His mug shot and Philadelphia Flyers cap says it all.

My friend Minter is always up for a good chat, especially if he gets to wax eloquent about his undying, unshakeable love for the Broad Street Bullies.

Do 't, knight. I'll write thee a challenge. Or I'll deliver thy indignation to him by word of mouth.

SIR TOBY BELCH, Act 2, Scene 3 TWELFTH NIGHT

For nearly 6,000 years, from many different civilizations, the study of history is how leaders have illuminated the dark path called decision-making.

The message that popped up on Facebook a year ago was innocent enough.

“Was Jim in Daytona Beach in 1957?”

As lead singer James Hetfield of Metallica fame is often fond of saying, “Without the Message, Nothing Else Matters.”

No matter the century, town, or city, whenever or wherever you see a thriving business, you can be certain there was once an individual with a long-term, courageous Vision.

Jim Knows A Secret To Timeless Leadership

Home is not a place, it’s a feeling.

You can do a lot at your kitchen table when nobody else is watching.
Tinker, experiment, pull things apart, put them back together. Shine, buff and polish weathered chains and dusty rocks until they begin to glitter in a way that makes Mom and Dad light up with pride.

How do you know for certain if your brand strategy is working?

What visible proof do you have of a return on your marketing efforts?

Through the halcyon days of late-night television, it was common to see celebrities, actors, rock stars and best-selling authors appear on talk shows hosted by stars like Carson, Leno, and Letterman.

For centuries, alchemists were thought to possess mystical powers to create elixirs of immortality, panaceas to cure any disease and allow humanity to achieve magnum opus perfection of mind, body and soul.

There were no guarantees.

No proven methods or maps to follow.

No structure. No support systems. No turning back.

We were literally flying by the seat of our pants.

Whether it was about Kobe, Tiger, Shaq, Wayne, or Magic, Ted kept hearing the same thing over and over again.

Arnie lifted an entire sport on his shoulders. Then he put it on the map. 

“It’s tough to hit your second shot when you’re wiping away the tears”

Why did Jeff Bezos always have an empty chair at the Amazon boardroom table whenever high-level executives gathered for meetings? Did Jeff know something every leader should know about storytelling? Could there be a lot more to this craft than meets the eye?

Have you ever wondered why Darth Vader and Johnny Cash preferred to wear black while wedding brides and Luke Skywalker are often adorned in white?  

"We can't find any good people" is an all-too-common refrain from business leaders who choose to ignore two realities.

If you truly want to compete and win in this Second War For Talent, several questions need to be put on the strategic planning table right now. Gather your fellow executives, turn the boardroom into a war room and begin the conversation.