Category Archives: Life

Now & Then

Posted on March 8, 2018 by donmcalister

          I wrote this poem following the passing of my Mother Ellen McAlister, on 7 March 2018. I offer it as a gift to all those who have lost loved ones. Although they’re gone, their memories … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, poetry, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Ego-Think

Posted on September 4, 2017 by donmcalister

      Ego-Think  An egocentric person Thinks the world is thurstin’ For the “wisdom” that they know is theirs. So they opine things all day long And although they frequently are wrong They never seem to be uncertain of … Continue reading →

Posted in Better Thinking, coaching, Humor, Leadership, Life, Personal Development, poetry, teaching, That's Life, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Chaos & Creativity

Posted on December 27, 2016 by donmcalister

        If our lives were as simple as we often wish they would be Black and white…yes and no…and complexity free. Then the world would be easier to bear don’t you think? Or would the boredom of … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Practices, Better Thinking, coaching, Leadership, Life, mentoring, Personal Development, poetry, Risk Management, teaching, That's Life | Leave a comment

Our Love/Hate Relationship with Uncertainty

Posted on August 6, 2016 by donmcalister

If uncertainty is the state of not knowing what we need or want to know, then we must hate it…right? After all, uncertainty that matters is what we define as risk. Risk is what keeps us up at night. Worrying … Continue reading →

Posted in Better Thinking, coaching, Life, Personal Development, teaching, That's Life, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Basics, Art & Heart

Posted on September 17, 2015 by donmcalister

At a recent Rotary Club meeting, our speaker, Mike Sheppard, a retired college and professional football coach, remarked that, “the best coaches teach at three levels: basics, art and heart.”  This simple, but elegant phrase captures the essence of what … Continue reading →

Posted in Better Thinking, coaching, Heroes, Knowledge Sharing, Leadership, Life, mentoring, Personal Development, poetry, Rotary Club, teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Our Work Lives & the Relevance Imperative

Posted on July 8, 2015 by donmcalister

I’ve spent a lot of time recently, thinking about our psychological need for relevance, and the huge impact it has on the way we live our lives. I’m speaking here about personal relevance, which I will define as the degree … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Practices, Better Thinking, Leadership, Life, Personal Development | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Thinking Time Traveler

Posted on June 24, 2014 by donmcalister

Last week I attended the 13th annual In2:InThinking Conference, “Succeeding with Inquiry – Insights, Knowledge, Action,” held on the campus of California State University, Northridge near Los Angeles, California. This conference is a gathering of people from around the country, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Better Thinking, Life, poetry | 3 Comments

Knowledge, Truth and Power

Posted on May 18, 2014 by donmcalister

“They say that knowledge is power,” I said, beginning my introduction of the guest speaker at a recent Rotary Club of Moorpark, California meeting. “And,” I continued, “ I think you will also learn today, that Power is Knowledge.” “Power, … Continue reading →

Posted in Better Thinking, J. D. Power, Knowledge Sharing, Leadership, Life, Program & Knowledge Management, Rotary Club | Leave a comment

If Only We Knew What We Knew

Posted on March 20, 2014 by donmcalister

If only we knew what we knew, And it wasn’t locked up in the minds of so few. If only we’d captured the knowledge and shared. If only we’d done that, we might have been spared. All of the time … Continue reading →

Posted in Better Thinking, Knowledge Sharing, Life, poetry, Program & Knowledge Management | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Pursuing Discontentment in 2014

Posted on January 4, 2014 by donmcalister

At the beginning of the year, it’s probably cliché to write about our goals and hopes for the coming year, but I’m going to do it anyway. I’ve just completed my second year of retirement. The conventional wisdom is that … Continue reading →

Posted in Better Thinking, Life, Personal Development, That's Life | Tagged | 3 Comments