Word-Of-the-Week #921: Colorful
March 31, 2022 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #921: Colorful
Colorful – having vivid, striking, or spirited elements.
Did you know that today is National Crayon Day? Do you know what to do to celebrate National Crayon Day?
“Today is a colorful day, one truly worth celebrating. It is a day to celebrate the creation of crayons and the joy of coloring.
The origin of crayons dates back to the17th century. In those days, the original crayons were not made of wax. The colors in those early days, were more limited, and not as long lasting or durable. Wax crayons arrived at the beginning of the 1900’s.
In 1902, the Crayola brand arrived on the scene and the world of crayons has never been the same since. Between 1902 and today, Crayola has come out with 120 colors. This day can be a little bittersweet, as Crayola has retired 50 colors, most often on this very day.
Crayon Trivia
- Crayola makes over 3 billion crayons a year. Other manufacturers combined are just a small fraction of total annual production.
- The world’s largest crayon was made by Crayola. It was 15’6″ and weighed 1,352 pounds.
- The smell of crayons is the most recognizable scent for adults.
- Over the years, Crayola has made over 237 billion crayons.
Do you know what to do to celebrate National Crayon Day? You guessed it. Get out the coloring book and crayons and show off your artistic skills.
How to Celebrate National Crayon Day
Get out some crayons and a coloring book and get to work. If you are an adult, it will surely bring back fond memories and make you feel like a kid again.
While we firmly believe this should be a national day, there is no official act of congress or presidential proclamation.”
FUN-fact – Today is also Bunsen Burner Day, National Clam on the Half Shell Day & World Backup Day.
This week is all about being colorful. When’s the last time you experienced the joy of coloring? Did it bring back fond memories of your childhood?
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FUN-video: Hawaiian Islands Movie Trailer
March 26, 2022 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-video: Hawaiian Islands Movie Trailer
We spent a total of 17 days visiting 5 islands for my birthday month of celebrating! It was another Fabulous & FUN one 🙂
FUN-photos: Hawaiian Islands – February 2022
March 26, 2022 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-photos: Hawaiian Islands – February 2022
1st Stop – Oahu – spent 4 days exploring the island by car
2nd Stop – Molokai – boarded boat for our first Uncruise experience!
Highlights – meet local Kahuna family in Molokai’s ancient Halawa Valley & evening pa‘ina (feast) and Hawaiian jam session with Molokai locals
3rd Stop – Lana‘I – 98% privately owned
Highlights – Cat Sanctuary, downtown shopping & beach stroll
4th Stop – Maui
Highlights – morning snorkel among coral gardens and known sea turtle habitat, Humpback National Marine Sanctuary, & happy hour in Lahaina with San Diego friends George & Marilyn
FUN-fact – The Humpback National Marine Sanctuary located between Lana’i, Molokai, and Maui provides front row seats as you cruise through these productive breeding grounds searching for dolphins, whales, and other marine life.
FUN-photos: Hawaiian Islands – Part 2
March 26, 2022 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-photos: Hawaiian Islands – Part 2
5th Stop – more humpback whale watching – breeding season has loads of them out in full force smacking their tails, fins, & breaching. Truly spectacular!
6th Stop – Hawai‘i, the Big Island
Highlights – Captain Cook Bay – filled with corals, sponges, and tropical fishes – some of the best snorkeling I’ve ever had! & Skiff ride exploring the rugged coastline
7th Stop – Hawai‘i, the Big Island – Pu’u Waawaa State Wildlife Sanctuary
Highlights – beach hike & trail to petroglyphs, Kaloko fishpond, bird watching & green sea turtles basking by the shore, & celebrating my birthday!.
8th Stop – Kona, Hawai‘i
Highlights – disembark, grocery shop & get ready to settle into our condo
9th Stop – King’s Landing, Waikoloa Beach
Highlights – spent 6 days exploring the Big Island by car, helicopter over Volcanoes National Park, & Buddha’s Cup Coffee Plantation tour & tasting
FUN-fact – Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park protects some of the most unique geological, biological, and cherished cultural landscapes in the world. Extending from sea level to 13,681 feet, the park encompasses the summits of two of the world’s most active volcanoes – Kīlauea and Mauna Loa – and is a designated International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Word-Of-the-Week #920: Decisive
March 24, 2022 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #920: Decisive
Decisive – the ability to make decisions quickly.
When it comes to making decisions would you say you are decisive? Do you have a tendency to not want to deal with or avoid difficult situations? Do you like solving challenges quickly?
This week features excerpts from “Decisive Managers Make Better Leaders. Don’t let “analysis paralysis” keep you from making good decisions. Enlist help from your mentors if you need it,” by the Business News Daily.
“Business leaders who have developed a cooperative approach to decision-making understand that people need to be valued, respected, listened to and involved. This approach translates into better performance for their companies. It also yields more streamlined results as the inability to make sound decisions means your company could suffer greatly, as nothing will ever get done.
This inherent fear of making a mistake is one of the most common reasons that lead to “risk aversion,” or the inability to move forward with decisions. Another common setback is that many leaders get caught up in “analysis paralysis.” This plays out in the form of incessant information gathering: statistics, surveys and the like that can prolong the decision-making process.
Sometimes top-level management will bury their heads in the sand and truly believe that change or new direction decisions are not necessary. This type of leader would rather uphold the status quo than look at new ideas which can be counter-productive, particularly considering our current high-speed business and economic environment.
It may be a definitive advantage to appoint women to top-tier positions, including positions on company boards. In fact, the study points out that boards with higher female representation experience a 53% higher return on equity, a 66% higher return on invested capital and a 42% higher return on sales.
What is a decisive leader?
A crucial aspect of being a successful leader is the ability to make decisions that are time-sensitive and well-informed. Decisive leaders are those who seek out the appropriate information that is necessary to make a good decision and they demonstrate an understanding of the knowledge held by their colleagues, direct reports and leaders.
In the workplace, decisiveness is key for effectively executing plans and achieving set goals. Decisive leaders have the ability to balance the costs of continuing to gather information, deliberate and delay a decision versus the costs of making poor choices. They are aware of competing costs, and they weigh them carefully, but most importantly, a decisive leader makes decisions that are clear and final.
The qualities of a decisive leader
Decisiveness isn’t a skill that people typically talk about, but it is extremely important to successful leadership. For example, have you ever worked with a leader who could not make up their mind; they were always asking others what they thought, but they never came up with any conclusions themselves? If you have experienced this, you understand how frustrating an indecisive leader may be. Some of the benefits of being a decisive leader for employees and the company include:
- Decisive leaders are responsible and accountable. Decisive leaders take responsibility for the effect their decisions have on the company and other, and they are committed to following through on the actions needed to carry out a decision.
- They are confident. Decisive leaders deliver their messages with clarity and confidence, which makes it unlikely for others to second-guess their decisions.
- Once they reach a decision, they are slow to change their mind. Being decisive doesn’t entail being arrogant, stubborn or hasty, it simply means having the ability to make decisions with clarity. Decisive leaders can be slow to change their mind. This is because they trust their instincts.
Being a decisive leader is a highly desirable skill, especially when it comes to running a business. There are very few people who are willing to put their trust in someone that overthinks and goes back and forth over basic decisions.
This week’s focus is on being decisive. Do you want to be the leader of your own life or the follower? Who do you think knows better and is more wiser than you when it comes to making decisions? If you are unsatisfied with your any part of your life what are going to do about it?
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