Stop Yelling, Say Thank You & Put Down That iPhone

I sprained my ankle yesterday while out for a run with my dogs Ringo and Dazy and so I'm spending the day with my foot propped up, catching up on some email, reading and writing a few belated Thank You postcards.

I thought I'd share this insightful, quick read from Peter Madden at Advertising Age: Twenty Things I've Learned After 40 Years Living and 10 Years Running an Agency.

Here's a few that ring true for me:

1. Realize what you're great at and do it all the time. Realize what you suck at and stop doing it completely (and put the right person in place to do it).

5. Trust your instincts. You can interview a prospective employee or client 10 times, they can say and do all the right things, but if your Spidey sense is tingling, something is amiss.

8. Do pro bono work for non-profit organizations that are trying hard to make the world a better place. You'll get more out of it.

14. Did someone working for you just disagree with a decision you want to make? Good. Keep her around as long as possible.

16. Throw parties at your office, no matter how humble or grand the space, for no reason at all. It's all about the people in the room, good music, and not running out of booze or ice.

17. Put your f***ing BlackBerry/iPhone down when you're meeting with me.

And of course -

20. Write personal notes thanking people you meet with and who are in your life. Besides death and taxes, the only other sure thing in life is that no matter who you are, it's exciting to get a handwritten note.

That's right,

HMK

Thanks again to Peter Madden at Ad Age.

Merci! Danka! Grazi!

Behold - the most important part of anyones identity system or personal stationery.

The only thing better than recieving one is sending one.

The Thank You card. Not an email.

The above is a working sketch of the first in a series of six cards I'm getting ready to print to aknowledge everyone I can think of for helping me get to where I am today and to those for just simply believing in me.

There's no substitute for what's sadly becoming a rarity:
A heartfelt, simple, real deal handwritten thank you note of sincere appreciation, acknowledgement or just some good old fashioned, humble Gratitude.

Thanks to Robert Fulgham's "All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten"

Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be, I learned in Kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandbox at nursery school.

These are the things I learned..

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life.

Thanks for reading!

That's Right,

HMK