Terry Hershey is a nationally celebrated author, humorist, inspirational speaker, ordained minister and golf addict who lives on Vashon Island in the Puget Sound. He’s also among the speakers who will be part of Thermostat Cultures Live on Nov. 10 in Columbus, Ohio. Here, the author of The Power of Pause talks about overworking, the importance of being present and what question you should be asking. Q: Your book The Power of Pause suggests that…
I stopped at a new grocery store one day, excited to try it but immediately frustrated by the disorganization. I, of course, was in a general hurry, and just as I tried to chart a course, an elderly woman with seemingly no awareness for others cut right in front of me with her cart, nearly running over my toes. After finding my few items and stepping into a spot in the checkout line, the same oblivious…
Jeni Britton Bauer, the creative genius, entrepreneur and founder behind Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, will be among the speakers at Thermostat Cultures Live on Nov. 10 in Columbus, Ohio. She’s the author of a James Beard Award-winning cookbook and in 2015 was dubbed one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business. Here, she talks about culture, fame and why love matters in business. Q: Why is culture important? A: I want to build a company…
A running conversation my wife Amy and I have is centered on the question, “What is the life we are trying to create?” Not only is it a powerful question for us, but it is also a question we return to often. We try to gain clarity on the vision we have for our lives. We try to be thoughtful and purposeful about who we want to be and what we’re about. We need to…
As soon as the elevator would open and I would make my way in to the expansive hotel lobby, Survino came trotting from clear across the other side of the room, through the masses, to me. “Mr. Jason, Mr. Jason, how are you today?” he would always begin with such a gentle but upbeat tone. “I’m doing just fine, Survino. How are you today?” I would respond. “Oh, I am well, Mr. Jason. Is there…
Plenty of researchers have shared the power of the smile. But while writing Step Back From the Baggage Claim, I decided to study it myself. For my informal Smiling Study, I wondered how people would respond to me looking them square in the eye and smiling. So I walked the six airport terminals for 30 minutes each, in Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Seattle, San Diego, and Columbus, doing nothing but looking people in the eyes and…
Bamboo: I love it. It follows a growth structure that is quite different from other plants. Simply put, bamboo doesn’t just grow individual canes straight into the air one at a time. Beneath the surface, the roots branch out sideways, each culm growing a short distance until it shoots off in another direction. Only a few canes shoot through and up. The best creativity, I believe, grows in this same way. We don’t just start…
Longtime Starbucks President Howard Behar will headline Thermostat Cultures Live on Nov. 10 in Columbus, Ohio. Here, the executive-turned-author, speaker and consultant talks about culture, priorities and why he’s excited to team with Jason Barger for a life-shaking day. Q: Why is culture important? A: Culture forms everything. Every organization, every individual. There’s a culture of one, if you really think about it. You are a person, and you have what I call this board…
It was a beautiful summer evening in Kiawah, South Carolina. The sun was setting over the tree line and reflections glistened off the surface of the inlet waterway. I paddled quietly in my kayak as my 5-year-old daughter leaned back in my lap. It was a postcard kind of moment and the exact Stepping Back that we were looking for and needing as a family. Suddenly, a fishing boat came ripping through the cove. The…
I very intentionally craft my schedule each year so that I can make time in July to step back from my everyday life in a meaningful way. I don’t stop working entirely; I simply work differently. It’s good for my family, for my soul and quite frankly, for my work. It allows me space to be inspired and have fun getting weird with ideas. It also means I make more time for reading, which I…
