Leaders...nourish your spirit!

It may seem like an odd topic to highlight, but I have had a number of conversations with friends/associates recently that have brought this issue front and center.  The mixture of  "normal" business issues, combined with fast changing economic trends, credit market fluctuations, global tariff challenges and (for many) a dizzying amount of political dynamics/stress/conflict in Washington and across the globe has increased stress, anxiety and uncertainty for leaders across the board.  New headlines emerge every day... sometimes every hour... that seem to promote stress and unpredictability in markets all over the world and certainly in businesses closer to home.  Its in this stress-filled context that I am suggesting that we as leaders NEED to think about and take actions that help to promote our own stability and well being... find ways to "nourish" our own spirits!

With this background set, it probably seems odd that I highlight a restaurant ( pictured here) in

Bakersfield California... my dear old 24th st. Cafe!  During my time at Bolthouse Farms... 2009-2015 and then again in 2019-2024, I spent a lot of time in Bakersfield California and became very fond of that rough and tumble town.  Very similar to the world I grew up in outside of Pittsburgh Pa., Bakersfield is a working class town, filled with a very diverse set of hard working folks, mainly working in the Ag & Oil industries, proud of their town and heritage regardless of what others may say.  During my second stint with Bolthouse Farms, after buying the company back from Campbell's, I commuted from Atlanta to Bakersfield almost every week and ultimately kept an apartment on the far west side of town.  The business challenges for all of us buying the company back, carving it out of Campbell's, and reversing massive revenue and profit declines were extreme... and that was without us knowing that Covid was lurking 9 months in our future.  The stress and challenges of leading Bolthouse Farms through Covid were certainly the hardest of my career, and probably my proudest professional accomplishments without question.... but my stress was sky high and my spirit NEEDED nourishing !

The 24th cafe was a favorite breakfast haunt before Covid, but after it re-opened it became a regular stop on my early drive to the plant.  Opening at 6am, many mornings I was one of the "early shift" at the restaurant, sitting down at the counter getting my coffee, ordering breakfast and catching up with Crystal and Donna... both who worked early every morning.  This routine was not just a way to "grab breakfast"... it became an important way for me to get set for the day of unknown challenges that would lie ahead... nourishing my spirit along with my body.  While I loved the food and miss it now that I have retired, I look back to those early mornings at the counter and am so appreciative that it was there for me... a quiet spot where I could be strengthened for the day ahead.  That memory... that reality is needed now for so many of us just like it was needed for me back in 2020-2023.

One reality for leaders across industries and organizations is that we are always so visible.  Our organizations watch and listen to us so closely... whether in live settings, and on "zoom calls."  I was floored recently when someone on a zoom call who I have worked with for years noted that I had moved a few books and a hat on the shelf behind my desk in my home office.  They had seen me on zoom for years and actually were somehow tracking what was in my background.  It was a good reminder that leaders are so visible in so many ways; sure the books and hat that I had moved were noted, but it reminded me that other less "physical" changes are also often seen by our teams.  A leader's stress, anxiety, shortness of temper, etc. are all easily seen and felt by an organization and while I will NEVER advocate being in-authentic as a leader... I am advocating that we need to take action to manage ourselves... manage our stress... and to nourish our spirit when we are "feeling the challenges" of the moment.  By nourishing our own spirit, we are inherently nourishing the spirit of the entire organization.

This idea also translates into personal relationships.  Recently we had some dear friends over for dinner, and after the meal we sat together and the conversation veered to today's political reality.  While I don't use this blog for personal political ends,  I am never shy to share where I stand on things and I joined in with the conversation where all four of us were beyond angry/frustrated/worried/discouraged with what is happening with the current administration in Washington.  After sharing frustrations and examples of the "latest abomination"... Global tariffs and an emerging trade war, Greenland nonsense, CDC defunding, Elon Musk antics in Wisconsin, destabilizing relations with historic allies, and the list kept growing... we took a breath ( or two!) and  talked about what we can and should be doing right now in opposition to this Washington chaos.  We talked about supporting legal groups taking action in the courts to slow/stop/reverse a number of the actions being led by the administration.  We discussed the importance of the mid-terms and special elections and the need to work/support key candidates in key toss-up races.  Finally, I suggested that we needed to "nourish our spirits" for the battles ahead.

 Yes it's a crazy time right now, but odds are that it will be even crazier in the weeks and months ahead and that we need to be ready and strengthened for the fight ahead.  Just coincidentally I had baked sourdough bread that morning and I cut our friends a big piece of the loaf to take home and suggested that it would make great toast in the morning...a way to"nourish your spirit to start you day."  While not quite exactly like sitting at the counter at the 24th st. Cafe, the idea is the same.  Find ways to protect and strengthen your spirit for the challenges ahead... whether in business, politics or broadly in life.... find your 24th st. Cafe, your sourdough toast or whatever is best for YOU as a way to strengthen and nourish your spirit.

postscript: here we are just a few days after posting this essay and all I have to say is "Wisconsin has spoken"... and the trade wars have begun.  Musk's efforts to "buy" the Wisconsin state supreme court election has failed completely and The President's unilateral "highly regrettable" (a quote from the Japanese Prime Minister) tariffs have been deployed causing a dramatic negative global market reaction.  It is a wild ride indeed and is clearly going to get wilder before it gets calmer.... and we need to be a strong, resolute and as clear-eyed as possible... I am working hard to "nourish my spirit" for the battles ahead and I hope you do the same!

  

“Legacy” requires action !

 

 

With a blog titled “Find Your Legacy,” it’s not difficult to uncover the plot of my story.  For the past 16 years, 275+ essays, and over 180k pageviews I have been focused on this idea from many angles.  Literally 20 years ago, in the spring of 2005, I published a “little book” with this title as a leadership “training tool” when I was an executive at The Coca- Cola Company.  I have been thinking about, speaking about, and writing about “Legacy” for decades now and I keep learning new lessons on the topic and a call I received last week shed new light on that exact issue. To maintain confidentiality, I will use “L” rather than the actual name of the caller.

 

Early last week, my cell rang and out of the blue I saw that “L” was calling.  “L” is an executive at Bolthouse Farms whom I have known for many years and whom I worked closely with when we bought the company back from Campbell’s in 2019.  I literally hadn’t heard from her since my retirement party in Bakersfield, late January 2024, and I wondered if everything was ok.  Quickly “L” assured me that all was well with her, her family and her professional life and that she was calling just to say “thanks,” and candidly I hadn’t a clue at that second what I should say “your welcome” for!!  She reminded me that back in 2021/2022 she met with me several times to work on an area of her development plan that she struggled with … she hated speaking in public.   I remembered us working on a number of her presentations, role playing in different settings and different group/audience sizes and I remember her making good progress in our work sessions.  She shared on the call last week that she had taken those early “lessons” and kept working on this area, and that just recently she had become the head/chair/president of the “toastmasters chapter” at the company and that she wanted to share that news and say thanks.  I was floored, humbled and so proud of “L”, now head of the “toastmasters chapter” … and starting from those humble “lessons” behind the admin building at Bolthouse Farms.

 

I was so touched by her call, so proud of her and wished her the very very best as we hung up the call last week.  Clearly a moment of “Legacy” alive in world today… but a “Legacy” story that had a clear reminder to me personally.  I thought back to those early “lessons” with “L” and remembered that the reason we met outside behind the admin building was that we were in the heat of Covid and beginning the process of trying to vaccinate (on site) the employee population.  It was incredibly stressful, and an incredibly busy time (business results were getting shaky as well) and I remember back to 2021 wondering whether I really had time for the “lessons” with “L.”  I was commuting to Bakersfield from Atlanta on top of it all and I came close to NOT being available for those “lessons,” NOT being generous with my time, NOT taking action to pass along a little “legacy” that might help the next generation of leaders at good old Bolthouse Farms.  I came close to really blowing it… and thankfully I didn’t!!

 

Even after all the years, decades, essays and speeches I am reminded once again that OUR legacy that we leave behind every day is based on our ACTIONS…. not our INTENTIONS!  WE need to continue to work on our actions and find ways to ACT generously as leaders, look for ways to leave our legacy… or maybe just have time for a few “lessons” outside behind the admin building … with our teams today regardless of the pressures/challenges of the moment!

 

 

Work the “problem” not the “worry”…

 

 

The challenges of business, and life more broadly, can at times seem overwhelming.  As we close out calendar Q1 2025, the changing landscape of consumer demand, industry disruptions, global tariffs, expanding federal layoffs, uncertain global alliances, and literally the list goes on and on.  Every week… and sometimes every day ( every hour??) there are announcements and updates that make all of us take a step back and wonder/worry about the path ahead.  We ask ourselves, our families and our friends a myriad of unanswerable questions.  What if the administration shuts down this agency or that department… what if the economy goes into a minor/major correction…what if layoffs hit our family or company…etc…???  The questions, the fears, and the “worries” seem to expand and its hard to know which way to turn, or what action to take next.  Candidly, when surrounded by fears/worries its common for all of us to get into a sort of “spin” where the worries take over and productive “forward focused” action seems elusive.

 

Recently, I was in a conversation with a good friend and work colleague who seemed surrounded by business concerns/worries.  While the business is flourishing, the competitive pressures, customer requirements and board expectations are all increasing.  Add those business dynamics to todays’ uncertain political and economic landscape, and the conversation became centered on a growing list of “worries.”  After a few minutes of empathetic listening, I blurted out (in full “rainman” style) “you need to work the problems, not work the worries.”  My odd outburst stopped the conversation’s direction immediately, and I was asked what I meant by “work the problem, don’t work the worry?”

 

I shared that I TOTALLY understood and shared in the anxiety/worries that this person was facing.  It is a crazy time and its hard to determine which way to turn, or what action to take on any given day, or at any given hour!  In my experience I have seen moments of massive uncertainty before… I think back to the attack on 9/11, the global financial meltdown of the great recession in 2008/2009, the onslaught of the Covid pandemic in 2020, or the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the capital to name just four!  In each of these incredibly intense, world-shaking moments the fears/anxieties/worries seemed insurmountable… yet here we are.  In each of those moments, I had leadership roles in businesses that needed my immediate attention and focus…. and action!  In each of those situations I needed to refocus myself on the real problems/challenges/issues that we were facing and “work the problems!”  Yes the worries were still there… yes I still had fears and anxieties (and probably didn’t sleep very well during those days of crisis) but I worked hard to put the worries to the side and work the problems at hand.

 

In my conversation, I shared a few stories from the past and specifically talked about how it felt to be leading a large company through the first few months of covid.  There was no playbook… we didn’t know what to do… there weren’t any vaccines as of yet… it was so scary and yet we needed to work on two basic concepts… keep the business running and make the workplace safer that our employee’s homes.  Those two concepts… those two “problems” became our complete focus and it actually allowed our front-line leaders to focus in as well on those two ideas for their departments and their teams… and it worked!  Yes, the fears and anxieties were still there and yes, the madness of that moment would persist for months (and years), but the focus on “working the problems” at hand really helped us find our way thought those VERY uncharted waters!

 

Just as I shared with my work colleague, take a look at your world today, and I am sure that worries abound. Its natural and understandable.  Work hard to find a way to put the worries to one side, and work on the core problems that face you as a leader today… and work to focus your teams energies toward productive problem solving, vs spinning on the worries/anxieties that surround us all.

 

I have known her for my entire life and will miss her forever

 It is with a heavy heart this morning that I pass along the news about the passing of our dear "Aunt Lorraine."  Lorraine has been a large, loving and powerful presence in my life for the entirety of my 63 years and I will miss her dearly and deeply forever.  I share this news here because over the years I have referenced her across numerous essays, and probably the widest read story being the one focused on her now famous "Aunt Lorraine's Law"  ( https://fylegacy.blogspot.com/2009/03/aunt-lorraines-law.html) 

Below is the obituary that I drafted yesterday, and that we are posting this week.  Join me in remembering her smile, her generosity, her recipes, and more broadly her legacy. 

 

Lorraine Ann Wark Diamond
January 19, 1933 – February 15, 2025

Lorraine Ann Wark Diamond, 92, of Tom’s River, New Jersey, passed away on February 15, 2025, after a long and fulfilling life. Lorraine was born on January 19, 1933, in New York City to Fred and Kunigunda Wark. She was the beloved sister of Arline Marie (Wark) Levisay and the cherished aunt to Mark, Bill, and Alice Levisay.

Raised in Brooklyn, New York, Lorraine attended PS 104 (The Fort Hamilton School) before graduating from high school in 1954. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics from The Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. After completing her education, Lorraine began her career at General Foods Corporation before joining the world of advertising at Young & Rubicam (Y&R) where she ran the test kitchens. For over 30 years, she worked at Y&R’s 40th and Madison offices alongside her friends, Audrey Wardly and Barbara Badyna, and her husband, Alfred Diamond.

Lorraine lived for many years in Baldwin, New York, with her parents, Fred and Kunigunda Wark. After their passing, she married Alfred Diamond in 1975, and they enjoyed a loving marriage until Alfred's passing in 1994.

An avid traveler, Lorraine explored many corners of the world, with a special fondness for Zermatt, Switzerland. After retiring from Y&R, she moved to Tom’s River, New Jersey, to be closer to many of her dear friends including Audrey Wardly and Herbie Smarro.

Lorraine was an ever-present and supportive figure in the lives of her niece and nephews after the death of her sister Arline in 1974. Known affectionately as “Aunt Lorraine,” she was a constant source of love, humor, and strength. Her independence, sassiness, generosity, and caring nature left a lasting impact on all who knew her.

Lorraine will be deeply missed and forever remembered for her sharp wit, loving spirit, and dedication to family.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made in Lorraine’s memory to Lutheran World Relief. 

"Do Fewer Things Better: redux.... a focus on executional excellence!

 

It was over 12 years ago that I first posted an essay focused on this idea of doing "fewer things better."  you can see the original essay here. ( https://fylegacy.blogspot.com/2012/09/do-fewer-things-better.html)   Here we are today in early 2025, in what seems like a really different world form 2012, new roles/companies for me, new technology dynamics with AI exploding, new global political dynamics... and yet this simple idea continues to reverberate in my thinking and the requirements for leaders to get A LOT done continues to grow.  Getting "A LOT" done is not my focus here... my desire is to talk less about how much we are getting done, I will not celebrate the phrase "I am multitasking my brains out" in this essay!  Quite the contrary, I will be centered on the quality of our work as leaders, and the executional excellence of our companies/teams/organizations.

One reality that is common for me today as it was in 2012 was and is feeling very lucky to be part of high growth organizations.  Its in that context that I wrote, 

 "I have had the chance to be part of a very dynamic, high growth company, working closely with a group of very inspired, motivated, and talented individuals. One reality of a high growth environment is that the scale and challenges of the business are often out-stripping the capabilities and capacities of the organization. Unlike many big companies that go through their every 2-3 year “reorganization” cycles, looking to cut costs when they can’t find/create real top line growth, we are constantly feeling the need to have the organization “catch-up” to the changing needs/challenges/size of the business. Because of this growth dynamic, individuals and teams are often stretched as their markets/customers/brands accelerate. This reality spans functions and departments all across our company, and mine is no exception."

This idea that "individuals and teams are often stretched" beyond their current capabilities and capacity as they grow is exhilarating and nothing new.  As leaders we need to realize this and navigate a tough balancing act... to drive for growth and to build the capabilities and capacity of our organizations AND execute with excellence.  I push myself to not fall into the trap to think that this is an either/or dynamic.... we can grow a ton OR execute brilliantly... that is an unacceptable leadership trap/headest... it's an "AND" not an "OR"thing!

This focus lead me to write about a conversation from that time that illustrates this point, 

 "I was talking with two of my talented leaders and we were working through the facts that there seemed to be just too many priorities for them and their teams, and at that moment certain things seemed to be falling through the cracks. It wasn’t a matter of skills or motivation; it was clearly an issue of prioritization. I asked them how MANY of the projects/initiatives they thought were getting accomplished, and they said maybe 80-85%. Additionally I asked them to grade their work on how WELL they thought they were accomplishing the projects, A to F. They both thought that maybe a B or B+ would be the right score. I suggested that is if we were getting a B+ of 85% of the work, then our “score” wasn’t an overall B+/85%, but rather a 72 ( 85 x 85 = 72.3) We needed to combine how MANY of the projects were being accomplished with how WELL they were being done. Were we really working so hard just to do average work? Does the business need/require just “average” work to accomplish “exceptional” results??? It was at the end of this conversation that the three of us came to the point of view that we needed to do more A+ work even if it meant us prioritizing the work even more dramatically."

This idea of a combined score of 72%, barely a passing "C," was not what those leaders from 2012 were working so hard to achieve, and its not the expectation that we as leaders need to set today! This dynamic will push all of us to step back for the moment and think about prioritization and focus for ourselves and our teams.  If we can decipher between "what's important" and "what's urgent," then how can our teams?  In a well read historic essay, "The tyranny of the urgent" ( https://fylegacy.blogspot.com/2010/11/tyranny-of-urgent-5-for-2.html),  I used a simple matrix to depict this idea.

As you can see this model pushes us as leaders to get this clear first for ourselves ....how are WE spending our time and where is our focus ???  Then, and only then can we work with our key leaders to do the same for our companies.  My experience guides me to realize that WE ( and I am including myself here for sure) spend too much time in quadrants #3 & #4, we push ourselves to think about quadrant #1, and NEVER spend enough of our time and focus in quadrant #2.  Writing this essay, and candidly you reading this essay is literally time spent in #2!

I will close in the exact same place as I did in 2012, we all need to work on this, we as leaders need to model this and help our teams bring it to life in their challenged, hectic, "get more done" worlds every day,

"Once we have done a better/stronger job prioritizing the work at hand (for the week/quarter/year/etc), then we must commit ourselves to strive for excellent work on the initiatives that we’ve prioritized. I know it will never be perfect. I don’t believe in”perfect,” nor do I believe that “practice makes perfect.” I DO believe that “practice makes better” and that we all can work hard on making tomorrow better than yesterday. My focus is on working to do “fewer things better”, maybe even taking a few initiatives/priorities off the plate so that we as an organization can improve our focus, and improve our “grades” on the quality not just quantity, of our work."

 

Fresh potential & possibilities with every sunrise

 

 

Over the years, literally the past 30 years, I have had the chance to spend a number of holidays with my wife’s family in a little village in NE Vermont; the location is set “facing” east, looking over the Connecticut River valley towards the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  This holiday tradition has become precious to our family, and we have just returned from an incredible white Christmas in those New England Mountains, sharing it with three generations of our family.  While the beauty of the snow, the quaintness of the little village, and the family time all together were again exceptional, the sunrises over the Mount Moosilauke this year (three of the sunrises from this year are pictured here) caught me on a number of levels.

 

The bitter cold early morning temperatures seemed to provide an incredibly “clear” view of the beautiful early light, reflected off the clouds, the mountains, and across the snowy ground as it spread into the day, lighting our world.  It also struck me to think that while my view was exactly the same every morning… same spot, same angle, same phone camera, etc., the sunrise was unique and totally different and unique EVERY day.  It’s this idea or dynamic that I want to focus on as we start 2025!

 

How ever you want to think about it, 2024 was a tough ride broadly across our country and our world, and a year of change and challenge for me personally.  As I look back at the essays I posted across 2024, I often reference the challenges, divisions and issues facing us broadly or me personally, an authentic picture of the dynamics of the moment.  While true and accurate ( I have no drive to go back and “re-edit” any of the essays posted last year) I am reminded of the tremendous quote from Dr. King’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech…

 

“I refuse to accept the idea that the “isness” of man’s present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal “oughtness” that forever confronts him. I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsam and jetsam in the river of life, unable to influence the unfolding events which surround him”

This idea came back to me on the snowy porch in Vermont last week… and the “new possibilities” that every dawn brings with it!  Regardless of the “isness” of the challenges of today (or of 2024), we are NOT “stuck” in the reality of today.  We are NOT floating as “mere flotsam and jetsam” in this life of ours, sleepwalking through day after day… dawn after dawn!  We have the ability and the possibility to make tomorrow different (and better) than yesterday in whatever way YOU/WE define as “better.”  

I am inspired once again by Dr. King's words, and the freshness of those cold, beautiful Vermont sunrises.  My encouragement to you as you dive into 2025… one day at a time…. one dawn at a time ... is that you find fresh inspiration to influence and affect “the river of life” that we all share!

p.s. the following picture is from the back porch of our cabin in North Carolina… the first sunrise of 2025 taken this morning… a dawn filled with possibilities & potential... Happy New Year!!

Aunt Marge's Rolls

 

As we get close to Christmas, Hanukkah, and the end of year holidays, I thought it was high time to dig back into my family’s recipes to share a treat that is perfect on any holiday table… none other than “Aunt Marge’s rolls!”

My Great Aunt Marge was my paternal grandmother’s (MaMa!!) younger sister (pictured here) who lived on a farm near Staunton Virginia most of her adult life and who was an incredible cook.  MaMa used to pose the question of who the better cook was, she or Marge, and I learned early in life not to “take the bait” and find a way to steer clear of that perilous question.  Aunt Marge was quite a character, outspoken and full of life and would share a delicious dinner when we would come visit her and Uncle Adley at the farm when we were kids.  While all the dishes were incredible, her rolls were exceptional, and my brother and I have worked to recreate the recipe ...the best we know how.  What follows is a recent “translation” that comes close to original, though Aunt Marge would have used probably used lard (most likely “leaf lard”) and would have omitted the dill during our summer visits.  The picture below is the batch I made last week following the recipe below. 

 I wish you all peace, love and understanding as you take some time off for the holidays…. in these times filled with conflict, division, and uncertainty here at home and all over the world, my hope is that you all can take some time over the holidays with your family and friends , share a meal and some stories... and don't forget to enjoy the rolls!!

                                              

Aunt Marge Rolls

 

 

Using my brother Mark’s “recipe” as a foundation, here is my version

 

The way I start is to put 1 cup of All Purpose flour in a bowl with 1/4-1/2 cup Whole Wheat flour

A little less than 1/4 cup sugar

1 heaping tablespoon (or 1 packet) Instant or Rapid Rise yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped dill

Mix dry ingredients with an electric hand mixer

 

When the dry ingredients are mixed, add 1/4 cup “Crisco” oil (you could melt solid Crisco) 

1 cup hot water, ½ cup buttermilk and make a "batter" with the hand mixer.

During the mixing process, add 1 egg and up to 1 more cup of All Purpose flour. 

 

Using a hand mixer, I stop adding additional flour when it starts to bog down.

With a wooden spoon I continue to add regular flour until the dough is dry enough to knead.  There is no exact amount, as it will depend on exactly how much water you use, the size of the eggs and the relative humidity.

Once the hand mixer “bogs down”, keep adding flour and mix with a wooden spoon It will probably take at least 1- 1& 1/2 cups AP flour more (3&1/2 - 4 cups flour total +/-)

 

Turn out onto a floured bread board or your countertop and knead until the dough is quite resistive.

Place dough into a large, oiled bowl and spray a little oil on top.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until it has doubled in size.  This should take 1 hour, depending on room temp.  (I place mine in an oven with the oven light on)

Take dough out onto your floured board and cut into the number of pieces you want for the rolls.  This sized batch of dough makes 16-18 of the "Aunt Marge" rolls. Cover with a light towel.

Let the rolls rise until at least doubled in size-an hour or more this time.  More rising is better.

Bake at 400F for about 16 minutes (less if you do individual “chef's hat” rolls in muffin tins) or until the tops are nice and brown.