Craig Ruvere

Have you ever asked yourself the question, how do I treat people? Take that one step further and ask, how do OTHERS think I treat people? Those are two very difficult questions we rarely, if ever, ask ourselves as we journey through life. And regardless if we do, we seldom answer honestly. I recently finished reading a book called Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box by The Arbinger Institute. In it, they summarize why the two questions above will probably never be answered truthfully. “Whether at work or at home, self-deception obscures the truth about ourselves, corrupts our view of others and our circumstances, and inhibits our ability to make wise and helpful decisions.” Here’s where I think the problem really is. Far too often, we treat people…

“Build a good name. Keep your name clean. Don’t make compromises, don’t worry about making a bunch of money or being successful — be concerned with doing good work.” - William S. Burroughs Years ago, doing good work was something lauded by organizations and businesses across our nation. My grandfather was an incredibly wise man, and a firm believer in that notion. Growing up, he always instilled in me that a strong work ethic - one bursting with morals and character - would lead to absolute fulfillment. He recognized such fulfillment as one of the greatest successes in life. Charles F. Glassman once remarked, “Some say if you want success surround yourself with successful people. I say if you want true and lasting success surround yourself with people of integrity.”…

“Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things.”  ― Elise Boulding The concept of “frugality” is often met with negative reactions, and truthfully, I’m not sure it’s deserving. It’s been defined as “the quality of being economical” – and for those of you who don’t know, economical means you are “careful not to waste money or resources; using no more of something than is necessary”. But I’m not naïve to the American culture – we’re an instant gratification society who believes name brands assign status and that…

"Everyone wants to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down." - Oprah Winfrey I’m sure you’ve all heard a friend, a coworker or a family member say the following when referring to another person: “they make really good money”. Let’s think about that statement for a moment. Yes, money helps provide for the necessities we as human beings all require: food, clothing, shelter. But those necessities don’t require a great deal of money in order to be carried out successfully. So, what do people mean then when they feel the need to make such a statement about another person? Are we saying they’re more secure than those accruing less? Are they wiser, more creative,…