My last post, "Nailing Financial Predators," may have left some feeling like an easy mark. But what if we could take our six natural human responses to persuasion and make them work in our favor? Well, we can. Here are some ideas on how to proactively take charge and shoot that inner, sitting duck: 1. Authority - If we respond to the perception that someone has expertise or power over us, it's best to make sure that that reverence is actually warranted before heeding their advice. Read on...
Matters of the Heart
I learned, at a fairly young age, that life can change as quickly as it takes a heart to beat. It was the day before Thanksgiving, 1973, when my father suffered a heart attack. He was 56 and I was 8. As the sole breadwinner, I am sure all the worries he had about caring for his wife and seven kids (four of whom were minors) were pinging in his head, keeping time with his rapid pulse rate. Thankfully, after several weeks in the hospital, he was allowed to come home in time for Christmas. Read on...
Pope Francis: The Best Case for Fiduciaries
Coming up on the (gasp) 30th anniversary of my graduation from Fairfield University, I find myself nostalgic for the courses that taught me so much beyond the classroom. The (late) Dr. Art Anderson gave his Sociology students much to chew on, including this nugget: “In the work world, all of you are ahead of the game. You have straight white teeth and a nice smile.” He wasn’t paying us a compliment though. Being a Jesuit school with an emphasis on education and social justice, the Read on...