WHAT IS IT ABOUT “TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM” THAT BRINGS A SENSE OF OLYMPIAN-LIKE FULFILLMENT TO INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS? This week, Bob talks about the importance of the team vs. the individual in Japanese culture.

Naturally, there are some cultural differences between Asian countries, but all seem to believe in putting oneself second to the team, or group, for the betterment of all. I greatly admire that in Asian culture. Japan is definitely among the Asian cultures that subscribe to the philosophy of the team vs. the individual. This is…

WHAT MAKES A COMPANY? This week’s blog post celebrates the 30-year-anniversary of Shamrock. It is written by the people who have worked with Bob and for Bob. Friends. Employees. Business Partners.

      “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”  – Martin Luther King, Jr.                 — Shamrock employee, Jen Hall, provided this quote, and summed up who Bob is: his grace under pressure, his resilience, his…

WHAT’S THIS BUSINESS ABOUT SUMMER CAMP? Bob considers the positive aspects of business summer camp.

For years we’ve had new employees participate in an orientation to gain a greater understanding of our Shamrock. This generally happens six months after an employee has been with us. New employees experience a daylong session to learn about each department, how we integrate among departments to achieve specific goals, and how we effectively work…

OWNING THE SEASON OF GIVING THANKS

Since I was a kid, Thanksgiving has always meant the congregation of family. More than any other holiday, the values and traditions of Thanksgiving have had a tremendous impact on my life. I remember how the entire family would always gather around my grandparents’ table. My grandparents owned a dairy farm with plenty of work…

A COMMUNAL CELEBRATION

From the Ancient Egyptians who buried their Pharaohs with possessions they might need in the afterlife, to the Ancient Greeks who believed that there was one last  journey in the afterlife that  included being ferried across the river Styx by an eternal boatman, different cultures celebrate and mourn the passing of a friend or family…

ROCKS AND STONES – Part Two

Do you trust your CEO? I recently read an interesting article on the Fast Company website that ranks how people trust. In 2009, 47% of the people surveyed trusted people like themselves while 31% of the people surveyed trusted CEOs. In 2011, the survey states that 43% of respondents trusted people like themselves while 50%…