Alan Weiss’s Monday Morning Memo® – 11/09/2020
In January of this year, World Series-winning baseball manager Alex Cora was released as the coach of the Boston Red Sox because he was implicated in a sign-stealing scandal when he was with the Houston Astros. That scandal probably stole the World Series from the LA Dodgers. It was a sophisticated deception using video cameras and co-conspirators. Cora was fired by the Red Sox.
A week ago, as soon as he was eligible, Cora was rehired by the struggling Red Sox to again coach the team. There is a former baseball player named Pete Rose who is one of the greatest to ever play the game. But, he has been ineligible to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame because he bet on games. He was never found to have fixed a game or thrown a game as a player or manager. Cora, on the other hand, did actively try to fix games. For many Red Sox fans this is probably a doxology. To me, it’s pretty pathetic.
We’ve come to a point where winning trumps ethics, the limelight brings out the lowlifes. I’m all for redemption, and rehabilitation, and mea culpas. But has the discipline fit the crime? Yet another media-star pastor, Carl Lentz, was “outed” last week. He ran a mega-church which featured rock bands and huge productions. Oh, yeah: He was cheating on his wife.
I think sometimes that Americans hate crime but love the criminals. Bonnie and Clyde created a romantic image for many, desperados that they were. I wonder whether people would vote for Al Capone over Elliot Ness.
The more people rationalize cheating, the more it becomes a culture of dishonesty. And that can become a vicious, downward cycle. Because suddenly, if everyone else is cheating, you feel a need to cheat, too.
—Stephen Covey
The first and worst of all frauds is to cheat one’s self. All sin is easy after that.
—Pearl Bailey
New and Never Before: How to Write with High Impact, High Speed, and High Success
Join me for a three-hour Zoom experience during which you’ll master:
• Powerful openings
• Brilliant metaphors
• Succinct but dramatic argument
• “Assertive tact” and persuasion
• Brevity and focus
• How to market and sell through your written words
Date: December 3
Time: 11-2 US eastern time (west coast and Europe-friendly)
Fee: $1,400
Option A: In addition, you and I will co-write an article for publication online, of any length, or in a hard copy publication, wherever. You may include my name or not, up to you. We will finish this within a week.
Fee, including the above program: $1,900
Option B: In addition, I will walk you through an ebook of up to 50 pages, critiquing the entire work and adding to your writing, if needed, examples, case studies, IP, etc. I’ll help create the table of contents and contribute narrative. It is up to you whether or not to use my name. We will finish this within a month. I’ll also help you with the topic and premise if you like.
Fee, including the above program: $3,000
Early registration: alan@
MacKay CEO Forums: My long-time client and colleague, Nancy MacKay, is seeking additional chairs for her vast network which provides virtual meetings for business owners and executives. The chairs, while continuing to run their own businesses, also facilitate these meetings periodically, and gain exposure to potential clients by also addressing the groups and becoming known within the network. Here’s a video conversation with me and Nancy with more information: https://vimeo.com/451547172/b19e467e3e. You can reach Nancy for further discussions here: [email protected]. Just mention that I sent you to receive a quick response.
Million Dollar Consulting® College Goes Virtual: Join me for the first-ever virtual college over three mornings January 26-28, 2021 (afternoons in Europe). We’ll have group exercises, role plays, case studies, and great interaction. To launch this new approach, I’ve reduced the fee by 50%. I hosted a dozen people from five countries in the October virtual College. Use this January opportunity to help launch you into the emerging economy with new energy and new techniques in 2021: https://alanweiss.com/growth-experiences/million-dollar-consulting-college-2021/ If not now, when?
