Kevin W. McCarthy

Embrace Life

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All I can say is, "Wow!" 

Thank you Sussex Roads Partnership for sharing this message of seat belt use safety.  This adds a whole new meaning to buckle up, family love, and the guardian angel nature of seat belts.  

Are You Maturing or Just Getting Old?

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It has been said there is an absence of leadership today.  Actually, I think it is an absence of maturity stemming from the reality that we're still trying to figure out what to do with ourselves when we grow up.  Certainly, there's a benefit to having a childlike curiosity and faith.  But, let's talk growing up here - stepping into adulthood with both feet firmly planted on the ground as a leader of one's life who is growing in experience, wisdom, discernment, and judgment.

The absence of leaders may well reflect deeper challenges, the absence of mentors and the value of relationships over time.   This On-Purpose^® Minute invites you to explore four attitudes of maturity.  How are you coming along?

The On-Purpose^® Leader Teleseminar Series begins this Thursday at noon, Eastern.  You need to be registered to join.  The first session is free.  Click Here to learn more and register.

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What's Your Valentines Day Advice?

What's your greatest advice for keeping your marriage together?  Let me hear from you on this one!  With Valentines Day fast approaching, it would be great to gather some insights - serious and humorous alike.

The "best advice" I ever got was from a man married for 39 years.  I was in college at the time and his daughter was a dear friend of mine. As he drank his morning coffee, I asked, "Mr. Collier, to what do you attribute the longevity of your marriage to Mrs. Collier?"

Immediately he answered, "Early in our marriage we came to an agreement that I would make all the big decisions in our marriage and my bride would handle all the small decisions.  Amazingly, in 39 years of marriage there has been nothing but small decisions."

I can remember laughing as he shared that advice.  After over 25 years of marriage to my bride, I fully appreciate his humorous wisdom even more.  If only I had listened better...

Be On-Purpose!
Kevin

PS: Photo is the McCarthy Family:  Charles, Judith, Anne, and Kevin

Is It Right to Pray For Business (Part 2)

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My most recent On-Purpose^® Business Minute, Is It Right To Pray For Business, clearly struck a chord with many viewers as the public and private comments came pouring in. Drawing upon decades of business advisory and consulting services, I've worked with founders of Fortune 500 companies to floundering entrepreneurs. 

Because purpose is such a spiritual concept, matters of faith often arise in my work with leaders, so prayer is a natural outgrowth of these engaging relationships.   Allow me to share another insight gleaned from decades of praying with other Christian businesspersons.

Your insights and comments are always welcome.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

Click here to subscribe to The On-Purpose Business Minute which is published every Thursday morning.

Are You In A Critical Condition?

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Looking around it can get pretty discouraging.  Honest skepticism and discernment is always at a premium, yet as of late with bad news abounding, I find myself (and others) falling prey to being hypercritical and running into a negative streak.  The effect is compounding and self-fulfilling.  

Today's On-Purpose^® Minute offers some hope and a couple suggestions for turning your critical condition into a healthy state of being.  It isn't easy, but it outshines the alternative.

Click here to subscribe to The On-Purpose Minute.  One is published every Tuesday morning.

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Is It Right To Pray For Your Business?

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Many of us grew up with a compartmentalized view of life.  The wisdom of the day went along these lines: "Your personal life is your personal life.   Your business life is your business life.  Don't co-mingle the two." 

There is a measure of merit in this.  As we advance from the industrial age to the knowledge age and head into the age of purpose and meaning, integration, not separation, is becoming more the norm. Central to each person's personal life is their faith.  If you are inclined to pray in your personal life, perhaps the role of prayer in your business life is a concept you've never considered. 

This On-Purpose® Business Minute explores the power of being "on the job" and praying for owners and employees alike. 

What do you think?  Is it right to pray for business?  Please post your answer in the comment section below.

Click here to subscribe to The On-Purpose Business Minute.  One is published every Thursday morning.

And the Winner of the Contest Is... Me!

Jeevan Sivasubramaniam of Berrett-Koehler Publishers produces the weekly BK Communique.  An occasional feature is a puzzler.  His final contest of 2009 caught my eye.  Here it is:

Drum roll please, I won the contest.  Here is Jeevan's most recent posting:

"I issued this challenge. Some people came close, but no one answered correctly.  The answer? You should definitely not take my bet -- here's why.

"Kevin McCarthy submitted a response that was just so, um, creative that I had to give him a free book. (And he kindly sent me a copy of his book.) You can read Kevin's response to the challenge here.

Dear Jeevan,

No, I will not accept your bet in A Game of Cards.   Here's why:

After reading the challenge, I easily recognized it as a probability and statistics question.   Upon the thought of engaging in the calculation of the odds of winning versus the payoff, I felt this knot in my stomach – the same one I used to feel in undergraduate and graduate school when I had to take probability and statistics classes.   My mind swirled with permutations, methods, and calculations as to how to attack and solve your challenge.  My competitive juices began to kick in because I had to be the first to solve it in order to win a book and have a shrine in the lobby.  Fortunately, I'm on the East Coast so I have an advantage over those later risers in the Central and Western time zones. 

Recognizing this strange mix of competitiveness and cards, I immediately converted from worshiping in an Episcopal church to an ultra conservative Baptist church with Pentecostal and Charismatic leanings.   This means I can neither play card games nor gamble.  Because I don't smoke, drink, or dance (lack of any sense of rhythm per my wife) anyway, my transition ten minutes ago to my new Thursday morning church is going along fundamentally well.   Never doubt the power and practicality of my conversion and the values of my new denomination.  The knot in my stomach is gone - healed in an instant!  Here is proof of the peace that passes all understanding as it washed through me.  PTL! 

Sure, you were likely expecting some brainiac to give an answer to the challenge using math.  I, however, have claimed the high moral ground in a triumph of faith over math to come to the answer.  Finally, should this be the winning and timely response, then I will accept a book but must decline the shrine in the lobby.  I can have no part in false idols.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

Kevin W. McCarthy
CEO, On-Purpose Partners, LLC

Here was Jeevan's notice to me of being the book winner:

"Never has an answer been so blatantly wrong and yet seemed so right.  So, what the hell, for sheer audacity and creativity, you win a book."

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Jeevan was true to his word and sent me The New Organizational Wealth, the book of my choice.  He was a good sport so I sent him The On-Purpose Person.

How Is Your 2020 Foresight?

A new year brings a rebirth of possibilities.   What then does a new decade bring?  Let's look ahead to 2020 to plan what can be.  Too often I find myself looking a day, a week, or even a few months, but too rarely ten years ahead.  The calendar change to 2010 offers a natural opportunity to peer into the future and plan what could be.  

The Benefits of Having My Birthday on Christmas

Most people think having a birthday on Christmas is really awful.  Here are some of the benefits of having my birthday on Christmas:

1. Fewer presents means fewer thank you notes to write.

2. I don't have to work on my birthday. Instead, I get to prepare for days in advance, cook, clean, wash, put away, do it all over and over. Whew! I get to go back to work Monday.

3. God cared enough about me to give me an annual reminder that no matter how important or impressive I think I am - Im not. Then, God allowed me to be married - another reminder where I stand. Then God allowed me to have children - two more reminders. Finally, God allow me to have a dog so at least someone would love, admire, and respect me provided I clean up after he poops.

4. Most people forget it is your birthday which they would probably do anyway so I at least you can blame Christmas on being forgotten.

5. I get to go to parties where everyone is festive and joyful on my birthday and they're not faking it for my birthday. For those of us who tend toward introversion, it gives us relief from having to be the uncomfortable center of attention.

6. My family is always around for my birthday. That's a good thing, right?

7. I get to buy and give presents for other people on my birthday.

8. There is something really special about sharing this special day with Jesus. Hard to describe, but it is humbling.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

How Would You React?

My daughter, Anne, is a 16-year-old competitive soccer player.  She serves as a junior captain of her Trinity Prep high school soccer team as well as a player on the Football Club of America (Kumba Soccer) located here in Orlando.  Her Kumba team was having a car wash fund raiser in late September.  An accident occurred where one teammate's foot slipped off the brakes and the car pinned another teammate against a wall.  Bree McMahon's legs were crushed.  Anne was one of many who sprang into action.  She called 911 and provided a towel for Bree's head as she lay on the ground awaiting the arrival of paramedics. 

Initially, we anticipated broken legs and damage to Bree's knees.  The severity of the accident came to light a few hours later when Anne's text from the hospital said, "Bree's legs might have to be amputated because the blood vessels were crushed."  Judith and I immediately headed to the hospital to be and pray with the girls. 

Jenna Bush Hager (George and Laura Bush's daughter) of The Today Show did a feature on Bree.  The clip below tells the story.  You'll also get to see and hear a brief comment from Anne from behind Bree's hospital bed. 

Bree and Chelsea (the driver involved in the freak accident) are young Christian girls whose faith is serving them both well in terms of forgiveness given and received.  The character of both young ladies is remarkable.

If it were your legs crushed that day, how would you respond?  My hope would be that I would have grace and understanding like Bree.