Iron City Insights
Happy Mother's Day to all mothers who might be reading this! It’s been more than three years since my mom passed, and sometimes I still half-expect to bump into her at Ross’ Market. Time marches on…
Another quick Nova update, since so many of you ask me about our dog: She continues to hang in there, even though the growth on her forehead continues to get more pronounced. Who knows how long this can continue without other symptoms presenting themselves? We’re just loving her and keeping a close eye on her behavior and other symptoms. One day at a time…
I had a fantastic retreat with my EO Forum mates in Pittsburgh this past week. Each time I step away from the day-to-day, I marvel at how impactful it can be to simply take a clarity break - it is then supercharged when we are surrounded by amazing people.
Our first day together was focused on catching up with each other, and thinking big. We visited Fallingwater, the warhol, and Randyland. Soaking in the work of people who are/were so different from their peers was very refreshing.
Day Two we each underwent a SWOT analysis, followed by a Hoshin Kanri exercise to stack rank the various opportunities and determine which warranted our focused effort in the months ahead. We also were blown away by some real-world examples of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be applied to each of our businesses.
Day Three was all about laying out our plans for the next few months - in detail, with specific, measurable outcomes that we will all be tracking and sharing with each other. It feels great to have so much clarity regarding what I need to do (and why), and some accountability buddies to support each other as we get to work.
We enjoyed great meals at the Monterey Bay Fish Grotto at the top of Mt. Washington overlooking the city, and Senti (which served the best lasagna I’ve ever had at a restaurant). Of course, for lunch one day we had to order sandwiches from Primanti Brothers. The Dog Penn was a super-fun spot for pre-dinner cocktails one night. As luck would have it, CrossFit Athletics was just two blocks from the Southside AirBnB rental we secured for our group, so I was able to work out early to start each day.
Pittsburgh is a great city! I highly recommend a visit. I also recommend taking quarterly clarity breaks. Strongly consider it, even if you think you can’t spare the time. It will yield a net time savings by giving you more clarity and focus. Trust me, I’ve gone through this mental wrestling match. This ritual has proven its value to me.
Sunday Supper
I’m making Lori a wonderful omelet with cheese and mushrooms from the Granville Farmers Market for Mother's Day brunch, along with some roasted fingerling potatoes. For supper, I’m going to prep this great Bolognese sauce (and serve it over roasted cauliflower for a low-carb meal). These Sheet-Pan Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Bowls also look delicious.
Sunday Music
This performance by the Brad Mehldau Trio is so good. So is this performance/interview with Sierra Hull on World Cafe. Enjoy!
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Have a great week ahead! You can do anything you set your mind to. Let me know how I can help.
Peace & Love,