The Wolf’s Smile: How to Avoid Being a Gullible Sheep

It began, as these things often do, with the unmistakable sensation of being set on fire by invisible ants. My back had erupted in an

Paul Tillich, the German-American theologian and philosopher, once wrote:“A decision is rooted in the courage of being free.” At first glance, this may sound like

“It takes twenty years to become an overnight success.” —Eddie Cantor It’s a laugh-out-loud line on the surface—and a brutal truth underneath. Eddie Cantor, the

Note: Breakfast with a Ghost was awarded Honorable Mention in the Humor category of the 94th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. — My mother is

A main function of society is to deceive society, like a hungry man invited to a banquet who arrives to find no one there.—Vernon Howard

A flock of dejected sheep led meaningless lives, so they solved the problem by founding a school in which they taught other sheep how to

Most people spend years learning how to do their jobs, raise families, or manage money. We read books on leadership, watch TED Talks about communication,

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood…”“…I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”—Robert Frost 1. Forks in the

“Political passions, aroused everywhere, demand their victims.” — Albert Einstein, April 1955 Just days before his death, Albert Einstein wrote these chilling words in an

Recently presented in Congress, passed by the House of Representatives, and now under Senate review, the Big Beautiful Act is expected to have a significant

Before SEO, before branding agencies were everywhere, and before digital disruption upended the business world, there was Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind. Written by

Do the time-tested principles still apply in this day and age of popular cliches like “servant leadership,” “authenticity,” and “emotional intelligence”? Looking through my library’s

by Brad G. Philbrick For anyone trying to make a career pivot into professional writing—whether content marketing, technical writing, or medical communication—one thing becomes painfully

Listening has become a silent superpower in a world of distractions, views, and advice. First published more than 35 years ago, Kevin J. Murphy’s Effective

I came upon Dr. Bob Froelich’s book Where the Money Is: How to Spot High-Growth Stocks and Big-Payoff Opportunities buried behind the many newer books

When Michael J. Behe published Darwin’s Black Box in 1996, he opened a new chapter in the evolution debate—not with fossils or geology, but with

1982 Joel Garreau published The Nine Nations of North America, dividing the continent into cultural and economic “nations.”Montana, along with much of the interior West,

In 1982, Joel Garreau’s groundbreaking argument that North America’s divisions are more cultural and economic than political still resonates today. As we approach the forty-year

In 1989, management thinker Peter Drucker published New Realities, a book that didn’t just reflect on the present—it charted the contours of the future. Nearly

Twenty-five years ago, the book ‘Future Wealth’ by Stan Davis and Christopher Meyer made a bold claim that is still relevant today: a radical realignment

While delving into my library recently, I stumbled upon a copy of Thriving on Chaos: Handbook for a Management Revolution by Tom Peters. Published in

Why is that time is such a hangup for most everyone? The phrases and cliches abound. “Time is on my side.” “No time left for

My hometown is Indianapolis, Indiana, the birthplace of the Indy 500, the city with an astounding number of roundabouts, the largest significant city not on

Free to Choose, written by economist Rose Friedman and Nobel laureate Milton Friedman in 1981, was on my shelf, and I was curious whether the

Listening has become a silent superpower in a world of distractions, views, and advice. First published more than 35 years ago, Kevin J. Murphy’s Effective

The boldness of Cabernet Sauvignon, the diversity of Grenache, the intensity of Zinfandel, and the elegance of Pinot Noir are the red wines that typically

Rummaging through my library brings back memories of advice, history, and inspiration. Then I ask the question: Is a book that was popular thirty years

Creativity isn’t just a talent. It’s a skill that can be nurtured with the right tools. History provides tales of many great thinkers throughout the

In June 2012, I began working for a company that provides health care for extensive corporate facilities. They provide occupational health physicians and nurses, physical

If It Ain’t Broke… Break It! by Robert J. Kriegel and Louis Patler, published in the early 1990s, is a timeless piece of advice I

Jargon. Every profession has it, and everyone uses it. Legalese, medical terminology, Newspeak, construction mumbo jumbo, computerese, and financial lingo all possess unique terms and

Tucked in an obscure corner of my library, I came across Strategy of the Dolphin: Scoring a Win in a Changing World by Dudley Lynch

White papers have long been a staple of business-to-business (B2B) marketing and thought leadership, and in 2025, they remain a powerful tool—especially in the healthcare

Fibonacci numbers continue to fascinate me. I have found this fascinating numerical sequence in nature, art, architecture, and even as an indicator in investing and

The arrogance of strength is a potent elixir.  The intoxication of power is fearsome, and it so easily gets formed into a faux feeling of

As a fan of Indiana University basketball, I am increasingly frustrated with the team’s erratic performance. In one game, they show flashes of brilliance —

Excellent news: Healthcare has come a long way. Not too long ago, you would see your physician because you became ill or your body was

The first of the year comes, and many think of New Year’s resolutions. The sad part is that by Groundhog’s Day, most have dismissed, ignored,

Words have power, but actions truly define who we are. How often have you admired others and said, “How can I be like them?”  The

Fred Rogers’s timeless wisdom reminded us of a profound truth: “We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to

Albert Einstein once observed, “The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible.” At first glance, this statement may seem paradoxical. How

One thing for sure, we live in a complex world.  It is now one crisis, issue, and event after another.  The answers do not come

Initially, I believed the world could be precisely packaged into absolutes: black and white, right and wrong, known and unknown. In pharmacy school, with several

“Getting old is tough work.” A clergy friend shared that quote when I lamented my recent eczema flare-up. This simple yet profound truth so many

Although nonprofit organizations frequently begin with a well-defined mission and purpose, their environment constantly evolves. Variables such as changing community needs, financial difficulties, and donor

In today’s fast-paced world, the ability to convey ideas quickly and effectively is more valuable than ever. Whether you’re writing an e-mail, a blog post,