The Professor of On-Purpose
Call: 407.657.6000
While we may have doubts, all of us have beliefs, values, thoughts, and feelings that inform our decision making. When facing a choice do you supplement your reaction with a dose of thoughtfulness, or do you simply go with what feels good at the time?
This early morning I was greeted by an e-briefing from US Senator Nelson of Florida. I've watched this whole health care debate with a measure of sadness over a divided country that is bickering and back biting over issues when fundamental societal shifts are being missed. All are well intended, but all are missing the mark.
If you want to cut to the chase on my take on the current reality, skip down to the last paragraph after my response to Senator Nelson.
Here is a link to the Senator's full letter. Here is the Senator's opening line for brevity:
Dear Kevin,
Most of the calls and mail coming into my office these days are from constituents worried about health care. Regardless of where anyone stands on the specifics of this issue, I think we all can agree the current system is unfair, too costly, and needs to be fixed. [bold is my emphasis.]
I wrote back to my Senator:
Dear Senator Nelson,
Thank you for serving our country to the best of your ability.
The opening premise of your e-brief, "I think we all can agree the current system is unfair, too costly, and needs to be fixed." is not correct. Please do not presume to tell me what I believe.
"Fairness" is not a constitutional right. Even little kids understand that uniqueness presents certain advantages and disadvantages. In short, unfairness is inherent in life. The rights we have are to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," not fairness.
Regarding healthcare, "fair" is that anyone can walk into a community hospital in this country and be given extraordinary care. That is the goodness of the community put in place decades ago, not to be legislated by the federal government. People taking care of people provides genuine care. Let the private and religious sectors continue their long history of caring for the sick, needy, and homeless.
"Too costly" relative to what and who decides? What costs are being considered in the calculation? Our country offers everything from free clinics to premium health care. People decide where and what sacrifices or expenses are necessary, not government. Insurance is not a right, but a benefit offered by many companies. Let's give people incentives to get good jobs or start businesses that use health care to attract and retain good people. Let's reward right behavior.
Finally, "fixing". The government's top down approach on social matters is never a fix. The founders framed the country so government moves slowly. Jamming through this health care reform legislation is irresponsibility. The Great Society didn't work. The "Great Healthcare System" won't either.
Please get back to the people's business of governing, defense, and upholding the Constitution you swore to protect. Today we have remarkable enemies who would do us harm. Please protect our borders, reduce our government spending on unconstitutional programs, and learn to be content governing less rather than more.
The marketplace with government officiating works wonders. When the government both officiates play and participates in the market, then the game ends. We all lose. KISS: Keep It Simple Senator! Please govern by legislating the boundaries of society and stop interfering within them.
Be On-Purpose!
Kevin W. McCarthy
CEOOn-Purpose Partners, LLC
There, I've gone on record with Senator Nelson and here in my blog.
One of the key long term observations underlying my response is the fact that government over the last 50 to 60 years is stepping into the "brother's keeper" business. By stepping into the theology of society government is creating a non-denominational, secularized, unsanctioned, state religion.
The church has been marginalized in the process. Yes, a new religion has been birthed. People turn to the government for help instead of God and God's people. But government is flawed; God is not. Expedience invites us turn to the flawed instead of the flawless. In the long run, the true cost is loss of ourselves, our hope, and our potential. Government should not be in God's people's business, but God's people do belong in government if for no other reason than to keep the lines of government and church distinctively sharp and clean cut.
In the debate happening in Washington, DC, this alarming trend to a "new state religion" is being lost in the day to day incremental movement and weakening of all our religious institutions. Admittedly, the church is inept to fight tithes against taxes. Ironically, God requests only 10% for his church, while the Government seeks to tax up to 50%! (Does that say that God is five time more effective and efficient than government?)
I would love to hear your comments. This whole debate here in the US has startling implication around the world. Is government moving into the God business too much? Tell me your thoughts.
My wife, Judith, is a
Certified Health Coach. She is interested in helping 50 people with
Type 2 Diabetes lose 30-50 pounds and be off their medication well
before Christmas.
Their health will be their Christmas gift to
themselves. Who do you know that needs to connect with Judith? No magic
or secrets here. They need to want to get healthy and be willing to be
coached. Contact Judith at 407.927.1642
Central Florida Christian Chamber of Commerce
I hope you can join us at the next Business-Building Lunch, September 1st, with our keynote speaker, Des Cummings Jr., who is Executive Vice President of Business Development for Florida Hospital and the Florida Division of the Adventist Health System. In this role, Des gives leadership to the mission, planning, marketing, new business development, and foundations for the seventeen Adventist Health System hospitals in Central Florida.
Tuesday, September 1st 11:30am to 1pm.
Faith Hall Conference Center at First Baptist Orlando, 3000 S. John Young Parkway, Orlando.
Member price $20.00; Non-member price $30.00.
Plenty of free parking is available.
For Information: www.cfchristianchamber.com or 407 484-3899.
Des talks about building a business on a foundation of love, ethics, and spirituality here.
James gave me permission to post this photo he took of a special little guy in his life. 
"As far as an expression of happiness, this picture I took this past weekend on a camping trip shows it all. The two of us went camping."
Thanks for sharing with us James.
Be On-Purpose!
Kevin
"Who is the happiest person you know?" It was a simple question. The answer, however, proved to be more challenging than I imagined.
——————
This was today's On-Purpose Minute. It drew such a large response that I posted it here in hopes that email conversation and wisdom of the viewers would accrue to more than just me. Please share your thoughts on this On-Purpose Minute by adding your comments. Click on the headline of the posting and it will open up to a comments section. Go for it!
Be On-Purpose!
Kevin
PS: To subscribe to The On-Purpose Minutes (Tuesdays) and On-Purpose Business Minutes (Thursdays), click here for your free subscription.
We all have our travel war stories. I just had to add my most recent experiences to the "I wonder what they are thinking" file.
Wireless Wonders
OK, so I check into the Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, AZ for a convention. My wife and I just traveled way too many hours thanks to a thunderstorm over the Atlanta airport that had us missing our connecting flight and the next flight because it was already overbooked. I go to power up my laptop to handle a few items while my wife is taking a bath before we crash for the night.
I'm greeted by a screen that informs me internet connections are $12.95 per 24 hour period or $3.95 per hour. Let's face it – when Hampton Inn can give you free wireless access, why is a five star resort gouging its patrons by making wireless internet service a profit center? Frankly, I was ticked off about it. Here I was stuck for four days at this beautiful resort and I couldn't shake the feeling I was being raked over the coals. At least they didn't have a meter on the water for the shower and bath tub.
Thinking there might be some sort of group rate or discount available, I called the front desk and asked if there was a group rate for wireless service. "No," the woman told me. Admittedly, I vented my frustration when I said, "Gee, Hampton Inn gives you free wireless; you would think the Phoenician would have this service for free." Her response was priceless: "Sir, we're a five star resort not a Hampton Inn."
The message I got was if you can't afford the car, then don't complain about the price of gasoline. So come on Phoenician, get into the 21st Century of basic services for guests.
Great place to stay otherwise!
Delayed Thinking
So we're heading home from the trip to Phoenix. Delta Airlines calls my cell phone around noon Eastern time to say our connecting flight from Cincinnati to Orlando is delayed from 8:15 PM to 10:00 PM. I'm impressed.
We arrive at Cincinnati to find the 10:00 flight time is still the mark. About fifteen minutes before boarding we're informed that the flight departure is now delayed to 11:30! So with a 1 hour and 49 minute flight that puts us home at 1:30 am. Thankfully, we've adjusted somewhat to the three-hour time difference in Phoenix.
What few of us in the airport realized was the food court and all shops closed at 9:00 on this Sunday evening. That meant you had about 200 souls and two vending machines tucked behind the food court half a concourse away. Now Delta had only about ten hours to make other arrangements for the plane, but they bet they could get this one on the ground fixed. About 10:30 someone from Delta threw a flat of water and some biscuit cookies and peanuts on the counter and announced, "Come and get it."
Judith and I were fine sitting there. It was the families with all the little kids heading to Disney World for whom I felt true compassion.
Fortunately, when we got on the plane, the flight attendant, Peter, had a plan. A free movie and headsets for everyone. He did a great job of apologizing to the passengers. The movie was 17 Again. You aren't going to believe this, but the plane landed just before the movie ended. So if anyone knows how the movie ended… email me!
It gets funnier…
Bathroom Humor
We land in Orlando just past 1:30 AM. Judith and I head to the baggage claim to get our bags. The Orlando airport is empty except for passengers from our flight and another from Atlanta. They place all of us at carousel 30. About this time, nature is calling me so I head to the bathroom for an on-purpose pee. I see it has one of those bright orange cones in front and a cleaning cart. I walk in and a woman is cleaning the men's room. She scolds me for coming in and tells me to leave. I comply.
I walk half a concourse to another men's room. It is closed with a barricade. I walk back up to baggage claim 30 hoping the attendant is finished. She's standing in front of the entrance blocking people from going in. Get this… a male attendant is standing in front of the women's bathroom entrance blocking women from going in. Do you think they could have switched?
So here you have about 400 people all waiting for the bags with the only two bathrooms within 500 yards being blocked by staff of the opposite sex from the bathroom they are cleaning. Could they have switched bathrooms? No! Could they have accommodated the only two flights left to come into the airport at now 2 AM? No! My Spanish is not good otherwise I might have argued the point. What were they thinking?
I just had to laugh… fortunately not hard enough to wet my pants.
Be On-Purpose!
Kevin
The SCI FI Channel has changed its branding. Check it out with this link.
At On-Purpose Business Advisors we inevitably end up in branding because of our core work on business design and strategy. Branding is one of the first external expressions and places to create alignment with customers.
I had to laugh when I saw the new name. SCI FI says it all. Syfy – what does that say? There are 
some names you just don't need to change. That said, a logo update would certainly be in order, but to change the name at this point to Syfy is just plain stupid. Perhaps they have some magic hidden up their sleeve with this new name. I sense someone got paid a great deal of money to develop a new look and name. Unfortunately, the emperor's new clothes made it through tight-lipped committee after committee for approval.
The new logo makes me think this is a Styrofoam cup business, a paper company, or a pharmaceutical conglomerate with some made up name due to some chemical compounding. Certainly not an edgy science fiction television channel.
The good news is the execution on the web site is stunningly well done in terms of navigation, look, graphics, etc. They've kept the traditional purple (outer space?) for highlights. There is a lot there and they manage it nicely. So kudos to the team that took what was probably given to them and took it boldly where few have gone before.
For now, all I can do is sigh, fyi.
Be On-Purpose!
Kevin