GSD – Getting Stuff Done

by Mike Shafer December 7, 2009

I just finished reading Christine Comaford-Lynch’s book “Rules for Renegades” and have to give it the thumbs-up for being the “real-deal.” That is, it’s real knowledge that can be put to use directly as opposed to the endless supply of business school theories that might in some way correlate with the real world of business. The reader will correctly assume I have a somewhat jaded view of most B-School educations having sat through four years of one myself in the 1980s. In fairness I should differentiate here. The courses in the mechanics of business such as accounting and core finance were good stuff that can be applied. Where I think [...]

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One Hundred Push Up Challenge

by Mike Shafer December 5, 2009

In 2005 I managed via a mountain bike accident to completely do in my right ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament). Not having medical insurance I had to grin and bear it and let it heal as best it would untreated which took about two years. After spending almost three years progressively getting more out of shape in early 2008 I started riding my mountain bike for serious distance to strengthen the knee and started training again at karate last spring. For building back core body strength I’ve been working on a goal of 100 crunches on my Roman chair sit up bench and for the upper body of doing 100 pushups. [...]

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Colorado River Trip

by Mike Shafer December 4, 2009

While on the topic of cool adventures here’s one for all you adrenalin junkies that like to white water. I was an active kayaker from 1975-1980 (Class IV+ Int.) and am looking to get back to it in summer 2010. I had the opportunity to go on a Colorado River trip in March 2008 but due to finances and other issues had to forgo that chance. From what I understand with the lottery system it can take 2-3 years to get a permit from the National Park Service to do the trip. As such I’m either going to apply for one next fall for the 2011 season or will be [...]

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Greatest Driving Road in the World

by Mike Shafer December 3, 2009

The boys from the British TV show “Top Gear” set out to find “the greatest driving road in the world” and while it’s pointless to argue the superlative it’s hard to argue that the Davos to Stelvio run isn’t some darn fine asphalt, not to mention the gorgeous landscape. Having become rather enthralled with the idea of doing at least one “cool thing” each year I’ve marked this for my 2010 event. I’m working on getting folks that want to do this together for a week long trip in late summer 2010 (circa August-September). If interested shoot me an email and we’ll chat. The quick itinerary is to fly to [...]

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Biennial Flight Review x 9 – Cool Spin Video

by Mike Shafer December 2, 2009

Here in the States the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) requires that a pilot, in order to maintain their license as current, take a review and proficiency check flight with a current CFIA (Certified Flight Instructor Airplane) every two years. Having not done that since 1989 I’m about, well exactly 18 years out of currency. Having decided this is a bad thing I just started reviewing the current FAR-AIM ( Federal Aviation Regulations – Aeronautical Information Manual) with the anticipation of getting my Commercial-Instrument ticket current next spring. Being a former CFIA I’m recalling vivid memories of doing fun things with a Cessna 152; like dropping it earthward in a rapid [...]

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G-24 Relay Ride

by Mike Shafer September 24, 2009

To coincide with the G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh Venture Outdoors sponsored a 24 relay ride from Washington, DC following the 335 mile route up the C&O Canal Towpath and then the Great Allegheny Passage into Pittsburgh. One objective of the undertaking was to raise funds to support the maintenance and development of the Great Allegheny Passage hiking and cycling trail. All told it was a great adventure with cool memories and good for about two days recovery from sleep deprivation! Here’s the YouTube video:

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Is Your Customer Experience Just Part of a Mediocre, Me Too World?

by Mike Shafer June 14, 2009

Here’s the question. Where’s the “wow” in your customer service experience? Last fall while on vacation I had the “no wow” experience that’s the focus of this piece. Being I’m not finding it any easier to stay reasonably fit and trim now that I’m in my mid-50s I took up serious bicycling in the summer of 2008 and in the process I discovered I really liked the idea of traveling a la two wheels sans motor. As the timing would have it one of the newest gems of the SW PA area is a bike trail that allows one to start the journey just to the east of Pittsburgh and [...]

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Bad Customer Service – What Are They Thinking

by Mike Shafer May 15, 2009

It should go without saying that customer service is a major factor in the IT consulting business and in fact one might think it’s a major factor in, well, any business. Not many surprises here you say? And I would argue that companies are literally “betting the farm, or more precisely the company, on the long-term quality of their customer support. Given the experiences I have had of late in this area apparently quite a few rather well known US firms aren’t convinced of this. One can only ask “what are they thinking?” Maybe that is the right question. What ARE they thinking? I would surmise it’s a case of [...]

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Sorry Charlie Cost Cutting Is Not a Growth Strategy

by Mike Shafer May 6, 2009

I suppose it’s some sort of indicator that I’m becoming an old…, well not a youngster anymore, that I can reflect on having lived through about five of these recession things to date. To be specific there was the mid-70′s, 81-82, early 90′s, post-dot-com period of about 2001-03 and now the current financial hiccup that the main stream media has largely already declared the equivalent of a financial Chernobyl. Moreover it seems that it’s de rigueur that the only answer to these less than sunny economic patterns is a massive group think on cost cutting. You can hear the choir singing let’s hold hands and hunker in the bunker hoping [...]

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