dongrimme

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About dongrimme

  • Birthday 01/20/1946

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    http://www.GHR-Training.com
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  • Interests
    - my consulting work and business book writing<br />- my life with Sheryl (married 31 years)<br />- enjoying our new condo (with its great water view)<br />- video games (RPG), TV and videos, SF, music<br />- eagerly awaiting publication of our first book
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    Tamarac, FL

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  • Full Name
    Don Grimme
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    not looking
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    Married, heterosexual
  • Favorite Music, Artworks, Movies, Shows, etc.
    Music: classical, new age, light jazz, upbeat music from the 60's, 70's and 80's. TV: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, House, The West Wing, similar well-done dramas. Movies: "great" movies like The Godfather; action movies like Lethal Weapon series, comedy gems like In and Out and My Cousin Vinny, gripping dramas. Books: All of Ayn Rand and Robert Heinlein, Peter O'Donnell (Modesty Blaise) most of John Varley, other SF.
  • Description
    Born and raised in southern NJ (Haddonfield), college at U. of Delaware, 2 years in Army (Vietnam), 7 years in NYC, past 29 years in South Florida. Professional background in HR management. Past 10 years: trainer and speaker for organizations in every sector of the economy, specializing in "workplace people solutions." Coauthor (with wife Sheryl) of The New Manager's Tool Kit, published by AMACOM, Nov 2008.

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  1. Michael, It looks like you're getting some good advice here. I have none to offer. Just a comment about how similar your ironic situation and mine are: On the one hand: I'm just about to achieve my life's dream: publication of my first book, The New Manager's Tool Kit (AMACOM, Nov 2008). Analogous to your graduation with honors. My wife and I have been happily married for 31 years. On the other hand: We had to give up our home a few months ago (a "short sale") and are living in a rented condo unit (a surprisingly nice one for the low rent). We weren't homeless, but it was close. My training/speaking business is in a major slump and we're almost out of money. Getting by on partial social security and the generosity of friends. Best wishes to us both! Don
  2. I am in no way knowledgable about "art", but my lay opinion is consistent with yours. [Didn't Ms. Rand say something to this effect in, perhaps, The Romantic Manifesto?] My wife and I moved recently and we purchased several small accent rugs – all with colorful, abstract designs. And we have a print of a Native American rug (with a colorful, non-representational design) hanging on the wall. I don't stare at them in contemplation, but they make our home look nice. I feel the same way about most New Age music (much of which I like very much). I like living with it in the background. That is not how I feel about a Shostakovich symphony or even good pop music, which command my attention. Don
  3. Mike, I hope you will consider adding my wife's and my forthcoming book, The New Manager's Tool Kit, to your list. We focus on the leading people aspect of business management. It is a how-to (and why-to) book. Unlike most such books, however, we also address personal/interpersonal skills and issues specially relevant to today's workplace. The following is our book's expanded Table of Contents: Part 1: Leading People: Tool #1: Turn On Talent … and Turn Off Turnover Unlocks employee retention with an exploration of motivation. Examines the current challenge of retention, reviews some classic motivation theory, introduces Grimme’s 3-Factor Theory, presents hard data from recent landmark studies that support the theories, reveals the secret and his Top Ten Tips to turn on talent and turn off turnover, and launches readers on an application to apply all of this to their staffs. Tool #2: Unleash Their Productivity Releases employee productivity by exposing a phenomenon that is impairing it – increased job demands. Examines that phenomenon, including highlights from recent studies, shares the secret for dealing with it, provides tips to ameliorate the negative impact of job demands, and includes activities for application to readers’ workplaces. Tool #3: Balance Their Work & Life Opens an issue of increasing importance to today’s employees – work/life balance. Readers learn how important it really is, the critical role they play, the secret, and specific principles to deal with it effectively. As always, application activities are included. Part 2: Different Strokes: Tool #4: Embrace Diversity Unlocks workplace diversity: what it really means, its myriad manifestations in two dimensions, the changing workforce, differing perceptions, preconceptions, stereotypes, and how to embrace diversity in readers’ workplaces. Application activities are included. Tool #5: Get a Grip on Generations Opens up differences among generations, specifically the four generations currently in today’s workplace – Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millenials. Examines the events and experiences that shaped each generation’s world view and values, potential conflicts between generations, and the most effective ways to communicate with each. Tool #6: Focus On Ability Concentrates on people with disabilities and reveals how to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Explains the rationale and essence of the Act, comments on appropriate language, introduces four core concepts, defines and explains key terms and provisions, and outlines readers’ responsibilities as leaders. Part 3: Leader Effectiveness: Tool #7: Tell Them What Worked … and What Didn’t Readers learn how and why to give feedback – both positive and constructive. Explains what feedback is (and isn’t), teaches when and how to deliver each type of feedback and how to combine the two types, and provides opportunities to begin applying this skill with their own employees. Tool #8: Ask Them … Then Listen Unlocks the other side of the two-way communication coin – inquiry to solicit employees’ ideas and opinions, and active listening to ensure that you hear them and that they feel heard. Discusses why inquiry and active listening are so important (but are underutilized), gives readers an opportunity to assess their current effectiveness, teaches how to inquire and listen, and launch them on activities to practice the skills. Part 4: Optimizing Contributions: Tool #9: Diagnose Problems Solves how to diagnose performance problems (examining five root causes) – a necessary precursor to any form of intervention, e.g., coaching. Provides opportunity to begin applying this skill with readers’ own employees. Tool #10: Coach the Good Ones … and the Not So Good Readers learn how to coach marginal employees to improve their performance … and good employees to become even better. Includes the 4 Steps of a Coaching or Mentoring Dialogue, coaching practice scenarios, tips, and an application to their own employees. Tool #11: Mentor the Great Ones Unlocks how to mentor your already great employees to grow and advance. Includes tips, a Mentoring Prep Sheet and an application to readers’ own employees. Tool #12: Turn On Teamwork Looks at readers’ employees as a group and reveals how to optimize the performance of that workgroup and, perhaps, transform it into a real or even high-performance team. Examines “why teams don’t work” (but how they can), five types of “teams”, and the high risk/high reward of teams. Teaches two of the essential team processes teams: brainstorming and consensus. Includes a team-building activity. Part 5: Personal and Interpersonal Effectiveness: Tool #13: Blow Away Burnout Unravels job burnout – its increasing prevalence, negative consequences, indicators (including a Burnout Inventory), causes, and four arenas of attack to blow it away. Included is an application to help readers minimize burnout Tool #14: Stay on Top of Stress Addresses the broader issue of stress and how to stay on top of it. Readers discover what stress really is, the thinking processes at its root, and personality traits that encourage a stress response. Tool #15: Accentuate the Positive Readers learn about the importance of attitude (and how to improve it). Presents three types of people exhibiting three different attitudes, describes what such attitudes look and sound like, demonstrates the importance of a positive attitude, and teaches how to transform their attitude using self-talk and six other tips. Included are several activities to apply all this to their own life. Tool #16: Assert Yourself … and Deal With ‘Difficult’ People Unlocks assertion. Starting with a self-assessment, readers learn what assertion really is (contrasted with aggression and submission), why it is a virtue, and how to become more assertive. Also included are a workplace scenario, various applications, and a 10-point guideline for dealing with difficult people. Tool #17: Own Your Anger … Don’t Let It Own You Unveils the five rules of anger – how to acknowledge it, experience it, process it, express it, and then let it go – effectively and nonviolently. A self-assessment and practice activities are included throughout. Tool #18: Rise to the Challenge of Change Reveals the various manifestations and potentially devastating impact of change, including how to deal with the fear that change often triggers, and teaches six steps to rise to the challenge. Part 6: Eliminating Conflict: Tool #19: Prevent All Forms of Harassment Unlocks the legal and interpersonal ramifications of harassment in the workplace – why it still occurs, its various forms, how to avoid and respond to harassment, and how to prevent it. Includes an introductory quiz, the shape of harassment, two secrets, its broad scope, myriad examples, simple guidelines, the two-prong role of line managers, three practice scenarios, and 10 Tips to Protect Against Harassment Charges. Tool #20: Prevent Workplace Violence Readers learn about workplace violence: two prevailing myths, its true nature and scope, and how to prevent violence from scarring their workplace – using a behavioral profile of potential perpetrators and by identifying warning signs and triggering events. Includes an introductory quiz, the iceberg of workplace violence, Grimme’s POSTAL formula, a case study and notorious examples, how to apply each element of POSTAL, and 10 Steps to Manage Workplace Violence. Tool #21: Defuse and Protect Also contends with workplace violence, but here the focus is on how to handle actual violent incidents. Readers learn how to defuse a potentially violent person and how to protect themselves and others when threatened with physical violence. Includes Grimme’s DOGS formula, step-by-step guidelines, practice activities, and “What Would You Do If” scenarios. APPENDIX: The Next Generation: Prepare for the Impending Leadership Crisis Reveals the nature of the impending leadership crisis and the secret to surmounting it. Includes the nine essential traits of leaders, four methods for spotting the traits, the “Harry Truman Factor”, and application activities.
  4. Michael, Not sure what you mean by systems X, Y and Z. Are you referring to management theorists, Douglas McGregor's Theory X & Y and William Ouchi's Theory Z? To some other categorization? Or just using those letters arbitrarily to refer to three different ways of management-employee interaction? I do think that what you call the "nice guy" way is definitely more effective in managing brain workers (i.e., the kind of people that companies like Microsoft or Google employ). For example, would anyone on this Forum work for your system Y or system Z employer (other than as a last resort)? Carrot & stick might work for awhile with muscle workers, e.g., day laborers. [My nephew is an architectural contractor. He swears by the latter technique for managing his construction workers.] Don
  5. Nick, Thanks for the acknowledgment! Yours is an interesting and interestingly encapsulated life story. I'm sure I'm not the only one here who wants to learn more about your novel. [Thanks to Michael for his post.] For example, how can I obtain it (in the U.S.)? At the moment, Amazon.com lists it as "Out of Print--Limited Availability." [My own book won't even be published until November, but Amazon is already accepting pre-orders.] The publisher is shown as "Lathe Biosas Publishing." <-- Are you self-published? A hearty welcome to OL from a fellow newbie! And best wishes on continuing improved health and freedom from pain! Don Grimme
  6. Deming is like most brilliant, creative iconoclasts (Bucky Fuller is another): spinning nuggets of genius, mixed with fallacy. [i believe that there was a 20th century thinker who was an exception, but I can't remember her name. ] Deming's path of influence was ironic: An American who had to go to Japan to be heard, then the best of U.S. businesses adapted his "Japanese" practices. I spent the better part of my career in HR management at one of those businesses: Motorola, a leader in six sigma quality. In fact, I became quite involved with an aspect of it: QFD (quality function deployment), which translates (or deploys) the "voice of the customer" into product design features and manufacturing processes. It was through this that I first learned Kano's Model of Customer Satisfaction (which my wife and I adapted to employee motivation). [C2C Solutions has provided a free, online, audio/visual tutorial on the Kano Model of Customer Satisfaction. It’s brief and easy to understand.] As an HR guy, my favorite of Deming's 14 Points is #8: Drive out fear. Don
  7. This reminds me of the inspiration for our two-point "Secret" (as we call it in our book). Several years ago, I heard a Tom Peters speech, in which he summed up the secret of excellent companies: "They don't sell junk ... and they treat people nice." [i like pithy, and understatement.] Don
  8. Right on, Shane! This is what we have to say about it in the Preface to our book: Manager vs. Leader Many books distinguish between these two terms, stating that management is about authority, whereas leadership is about influence. We don’t. In today’s workplace, anyone with management responsibilities must use leadership to execute those responsibilities. Most of today’s employees won’t stand for an authoritarian style. And even those few who might put up with being ordered around will be less effective under such as taskmaster. Also, the term manager includes both managing tasks and managing people. This is a book about managing people, a.k.a. leadership. We use these two terms almost interchangeably, primarily using manager or management to refer to the job responsibility; leader as a generic term for various job titles; and leadership to refer to the means of executing that responsibility, when dealing with people. Don
  9. [As stated in my profile and recent self-introduction, I am a professional trainer, speaker and (as of November) author, specializing in what I call "workplace people solutions." The following article is derived from the introduction and first chapter of my wife’s and my forthcoming book, The New Manager's Tool Kit. The target audience for our book and this article is managers in today’s workplace (rather than Objectivists). However its subject matter of human motivation may very well be of interest to OL readers. I welcome your questions, comments and concerns. – Don Grimme] An Employer Crisis We need to apply a different paradigm. There is a crisis in America today. The one we’re talking about to has nothing to do with telemarketing, as annoying as that is, or even terrorism. Rather, we’re referring to the diminishing ability of employers in every sector of our society to attract, retain and motivate talented employees, that is: to survive. It is especially employee retention that has emerged as the workplace issue of the decade. In 2006, the Society for Human Resource Management’s Workplace Forecast predicted that the #1 employment trend most likely to have a major impact on the workplace would be: a greater emphasis on...retention strategies. And in a 2007 study by the global employee retention research firm, TalentKeepers, 88% of employers reported turnover had increased or stayed the same … and 45% forecasted a further increase (only 3% predicted a decrease). You see, our long-held assumptions of an ever-expanding talent pool have been shattered, by such factors as: The retirement of aging baby boomers Lower birth rates Tighter immigration rules And an increase in skills demanded for today’s jobs. The first three factors explain this quantitatively. But it is the fourth qualitative factor that is the sticking point. More than a shortage of bodies, this is a crisis is of abilities – the talent in ‘talent pool.’ And employee loyalty is down. According to a 2005 survey conducted by SHRM, 79% of employees are job searching (actively or passively). In fact, the most frequently asked question put to SHRM is: How can we keep talent from jumping to our competitors? Fortunately, every crisis contains not only danger, but also opportunity … if you know how to tap into it. Employers are groping at ways to attack the problem. That 2005 SHRM survey found the techniques being used are: salary adjustments, job promotions, bonuses, more attractive benefits and retirement packages, and stock options. All of which are expensive and (as found in that TalentKeepers study) not very effective. The reason, as you will see, is that they are misdirected. Rather than leaping to implement techniques, we maintain that it is important to begin with an understanding of the resource you’re trying to retain. Otherwise, you won’t know whether any technique is effective; and you won’t be that effective in implementing it. The Human Resource All too often, organizations have viewed their employees in much the same way as they view their material resources: as a commodity, homogeneous and easily interchangeable. For example, notice the frequent use of such terms as human capital, subordinate, rank and file, and headcount – terms which connote property, servitude or thing-ness. In fact, employees are not headcount or merely the means to organizational ends. They also are ends in themselves. As a human resource, an employee deserves (and needs) to be viewed differently than the inanimate resources of the organization. A human being needs to be treated with … respect. The master key to unlocking the full potential of this resource is grasping that fact, not only intellectually, but also in your gut. So that it influences every aspect of how you think about and interact with this invaluable asset – your fellow employees. Respect Most of us, perhaps, share a similar understanding of this word, respect. But the concept is so important to the authors – and so essential to this topic – that we are elaborating on it. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines respect as: the state of being regarded with honor or esteem. As a verb, the definition includes: to avoid violation of. We think that second definition provides an important clarification. By respect, we do not mean deference to authority or position (e.g., bowing to a king or Yes sir, boss!). Rather the American principle of avoiding violation of an individual’s fundamental rights. Every human being is a sir or ma’am, even when addressing them on an informal first name basis. And we’ve created an acronym based on the word, which enumerates some of the behaviors associated it: Refrain from putdowns, criticism, personal attacks Encourage others to state their views Support each other … even if you don’t agree Practice active listening Express yourself assertively … not aggressively or submissively Collaborate … not compete or collude Trust each other … unless and until such trust is violated In our training programs, we ask participants to commit to these behaviors. We urge you to do likewise in your workplace. What Employees Want What do you think employees most want from their jobs? Good wages? Job security? That's what most managers have thought, for at least the past 60 years. But it's not what employees have continued to say! As shown in this table, what employees really want are: appreciation and involvement. Note the glaring disconnect between manager opinion and employee fact. Are we saying – or are employees saying – that competitive wages are unimportant? Of course not. Money usually is a necessary, but not sufficient condition to attract, retain and motivate good employees. [by the way, money isn't even always necessary. Notice how energized and enthusiastic unpaid volunteers often are.] And notice that, while managers rank promotion/growth opportunities in the top three, employees rank this toward the bottom. This is important to some employees (perhaps to you), but overall, not so much. Lest there is any doubt, these discrepancies between manager opinion and employee fact are good news, for at least two reasons: Increased wages and job security (that managers think are most important) are precisely what many organizations cannot provide these days; whereas appreciation and involvement (which employees really want) can be provided anytime, at little or no cost. [As for those promotion/growth opportunities, often you’re not able to provide these to many your employees.] Most managers out there don't get it. If you do, your organization can win the battle for the hearts and minds of employees, regardless of budget! Why Should We Care? This is all very nice, but you’re trying to run an enterprise. Why should you care what employees want? That is, how does this affect the bottom-line? Well, in 1998, the Gallup organization studied the impact of employee attitudes on business outcomes. They found that organizations – where employees have above average attitudes toward their work – have: 38% higher customer satisfaction scores 22% higher productivity 22% better employee retention 27% higher profits! Satisfying employees is not only a nice thing to do; it also makes good business sense! A Deeper Look Employees are the most inscrutable of an organization’s resources. To gain a deeper understanding, we review some classic theory, propose our own 3-Factor Theory, present data from a recent landmark study that supports these theories, and solicit your own insight to confirm it. Classic Theory The best know motivation theory is probably… Maslow categorized human needs into 5 sets: The most fundamental is Survival. This is our need for food, water and shelter; and, in the modern era, includes medical services, electricity, transportation and phones. All of which are jeopardized by natural disasters. Visualize the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Next is Safety and Security – for which we look to the military and police, fire-rescue and insurance. All of which were called into play on and since 9/11. What then emerges is Social and Belonging – our need for family and friends, coworkers and associations. Then comes Self-Esteem* – confidence and respect, appreciation and recognition. And the ultimate, Self-Actualization – fulfillment and happiness, which most of us meet through career, marriage and/or parenthood. * [NOTE to OL readers: As you know so well, without at least some measure of self-esteem, individuals are unable to satisfy any of their other needs. This is a hierarchy of motivational drives, not the order in which an adult should build his/her character.] But Maslow did more than categorize. He posited that these needs do not have equal force, all the time. So, when our fundamental needs of survival, safety and security are threatened, e.g., by natural disasters or terrorism, that’s all we care about. [As South Florida residents, the authors have first-hand knowledge of this. For example, for the first several days after 2005’s Hurricane Wilma, local TV stations had no network programming, not even national news. All they reported was where to get water and ice, and where and when power was being restored.] However, for most Americans most of the time, these needs are met. They become merely basic expectations (what Frederick Hertzberg called hygiene factors) that we pay little attention to. What we care about, and are motivated by, are the three highest level needs. Grimme’s 3-Factor Theory We use Maslow’s Hierarchy as a springboard for our own 3-Factor Theory, which consolidates a few other theories (e.g., Hertzberg’s 2-Factor Theory and the Kano Model of Customer Satisfaction) – from an employer’s perspective: Employers satisfy Maslow’s fundamental survival, safety and security needs primarily through a pay check and benefits plan, i.e., “Earnings & Benefits.” That’s how employees buy groceries, put a roof over their heads and ensure against life’s contingencies. In the workplace, our highest-level need of self-actualization and much of our self-esteem are met through the work itself, i.e., “Job Quality.” Employers can address the center rung of social and belonging needs, as well as self-esteem, with “Workplace Support,” e.g., supervision, teamwork and recognition. As shown in the following graph (derived from the Kano Model), each of these 3 factors is different in nature and effect: As Hertzberg maintained, the absence of Earnings & Benefits is demotivating. These are what Kano calls basic needs. If a job’s pay and benefits are inadequate to pay our bills, we won’t even start work. And if we feel unfairly compensated, we'll gripe and complain. But we're not really motivated by overpay or lavish benefits. Not saying we won’t enjoy them, but they’re not truly energizing. In contrast, the very presence of Job Quality is motivating – Kano’s excitement needs. The greater our sense of achievement and the more involved we are in our work, the more energized and excited we will be. This really turns us on! We maintain that Workplace Support factors are both demotivators and motivators – Kano’s performance needs. A lousy supervisor, coworker frictions and lack of appreciation will drain our energies. But the better our supervisor is, the more cohesive our team and the more appreciated we feel – the more energized we will be. Put another way: We will go to work for a paycheck and a benefits plan. But we won’t really do work (or, at least, our best work) unless something else is present… It is the quality of the work itself and of our relationships with others at work, which draws us to the best organizations and keeps us there – energized and performing at peak effectiveness. Well, all that is just theory. Where’s the data that supports it? Data In 1997, the National Study of the Changing Workforce, conducted by the Families and Work Institute, examined the impact on work outcomes of four sets of factors: Earnings & Benefits, Job Quality, Workplace Support and Job Demands. [You see where we got the labels for our 3 factors.] The Study found that, while Earnings & Benefits have only a 2% impact on job satisfaction, Job Quality and Workplace Support have a combined 70% impact. That’s a 35 times greater bang for the buck! Although, in the case of Job Quality and Workplace Support, it’s a symbolic buck, rather than a monetary expense. And the results were similar for factors impacting organizational loyalty and employee retention. Perhaps you’re curious about that fourth factor, Job Demands. It has a significant impact only on job performance – a negative one, comparable to the positive impact of either Job Quality or Workplace Support. [How to ameliorate this negative impact is the subject of the second chapter of our book.] Insight Test this out yourself: Remember a time when you felt energized, fulfilled, and excited about your job or a project; when you couldn't wait to get out of bed and get to work! If, unfortunately, nothing comes to mind, remember a time when you felt frustrated, bored or dispirited about your job; when you had to force yourself out of bed to go to work! What were you doing? What was special (or not special) about it? Was it the pay? The fringe benefits? Maybe, for the first few days. Or, was it the stimulating work, the stretching of your abilities, being an important part of a grand venture, the rapport with coworkers, the recognition from superiors? If you find that it's the former, please write to us at Solutions@GHR-Training.com or post a reply in this thread. [You’ll be the first to do so; and we’ve been asking this question for years – on our website and in our newsletter, workshops and presentations.] Otherwise, the only thing we would add to your insight is the assurance that it is not unique – to you, your profession, job level, generation or socio-economic group. So what! That is, what use does this theory, data and insight have to you as a workplace leader? Well… These concepts can become your mental model or paradigm – guiding you as you interact with your employees on a day-to-day and minute-by-minute basis. It’s a very different paradigm from the carrot & stick approach typically used; and is much more effective in getting the bottom-line results you want. You can think about your own behaviors and your organization’s current policies, practices and programs from what may be a different perspective. Are they working for you? Are they consistent with these principles? What changes can you begin making? And you can anticipate the efficacy of new initiatives under consideration. For example: To reduce turnover, does it now make sense to rely on salary increases, promotions, bonuses, benefits, retirement packages and stock options? We think it make more sense to: Pay them fairly. Treat them GREAT! As for how to treat them great, see our Top Ten Tips to Motivate & Retain Talented Employees ... and covered in much greater depth in the remainder of the first chapter of our book.
  10. Thank you, Bill P, Kat and Barbara, for your warm welcomes ... and clarifications. [i've already thanked earlier posters on this thread.] I'm enjoying the teasing (and general lightheartedness). I'm just not used to it, feeling a little like a stranger in a strange land. Almost like Dagny during her first few hours in Galt's Gulch. [since I'm currently rereading AS, images from that book keeping popping into my mind.] Other than with my wife, I'm used to roughly two modes of interpersonal interaction: Bland, often boring, conventional communications with clients and acquaintances. Remembrances of uptight, mind my p's & q's conversations with the "other" Objectivists. This is a refreshing change of pace! Don
  11. Hi, Don! I'm an old-timer, too, though I never made it to NYC to hang out with the Inner Circle before the 68 Split sent folks scurrying for cover and/or freedom. So, I continue to be somewhat of an "outsider" Objectivist, "independent" Objectivist, what have you. In answer to your question, I'd say that the best ~phrase~ for saying the opposite of what you mean -- in the context of Barbara's post -- is "pulling your leg." You are now welcome to pull your socks back up to their original position. Best, REB, sexagenarian crank Roger, Thank you for your warm welcome! Although watch who you call "old." If 60 is the new 40, I am only 42. I also was not in NYC until the 70's. In fact, I didn't find out about the split until well after the fact. [between college and the army, my Objectivist subscription fell into a black hole.] A couple years later (after I was fired from my short-term job there), my exboss, Nathaniel Branden's sister (I forget her name), cancelled my subscription to the Ayn Rand Letter (she did refund payment). Don
  12. Micheal, I think you've nailed it. Count me into this category as well. By the way, you are a wonderful host. Warm and patient with my naïveté. [FYI: There is no irony in that statement.] Thanks! Don
  13. Michael, Yes, I checked a dictionary and you are correct. What is the word for saying the opposite of what you mean (e.g., what Barbara Branden must have been doing in her post in this topic)? Also, can you clarify the reference to "Michael and Kat's living room Wednesday at 1900"? Is this an actual online event? Is it appropriate for me to attend? Thanks! Don
  14. I am overwhelmed! Thank you all so much for the hearty (albeit somewhat confusing*) welcome! Special thanks to: Michael for his encouragement to "promote [my] stuff." I won't abuse it. Brant for remembering me and his sanction of my behavior eons ago. Barbara ... just for making contact (I find that I can still be star struck). * I've not yet explored this forum sufficiently to grasp the background of some of the bantering (e.g., what is serious, what is teasing). And, never having met or corresponded with Barbara, I had to read her post a couple times to appreciate her sarcasm. [i frequently have been criticized for my sarcasm, it's refreshing to see it used so freely.] Thanks again!
  15. Hello! My Facebook profile at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=112...iq=don%2Cgrimme provides some basic facts about me. If you've bothered to open this post, you're probably wondering what I mean by semi-Objectivist. First, some background: I was intrigued by The Fountainhead when I first read it at age 17 and was blown away by Atlas Shrugged when I first read it a year later (this was about 45 years ago). It was my new "religion" (a comment on me at that time, not on the philosophy) through college and the army. After my military service in late 1970, I came to NYC to study acting and to immerse myself in Ayn Rand's world ... with mixed results. I actually worked for The Objectivist for three weeks in 1971, but was fired when I admitted to reading The Psychology of Self-Esteem and to seeing Roger Callahan for counseling (among other reasons, my tour of duty in Vietnam messed me up a bit). I did like some of the people I met in those days, e.g., Phil Smith (with whom I took a couple acting classes) and Kay Nolte Smith (who commented favorably on one of my performances). Unfortunately, I never met Ms. Rand. The next few years were more positive (and healthier). I gradually gave up Objectivism as a religion and started (finally) thinking for myself. My quasi-Objectivist contacts centered around a monthly group session with Lee and Joyce Shulman and some amateur theatre work with Nell Robinson ... and included a weekend session with Nathaniel Branden and a helpful conversation with David Kelly. I've not met Barbara Branden. [FYI: I very much enjoyed The Passion of Ayn Rand: book and TV movie.] Professionally, I began my career in human resource management. In the late 70's I met my wife of 31 years, Sheryl (who is not an Objectivist at all, but whose sense of life and temperament are simpatico with mine). I have been out of Objectivist circles for decades (ever since leaving New York City and moving to South Florida, 29 years ago). So what do I mean by "semi"? I'm a bit wary of people who call themselves Objectivists - many I've met/read are narrow-minded and/or weird. Whereas some of the nicest people I know are Christians. I agree with the fundamental philosophy (and love her romanticism), but I don't agree with all of Ms. Rand's opinions/positions. I am a liberal-leaning libertarian, e.g., I hate George W. Bush (I understand that many Objectivists think well of him) and will probably vote for Obama. Reality is an objective absolute (obviously). But I'm not sure that material existence precedes spiritual consciousness. I suspect that there may be a "ground of being" beyond death. I think Ayn Rand sometimes confused character with temperament, e.g., Howard Roark is too cold for my tastes, I wish Dagny had made provisions for Eddie Willers' welfare. I'm currently rereading Atlas Shrugged for the umpteenth time, which triggered an Internet search for "Objectivism" and I stumbled in here (and like what I've seen thus far). Sheryl and I make our home in South Florida. For the past 10 years, we've had our own small training firm (management and interpersonal skills). We or (since Sheryl's MS diagnosis two years ago) I travel sporadically around the U.S. to deliver our training and speaking services. Our "groundbreaking book" on leading people in today's workplace, The New Manager's Tool Kit, published by AMACOM, hits bookshelves this November (and is available for pre-order on Amazon.com). Much of the contents are available (at no cost) as short articles at http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Don_Grimme. I encourage/request any who are interested to reply to this post or write to me at Solutions@GHR-Training.com. It's good to be here! Don Grimme