Author: Scott Westerman
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How MSU Saved Colleen’s Life
The Spring Issue of the MSUAA Magazine tells the story of the Spartan who invented one of the most effective cancer drugs available today. It’s a tale that touched Colleen and me in a special way, so this issue’s Executive Director column had a highly personal dimension. Here it is. – Scott WestermanThe last time…
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It’s the people, stupid.
I was an insomniac during high school. Even though I packed it in at around 10, it was usually 2AM before my head cleared and the sandman entered. My companion was the clock radio. Surfing the dial I could hear the news from Philly on KYW, from New York on WCBS, the uniquely New England…
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Knowing When to Leave
“Change the changeable, accept the unchangeable, and remove yourself from the unacceptable.” – Denis WaitleyThis week, I talked with two of my favorite executives, both of whom are pondering a career change. Knowing when and how to extricate yourself from a job that doesn’t resonate with you anymore is just as important as finding a…
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How to handle unhappy customers
“Unhappy customers can be the key to your success, if you’re listening.”The Essence: Avoiding embarrassing customer situations can be a simple process. Listen, respond, apologize, follow through… and learn.This past week, we had some interaction with one of the major airlines’ social media teams. It was what my wife would classify as a #fail. The…
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Lessons from Twitter
“whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7The Essence: Whenever or wherever you open your mouth, someone you care about may be listening. So watch your language.We all yearn to communicate, to have people listen to what we say, and to be affirmed. The best way to earn that behavior is to…
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How Many Friends Do You Need?
“We have many acquaintances but very few friends”“When I find myself fading, I close my eyes and realize my friends are my energy.”THE ESSENCE: To build a happy life, we need to cultivate authentic relationships with those rare few who genuinely resonate with us. Put these people at the top of your list and nurture…
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2011 Goal Series – The Spirit
““We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.”” – Stephen R. CoveyTHE ESSENCE: Spirit is at the center of faith, that iron constitution that keeps us going even in the most unpleasant circumstances.Spiritual people tend to be happier. That’s one insight from a worldwide five year…
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2011 Goal Series – The Body
“Exercise is medicine.” – Dr. Gary Ferenchick, Chief, Division of General Internal Medicine, Michigan State UniversityTHE ESSENCE: Include fitness goals in your 2011 plan. Taking care of our bodies can improve our energy, our overall health and our clarity of mind.When our son, Brandon was a senior in high school, he was co-captain of the…
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Local Heroes
As Christmas approaches, here’s a chapter from my Spartan Life book about Robin and Betsy Miner-Swartz. I first wrote about them in 2010. They will continue this compassionate tradition again this year. Enjoy!Betsy and Robin are refugees from old media, escaping from the ever compressing newspaper industry and totally re-inventing themselves. They epitomize the passion-seeking…
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2011 Goal Series – The Mind
“Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit.” – B.K.S. IyengarTHE ESSENCE: We become what we think about.Our very existence is predicated on balance. Each of us require just the right mixture of oxygen, fuel, mental stimulation and spiritual energy to function effectively. If one foundation is out of balance…