Our place in this world

It's been a while since I've written, and a lot has happened.  I've been at Lockton for four months and feel like I am just starting to settle in.  My oldest daughter and son-in-law graduated from William Jewell with their bachelor's degrees.  Both were accepted to Yale for grad school starting in the fall, EmmaRae with a full ride plus stipend; yes, I'm proud and thrilled.  We went on a two week vacation to California, where we saw the giant sequoias, and Napa Valley wine country.  And this week, on Wednesday, June 26, 2019, at 5:41am, my Dad passed away after fighting cancer for more than a year. I've written about my Dad before: about how positive he had been through his fight with cancer.  And I can honestly say that even up to his end here on earth, he remained positive.  I asked him, as he was lying in a hospital bed wasting away physically, why he was so positive...his answer was the same, "it is what it is", and "being upset or nega...

As I type this I realize I've been out of work for more than seven weeks.  During that time Stacey and I spent three weeks out of the country...a week in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and two weeks traveling all over Costa Rica.  We spent two weeks celebrating Christmas and New Years with family and now are remodeling our master bathroom.  Stacey even learned how to tile a floor. :) I'm surprised to say this but I haven't missed my old job.  I haven't missed the work, the deadlines, the pressure, the authority, the commute, etc.  I have missed some of my coworkers and friends but overall I just haven't given it much thought.  I do miss the routine, having a goal and daily objectives and I do miss adding value, the feeling that I am contributing to something bigger than myself. I go back to work in one week...one week!  Where did the time go?  And while I'm excited about the next chapter at Lockton, I will miss my closest friend, Stacey.  We've b...

Here's to a peaceful and prosperous 2019!

I need it, I want it, I gotta have some motivation!!!  Or as the Rolling Stones might say..."I can't get no, motivation!" 😆 A lot of days, especially now that it's winter here in the midwestern U.S., I really struggle with finding the motivation to get my butt up and moving.  Move, sweat, pick up something heavy, repeat.  This is what I know I should do, this is what I want to want to do, but this is what I'm struggling with. So, with that in mind, what do you do to find your motivation?  Following uplifting people online helps me, but not those young guys/girls who are uber fit and perky, ugh, that is not me, I'm nearly 50!  I mean those with encouraging words, with stories, etc., those seem to help me.  Also, the biggest thing that helps me is routine.  I am a creature of habit.  If I can get into a set routine, five days a week, I do so much better with everything in my life.  And going back to my high school and college sports...

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!  Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season!

As many of you know I recently left DST on December 14, 2019, after more than seven years leading global talent acquisition.  I'm happy to announce that I have accepted the role of Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Lockton Companies .   I will be based out of their headquarters on the Plaza in Kansas City, MO and will be starting in Q1 2019.  I am very much looking forward to a fresh start at this exciting company.  Watch my social media channels over the coming months to see what we're up to. To learn the Lockton story, click here .  #LocktonLife

Today is my last day at DST.  It's bittersweet.  I've given my time, my energy and my dedication for more than seven years.  But, life is a story, full of chapters, and it's time for my next chapter.  Thank you to everyone I've had the honor and pleasure of working with over the years.  DST was hard at times, very hard, but it has been good for me and my family.  Thank you for a great chapter in my life. All the best! DK

After much back and forth, my wife and I have finally decided on our travel plans.  Instead of 30 days in one place, we will break up our travels between two countries and a home improvement project.  One week in Cabo San Lucas beginning the day after I'm laid off and two weeks in Costa Rica in January.  Between trips, we will be remodeling our master bathroom as well. I'm looking forward to time with my wife, to traveling and making memories, and to some manual labor in my bathroom as we tear everything out and start over with tile, etc. Soon I'll have an announcement about what I'll be doing in 2019.  In the meantime, here's to time away! Best to you all! Doug and Stacey

It seems a rare thing to have a corporate culture where it's ok to fail.  Cultures governed by fear appear to be the norm.  It's cultures like this that breed stagnation as employees are afraid to take a risk or step out and do the right thing for fear of failure and ultimately rejection and/or demotion.  Instead, employees do the safe thing, they seek permission for everything and stop thinking for themselves.  This kills productivity and ultimately reduces customer service and satisfaction...and profits. Cultures that are governed by encouragement, ingenuity and a passion for taking care of the customer above all else thrive.  But to do this, corporate leadership must be intentional about the culture they are creating...and modeling.  It should be OK to fail.  Employees should never  get in trouble if they make a mistake because they were trying to do something for a client — leaders should want people to make decisions, not just be paralyze...

I remember being in high school, especially when I was a senior, and the last month or so of school was coming up before graduation, I lost motivation for my studies. In fact, MANY of us lost our motivation.  People referred to it as "senior-itis".  Webster defines "senior-itis" as a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance. Now I'm an adult and in the final days of my time here at DST and I've found that "senior-itis" is still a real thing.  Coming in on time, staying focused and being productive even when there is little to do is proving more and more difficult every day. So here's to a new chapter once this one closes that will give me renewed purpose, drive, and passion. And until then, I'm ready for the last day to hurry up and get here! :)

Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours!

For months I haven't felt valued at work, but recently I've been interviewing with several different local companies.  I must say, it feels good to be valued.  When people want to know your opinion and believe that you can assist them to be better than they are, that feels good.  To know that you have experiences, knowledge and a point of view that is of worth...that is very reaffirming. Today, I encourage all of you to interview somewhere so that you too can reaffirm your self-worth and you never know, you might end up with some bargaining chips at your current job or you might even land a new job. You are VALUABLE!

I hope you have a great autumn!

For my entire life, it seems America has been divided between liberals and conservatives who label themselves Democrats and Republicans.  One side seemingly wanting to be progressive, to change the status quo, to be socially "liberal".  The other side seemingly wanting to leave things as they were, to be socially "conservative". I feel that over the past 10 years things have gotten significantly worse, being hateful and even violent at times.  Extremists from both sides are quick to curse, name call, demean, finger point, and threaten.  It's really awful.  Neither side is willing to concede or compromise.  Both sides want the government to control more and more individual behaviors. One of the problems, as I see it, is that the government is either unable or unwilling to truly govern.  Rather than Congress doing sound research, representing the people and then writing sound laws, we rely too much on the Supreme Court to decide what's ok and what's ...

As I've written about recently, I had a bit of a blow-up with someone close to me.  I've been hurt, angry, disgusted, and even angrier.  I've tried to think of what my part in this blow up could have been.  I realize and have finally accepted that I did play a part as I was joking around and this person didn't take it well, leading to their blow up. Now that I accept that I did, in fact, play a role in all of this, I decided to apologize for the teasing.  I should not have expected anything in return but I did.  I expected them to reciprocate and apologize for blowing up, threatening, and belittling me--then we would have reconciliation.  But instead, this person proceeded to defend their position and behavior.  They took the position that they were in the right, and it was all my fault.  Now there is no reconciliation, I'm still hurt, and I still think they are crazy, but now also very selfish. So, here I am, blogging about "right or reconcil...

Anger noun a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. I don't consider myself to be an angry person, and in fact, I consider myself to be fairly positive and even-keeled.  However, a recent event has caused me to become quite angry...literally over several days, I find myself still fuming a bit.  The event in itself has caused me to be angry and my anger for so many days is causing me to be angry.  Suffice it to say, I'm a hot mess. I'm angry because I feel I have been wronged.  And not just wronged but told that I am less than criminal...OUCH!  Why do words hurt?  It bothers me when words hurt others; I call those people "sensitive".  But now I am dealing with hurt feelings over <gasp> words!  Am I "sensitive"?  My recent discontentment would say yes.  Sigh. My wife has asked me why I'm still so mad.  She's asked me to think about what role I may have played in this.  She's asked me if being angry ...

jealous jeal·ous | \ˈje-ləs  \ Hostile toward a rival or one believed to enjoy an advantage: ENVIOUS His success made his old friends jealous. They were jealous of his success. Jealousy is a curious thing.  To want what someone else has, or to feel entitled to have what someone else has or is.  I've experienced this to be sure.  I'm sure all of us have experienced this.  But to be jealous to the point of anger against that person we are jealous of, that seems a bit strange, immature, and wrong, don't you think? I can think back to a time, years ago when I was younger and less mature for sure, when I was still trying to be successful, to climb that ladder, and to make a name for myself. I would become jealous of someone to the point of feeling spiteful towards them.  But for some reason, one day, I decided that rather than be jealous of that person I should be happy for them, for their success, and for their things that I thought I should have. Now...

I began running again this year after returning from a binge eating trip across Europe, yes the food in France is every bit as good as you've heard.  I had let myself go over the past seven years and had put on 25 pounds!  So in April, I began running again in an effort to lose some weight but what I found is that I enjoy it.  Running to exhaustion clears my mind and burns up any cares I had before.  To be completely empty physically, emotionally and mentally is tremendous and makes me feel so good, even though my joints and muscles don't always agree. A month ago I was nearly at the end of a run when I strained my right hamstring.  I was able to hobble back to my truck and get myself home, but there was no way I could run.  I decided to rest until I could get moving again. Fast forward four weeks and I'm itching to get back out there.  I need that release, that empty feeling, to clear my mind and get a good sweat going.  My hamstring feels pr...

Smartphones are an amazing tool.  Never have we had so much information about anything and anyone in the palm of our hand as we do now.  They truly are amazing.  However I, like many others, have found that I rely on my iPhone 24x7.  It's my phone, my text, my social media, my camera, my alarm clock, my workout reminder, my workout tracker, my internet, my Bible, my picture album, my music, my email, my shopping, my everything.  I'm on it all of the time and while I don't have "feelings" for my phone, I carry it everywhere...I am literally never without it and am lost if I don't have it on me at all times.  So maybe I do "love" my iPhone?  Weird. I've noticed for some time now that my wife also loves her iPhone.  I find that we often will sit together and look at our phones, in silence.  This is madness; so we have agreed to go on a phone fast beginning October 1 for 30 days.  We will limit our phone usage to three, 30-minute intervals...

It's Thursday and I just got back from lunch with a former colleague.  This colleague asked me to go to lunch to ask my advice but I came away feeling like I was the one that benefited.  This got me to thinking about other people in my life that have influenced me over the years.  Many of these people influenced me through their examples of how they lived their lives and conducted themselves. My Father - he was always working, providing for our family.  He made time to help others in need.  And he never quit anything he started his whole life. My Mother - she was always kind, always smiling, always singing in the car and always encouraging me and building me up.  She used to say "you can be anything you want to be if you just set your mind to it". My Wife - for the past 30 years she has been my rock, my encourager, she gives me advice, and picks me up when I need it most.  She makes me better than I am and loves me more than I deserve. My Broth...