I recently came across an article that had a profound impact on me. The article was titled "How will you measure your life - don't reserve your best business thinking for your career." It was written in 2010 by the late Clayton M. Christensen, who passed away last year due to complications from cancer. I read the article last Friday and have thought about its message every day since. Christensen is a master storyteller and manages to weave together concepts of business and life in a way that leaves you in awe. If there you don’t read anything else, then read this one article and reflect on your own life. There is a reason why Christensen was so well respected by Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, and Reed Hastings. The link to the article is in the “Life” section below.

Good Quote

Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life

Corporate Ecology

Most of you may have heard Facebook announce they are changing their name to Meta – working towards more immersive virtual experiences. What I find interesting is that Microsoft is partnering with Facebook to integrate Meta with Teams. I all of a sudden feel like the lines between work and social media are coming together, and I am not sure this will be a good marriage. Microsoft has a strong hold of corporate collaboration with Teams, I am interested to see how this partership works. I personally would’t mind having my avatar join meetings on days where my hair isn’t looking the best. To learn more click on this quick article below.

On Family

Can we pause and talk about childcare costs in America? With 3 kids and no immediate family nearby, I can’t help but feel I would be rich if it weren’t for childcare. The article below explores other nations’ effective childcare models, and showcases that the US has some work to do.

Disconnect

Should phones be allowed in middle school and high school classrooms? That would be a hard “no” for me. D-rock is in middle school, where there is a no-phone policy for the entire day - and I love it. Par Par is in high school, where there’s a no-phone-out-in-the-class policy. But students still find ways to sneakily use their phones in class. Imagine as a teacher trying to explain algebra while competing with the attention-sucking draw of phone screens. More and more schools are starting to adopt no-phone policies. I imagine the number of issues that teachers face policing phone use is high. School is one of those environments where disconnecting from the outside world is extremely valuable. Take a look at the article below to learn how some schools are addressing disconnecting from phones.

Can I leave you with a clip of the perfect mom?

Classic SNL video that EVERY mom should watch.