“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by those you did.” Mark Twain

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You ever find yourself faced with situation that is so screwed up that no matter what solution you come up with, it’s guaranteed to be better than what’s currently being done? You think to yourself, “There’s no way I can’t make this better than it is today. It’s going to be really easy to look good no matter what I do.”

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Today marks the one-year anniversary of President Obama’s Inaugural, and my guess is that he’s not doing a lot of celebrating. That’s because yesterday, in a special Senate election to fill the late Ted Kennedy’s seat, Massachusetts voters elected a Republican to represent them.

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What people do matters a whole lot more than what they say they’ll do. This statement should not surprise anyone. Actions speak louder than words. Then why is it that “smooth talkers” and “big talkers” often bluff and bluster their way though life despite their actions being very different than their rhetoric?

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The other day a colleague brought a recent New York Times article to my attention. The headline read, “A Once-Defiant U.A.W. Local Now Focuses on G.M.’s Success.” Excuse my naivete, but why wouldn’t the employees of a company always have been focused on the company’s success? Is there ever an excuse for an employee not to make his or her best effort on the company’s behalf in order to help it succeed? Is there ever a reason for employees to knowingly and willingly sabotage the company that they work for and are paid by?

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“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Every year at this time, it’s tradition to make a few resolutions for the new year. And most resolutions are very personal. Many people really want to lose a few pounds, so more exercise and a better diet will be on their list for 2010. Or it may be the desire to be a better spouse and parent, so more time with the family would make the list. Improving organizational skills in the new year is another common resolution that many make.

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Frequently I’m asked, “What is the one thing that sets really great employees apart from the rest?” It’s an interesting question. I’m always surprised that people would assume that there might be a single common thread that ties all the best employees together. The questioners assume there is a single trait shared by the best employees instead of thinking that what makes the best employees, well, the best, is their individuality and personal strengths.

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Roy Williams, men’s head basketball coach at the University of North Carolina, recently won his 600th game, becoming only the 33rd coach in NCAA Division I history to win that many games. When asked about the milestone Williams replied, “Six hundred wins means I’ve been very lucky. It’s a lot of great players and great assistant coaches.”

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I recently handed a newspaper column written by Financial Times columnist Luke Johnson to my 18-year old son for him to read. I knew that my son would like Mr. Johnson’s message. The column topic was the “clash of generations under way at the top of so many organizations.” His premise was that we are now in the Digital Age, yet most of those in leadership positions came of age in an old technology world and, therefore, are not “digital natives.”

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