Catch me on DaddyBlogger this Mon Jan 6th.

I am honored and delighted to be the guest on the Google Hangout for Daddy Blogger site. Looking forward to talking with Ricky Shetty about my takes on being a dad and the hard earned wisdom I can pay forward. For more information on this: http://daddyblogger.com/

The sentence I most dread: Can you leave me a professional rating?

The sentence I most dread in business social media: "Can you leave me a professional rating?"

As I write this, I am connected to 7,272 connections across several platforms. Yet, too people who ask me to talk about them are people who have blindly connected to me and then ask me what I think of them.

Face it: If I don't know you, then how can I review you?

For those of you will persist and clog my in box with requests, here's a blanket endorsement:  "I like you. I stand here and behold the inner goodness with in you. I support you in having powerful and prosperous professional relationships." If you give me a mailing address, I will send you a certificate that explains this for all to see and a gold star for your forehead.

But I can't say anything specific and won't rate you on a one to ten scale because frankly, I am not aware of your work, work ethic or your output. I can't offer a fair assessment, and I'm not comfortable with you paying someone's make a million dollar web scheme for me to tell you this.

If you want a fair assessment, get to know me and let me know you by your deeds.

I'm glad you don't have all the answers.

I am sincerely glad that everyone who reads this doesn't have all the answers. Those who don't will continue to try new attempts, set new goals and reach beyond where they are. They will react to change and look at things in different ways.

I once worked on the island of Jamaica. It is a lovely and lush tropical place to visit, but a tough
place to conduct business. One key reason is that the national model is "No Problem," which is supposed to mean it will be handled with a casual ease. Yet, many Jamaicans take this to mean that there is always tomorrow, and if we can't solve it now ... we can try to solve it then. As a result of working withthat mindset,  I have always quipped, "With no problems, come no solutions." Think about that ... how many processes, inventions and solutions in our lives came about as a solution to a problem.

Right now, there are people who would look upon the problems and issues which you face as answers to a prayer. Be glad you don't have all the answers, but keep working towards finding many of them.

Stop Telling Me The Problem Is With THEM!

I recently dropped someone from my social media accounts.  I did so because I was tired of hearing about "THEM."

To read these posts, this person believed that the problem is totally and completely with them. They are so wrong. They have no sense about them. They can't do anything right. They should be subjected to any of a number of punishments, retributions and consequences. If we didn't have them to contend with, the world would be a much better place.

I gave this contact more than enough time to talk about what they were doing right, how to possibly chance for the better and what the rewards would be from such actions.

I finally concluded that after several hundred posts over the past several months, I was better off with out them.

Social media is as disposable as a paper plate.

Social media is as disposable as a paper plate.

I know many professionals who craft great blogs, tweet insightful thoughts and post outstanding images. Yet, they get ignored in the tsunami of information that is auto-posted. Texts, emails and posts are easily deleted.

While cleaning out our storage unit last night, I came across five letters which my father sent me in 1979, my freshman year of college.  These are worth more than gold to me. If I had counted on them being in an In Box, I doubt they would be there. I am grateful I found them.

Take a moment this week and put a pen in your hand. Write one person a sincere note, card or letter.