OK, three quick topics for this week’s blog post:
- If you’re familiar with my third book, “Your 168,” you may be wondering why the title of this week’s blog post says “Your 169?” Must be a typo, you might be saying to yourself. But no, it is not a typo! Truthfully, I wasn’t sure either of the significance of “169” until my friend and former Baxter colleague, Kay McBrearty, explained to me that since we all (at least most of us here in the US) put the clock back one hour yesterday morning, we all have 169 hours this week! 🤣 I know you will be sure to make good use of all 169 hours! 🤣
- As I stated in last week’s post, please make sure to vote before or on November 5th (that’s tomorrow). As I mentioned this morning to two of my friends who are military veterans, “thank you for serving our country.” We are blessed with the opportunity to exercise our right to vote. Please make sure you do!
- If November 5th was not busy enough with the last day to vote, it is also the day my 4th book, “Your Values-Based Legacy” is released. In preparation for the book launch, Northwestern Kellogg published an article this week that summarizes some of the key topics in the book as well as a look at what has inspired me over the years to build my own values-based legacy. Here’s an excerpt along with a link to the full article:
One of Harry Kraemer’s ’79 MBA earliest memories is of walking through New York’s Central Park at age seven with his maternal grandfather, Farrell Grehan. As they strolled past statues of generals and other military leaders, young Kraemer asked, “Grandpa, why are there always wars?”
His grandfather, who taught world history, gave a response that would become etched in Kraemer’s mind: “People don’t take the time to listen to one another and don’t reflect on how short of a time they’re on this Earth. They’re only after power and wealth — things that are very temporary.” Then Grehan looked down at Kraemer and added, “It was only a blink of an eye ago that I was a child like you.”
Throughout his life, the knowledge that “we’re only here for a short time” has inspired Kraemer to become a values-based leader. He explained, “I think of it this way, leadership is the ability to influence others. Values-based leadership takes it to the next level, encouraging others to reflect on and pursue what matters most to them.”
You can read the full article here.
Here’s wishing you a great week!
Professor Kraemer lives the values he brings to the world. His life is a masterclass of steadfast commitment to the enduring values that were passed onto to him from his grandfather and his parents. He lights a candle for all of us and shares the light from this candle during the storm in our life and its there even when the turbulence is gone . The values he teaches are seared into his DNA and we all hope they are magically transferred to all of us as we pass through this magnificent planet.