On Transitions and Cathie Black

Good day, sunshine. Beautiful Wednesday in Miami. Took a nice walk this
morning with pup in tow and it's a glorious one.

Last night as I drove home from work, I was listening to NPR- they were
talking about Joel Klein's resignation from the New York public school
system. And then they said Cathie Black was taking over, she of Hearst
publishing chairwoman fame. This gave me pause, but in a really good way.

I read Ms. Black's book some years ago- "Basic Black: The Essential Guide
for Getting Ahead at Work (and in Life)". I remember finding her
extraordinarily wise, motivating, and sage like in her retelling of her
success- true the book was more memoir than how-to, but it was a great tale
of her meteoric rise in the media game. She instantly became a favorite of
mine- a powerful woman who made it all by herself to become the first female
president of Hearst magazine. I remain a huge fan of her incredible balance.

Why I found this new gig interesting on my dark drive home (damn you,
daylight savings) was that here is a woman though adeptly qualified for
publishing, has no experience in education. But what she does have is an
ability to motivate, promote, and manage large groups of people and pieces
of business. And what's cooler is here is a woman on top of her game, trying
a whole new career at 65ish, with class, smarts, and fearlessness. It's
positively inspiring.

So if you're thinking of a career change, trust me- this is proof it's never
too late. If you're smart, capable, and passionate there are no limits to
what you will be able to achieve, because folks will recognize you as a
leader no matter what. (And in a yin/yang twist, her predecessor Joel Klein
is taking a post at NewsCorp. One leaves media and one enters. Interesting,
that). So don't be afraid to explore your considerable skills- you'd be
surprised what can happen if you dive deep into your talent and do a reboot.
Love it. I believe in each and every one of you, so whatcha waitin' for?

Cause that's what's up this empowered Wednesday in the MIA. Just wanted to
give you something to think about today as you drive/subway/walk/bike to
work today. Maybe it will awaken something within. Thanks, Cathie. XO