health for smaller paychecks. We understand the CBA of 2021 is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. And we realize, just like you do, that the crux of this issue is principal. Principal! It is easy for both sides to hardline in this instance, to set themselves up for next year’s negotiations, call the other side’s bluffs, or simply not play. But then what are you negotiating for next year? A damaged game with unrest and mistrust.

You had the stage to yourselves and a monumental opportunity to show unity. For a game that the players insist they would play for free; for a game that they love because they get to compete like they are kids again; for a game that provides them the chance to win that so-called “piece of metal” that grown men cry for and play through pain for and spend 81 days on the road away from their families for. Everyone in 2020 is losing, and the biggest problem here is that Baseball wants to win. Yet the biggest loser here is the game itself: baseball.

Dear Owners,

You are the problem, not the solution. You are not the reason we fans tune in to watch on tv (with whose networks you sign billion dollar contracts); you are not the reason we buy tickets to buy expensive concessions with pay money that we subconsciously know is going back into your pockets. Please put your rigid frugality aside; you are billionaires controlling a $10 billion industry of a kid’s game.

The façade you’ve put up about cost saving, furloughing employees, and cutting minor leaguers is condemnable and ugly. We are loyal but we are not stupid. These opaque moves are a bad look for you, your franchises, and for Baseball. Billionaires taking morally questionable action to save a few bucks is unattractive from every optical angle. And yet the players – your employees – bailed you out because they knew it was the right thing to do.

Just this once, lead with your morals not your wallets. Because if you do, baseball will return and we will return. The money will be back inevitably, and because we are forgiving and we root for the names on the front AND the back, we will continue to be your consumers. Please find solace in that.

Dear Players,

From an outsider’s perspective we understand your grievance. We blame the owners too. But please try to channel your 12 year old selves. We understand the business behind the 2021 CBA and creating solid footing for next year’s negotiations. We understand you have principles with which you base your negotiations. But please try to find it in yourselves as the MLBPA to find space to negotiate where you can. You are the reason we watch. You are the childhood heroes. And you are the lucky ones. Please just keep us in mind and remember your Little League days. Remember that baseball is more far reaching and life changing than Baseball.

Dear fellow fans and baseball community,

The previous paragraphs may not directly represent your feelings or opinions, but I think it is safe to say we all want baseball back. I share your disappointment and I empathize in feeling the daily absence of our game. But I ask you to stick it out. Don’t give up on America’s Pastime. Don’t turn your back on the foundational pillar of American sports that has already withstood and survived two World Wars, a pandemic, and has only struck out once. As fans, let’s appreciate that succeeding 3/10 times in baseball is being great, so even if Baseball is slumping right now, let’s cheer it on and back it until it breaks out with a ringing single up the middle.

Dear baseball,

Please come back. Soon.

Loyally,

The Fans

Written by Jesse Skaff 6/16/2020

jskaff516@gmail.com

Thanks, Jesse.

Go Sox!

Al