Charles presented “Chopin in London” at Winston Wolfe’s home, Loxley Hall, in Memphis, with the lovely Rose Cholmondeley, a Steinway Artist and Chopin recital extraordinaire.  Rose played music from Chopin’s last public concert at the Guildhall.

It was a beautiful evening and they performed brilliantly, telling Chopin’s story through his letters, newspaper articles and music, which portrayed the social scene in London in 1848.

Loxley Hall was just the perfect setting for this soiree – a true English mansion with a medieval flare, open ceilings, magnificent stairwells and gorgeous tapestries.  We sat in the Great Hall, which was inspired by ancient cathedrals.  It has an elaborate, hand-carved beam system and a staircase that Charles and Rose descended from to perform the program.

Winston is an entrepreneur and an internationally recognized inventor and business innovator; he was most gracious to open up his home to the some fellow Brits and The English Speaking Union.

So yet again, I find British Fun and Culture in Memphis!

We started out with lunch at Crumpets.  We had a very English fare – Cornish pasties, strawberry tarts and Earl Grey Tea!  We ate properly and slowly with our knife and fork and took our time to savor the atmosphere.

Next we went to Carrier Hall, a 17th-century English Tudor-style manor home in Central Gardens, with original historic character, plus some 21st century upgrades.  The home was built in 1923, which was 2 years after my Dad was born.  My parents were guests in the home twice before at English Speaking Union gatherings, when it was owned William Eubanks.  It was really great for them to see the place again and decorated for sale!  We roamed all over the home, looking at the hand-carved mantels on huge fireplaces, antique landscape paintings, old portraits and the 18th-century antique tapestry.  The grand ballroom is fabulous and we thoroughly enjoyed the outdoor gardens, fountain, gazebo house and modern full-size apartment above the garage.

From there, we went to see some English roses on show at the Dixon Gallery Cutting Gardens, which displays annuals, perennials, biennials and David Austin English roses in formal beds repeated around a central pool and rose garden.  We also thoroughly enjoyed the 10,000 Tulips Exhibition and felt totally relaxed by all of nature’s beauty on display right here in Memphis.

In the evening, we went to an English-Speaking Union meeting.  Founded in 1918, 3 years before Dad was born, the ESU works to promote “international understanding and friendship through the use of the English language.”  During our visit, the speaker was Oliver Everett, CVO and former Royal Librarian to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II.  He was responsible for the care and maintenance of the royal collection of books and manuscripts owned by the Queen.  Oliver was also a previous Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales.  He had some fascinating tales to reveal and was gracious enough to spend time personally speaking with my Dad; they chatted about the East end of London, educational differences between the US and UK and of course, about cricket!

So, if you want to spend an “English Day” in Memphis, it can be done!

The SBCA Best of Business Award Program recognizes the best of small businesses throughout the country. Using consumer feedback and other research, the SBCA identifies companies that we believe have demonstrated what makes small businesses a vital part of the American economy. The selection committee chooses the award winners from nominees based off information taken from monthly surveys administered by the SBCA, a review of consumer rankings, and other consumer reports . Award winners are a valuable asset to their community and exemplify what makes small businesses great.

A copy of the press release is available on the SBCA awards website listed below. SBCA herby grants J D R a non-exclusive, revocable, license to use, copy, publish, stream, publicly display, reformat, excerpt, and distribute  this press release. If you desire, a 2009 Best of Business Award has been designed for your place of business and can be obtained by pressing the receive awards tab while retrieving your press release from the SBCA awards website. Additionally, a Web Logo proclaiming your 2009 Best of Business Award selection can be obtained through our website as well.

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The Dalai Lama smiled mischievously and said, “I call myself a feminist. Isn’t that what you call someone who fights for women’s rights?” The comment was made during his International Freedom Award acceptance speech, which was presented to him by the National Civil Rights Museum. The Dalai Lama went on to add with his infamous sense of humor that “some feminists have too much emotion that I don’t like.” Again, there are some feminist groups that would certainly agree with him on that point as well.

Many see the Dalai Lama as youngsters may see the Wizard of Oz before lifting the curtain – a fact the Dalai Lama himself addressed.  He said some people come to hear him speak out of curiosity, some think he has some kind of miracle power or ability to heal the sick, some think he will bestow a wise and important message. “I have nothing to say that is that special,” he said with a laugh.  As far as healing power, he said, it’s “nonsense.” In fact he had complicated surgery last year to remove his gallbladder, which he proclaimed, “Is proof I have no healing power!”

The Dalai Lama’s powerful message is common sense. He does not preach religion. “Whether you believe this religion or that religion, we are all the same human beings.” He preaches self-awareness and compassion. In broken English he said, “We need to work together. We need to protect the planet. With fear, harmony is impossible. We need trust. Trust is the basis of compassion. Distrust brings fear. Fear brings violence. Fear brings loneliness and depression. We all come from the same place. We are all brothers and sisters.”

This year marks the 50th anniversary since the Dalai Lama was forced to flee Tibet under China’s takeover and form a government in exile in India. When asked if China and the exiled Tibetan government will ever reach a peaceful understanding, the Dalai Lama became quiet for a moment. “The Chinese and the Tibetans, we are the same human beings…our faith in the Chinese people was never shaken…We need more patience, determination. The Tibetan spirit (in Tibet) among the young is strong. The problem is (Chinese) government censorship and misinformation.” “We all come from the same mother,” the Dalai Lama said. “That creates the basis for compassion.”

Earlier in the day the exiled head of state and spiritual leader of the Tibetan people said a prayer after placing a white scarf over the wreath at the Lorraine Motel. The wreath is where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed by an assassin’s bullet on April 4, 1968. The Rev. Samuel ‘Billy’ Kyles described to his Holiness the moment Dr. King was shot. Kyles was just a few feet from Dr. King on that night. The Rev. Dr. Benjamin Hooks, a noted civil rights leader, also bows his head during a moment of silence. His Holiness and Dr. King are both recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. The Dalai Lama said his visit to the National Civil Rights Museum and Lorraine Motel was sad, but gives a conviction to fight for human rights. He also spoke on the importance of inner beauty and religious harmony.

He went on to say Gandhi and King may not be living, but their spirit will continue for many years like Buddha, Jesus Christ and Muhammad. His Holiness also added that totalitarian regimes are outdated and the free world has the moral obligation to remind them they are not practical. He said freedom of information was essential and told of an example where Tibetans did not even know of the Cultural Revolution taking place inside their own country.  To assist in the exchange of information the Dalai Lama said the media need to help in spreading the truth to the people. “The media people should have long nose like elephant nose,” said His Holiness. “You should be very honest, objective, unbiased, truthful. Investigate what is going on. Good, bad, everything. Then inform people.”

He said one human right was to know the truth; and that censorship and distorted information were outdated. At one point, he said he and former President George W. Bush were good friends, but he had some reservations about some of his policies.  He pointed out his main commitment consisted of two things, one being the promotion of human value and the other the harmony between religions. “Your individual future depends on the rest of the community,” said His Holiness.  He went on to say trust was the antidote for frustration and internal beauty was more important than external beauty. “Internal beauty really brings inner peace and good health,” said His Holiness. He closed by saying King’s inner strength came from his faith. He may have had a different philosophy than Mother Teresa or Gandhi, but it didn’t matter because it brought inner strength. “It is not only just some people’s social responsibility, but six billion people’s responsibility,” said His Holiness. “Big, happier, human society and more religious harmony.”

His Holiness’ message is always one of compassion, harmony, warm-heartedness, inner peace and civil rights. During the awards ceremony, which took place in the Peabody Hotel ballroom, he said women are by nature more compassionate because of their biology and ability to nurture and birth children. He therefore called on all women to lead and create a more compassionate world, citing the good works of nurses and mothers. Interestingly enough, there are feminist groups who would claim this kind of biological stance has led to discrimination against women in the workplace.

I don’t necessarily feel any more enlightened than I did yesterday, but this sure was a once in a lifetime experience!

Organization is also very important, in terms of timing, objective and success measurements.  Roles need to be project specific, documented and truly understood.  A sense of urgency is particularly important in virtual organizations.  Each team member must be held accountable for their performance within their specific assignments, as well as, the overall performance of the project.  Leadership, encouragement and mentoring are crucial to the success of remote teams.  Being on-time, or ahead of schedule, and within budget with “actual” deliverables takes a steady hand at the wheel.

Virtual team members can take longer to trust their colleagues and vice versa.  When all team members can see the outcome and the completion of commitments, respect and trust invariably follows.  Recognition by peers can be more than the manager’s status report.  Teams that enjoy working together will take on challenges, increasing the overall efficiency and performance of the team and everyone’s virtual experiences.

Keeping technical people energized and focused can be challenging, even in the best of times; right now it’s imperative to have great leadership, which I believe stems largely from constant and honest communication.  Typically, technical people tend to be very dedicated, hardworking individuals who frequently work crazy hours to achieve objectives.  If you get employees to remember why they joined your organization, reinvigorate their minds, and make them feel good about your business, human nature will inspire them to feel proud of the work they do.  Reaffirmation of the larger vision is always relevant, but is often not communicated frequently.  Now is definitely the time for management to be leaders.

Your technical talent is probably working harder than ever right now.  For some, they may even be the primary information source for your company.  Technical teams need to be led and mentored to constantly improve and implement successful plans for marketplace competitiveness, business and economy changes; and above all, to provide excellent and timely customer service.  Technology is usually in transition, yet technical people tend to be uncomfortable with uncertainty; add in the word “recession” and you could end up with chaos!

It’s important for all of us that we recognize and deal with stress.  It can be difficult to summon energy and excitement for work when there are so many “unknowns.”  A lot of second-guessing, over-thinking and mistakes are made when people are feeling over-stressed.  As a good leader, we have to gently pull people back into focus and convey realistic optimism about the future.  Assuming your company’s products and services are of benefit for people and are in demand, most organizations will recover and survive recessionary times.  We would like to do so with as little damage to our employees (and ourselves) as possible, so I think that stating the obvious goes a long way to inspire a team approach that helps us all succeed!

However, to really get the most out of your career and enrich your life, you must build sustainable relationships with your co-workers, bosses and customers, no matter what your chosen field is.  If you truly care about your products/services, and are passionate about your responsibilities, then you will carry them out with a great attitude – every day!  People who treat each new day as a blessing and privilege are fulfilled even during the most menial parts of the job and daily grind.  Get in early, dress your best, and accomplish more than expected out of you; this way you will go home pleasantly fatigued and not worn out and cranky!

Attitude is contagious; everyone loves being around people who think, work hard and are great inspirers and accomplishers.  We inevitably learn from others and those that wake up each day with a mission of being excellent are a joy to watch.  If you are not one of those people, then you are probably in the wrong job!

Making connections with prospective employers goes beyond verbal presentation and extends to written communication.  Be careful, positive, straightforward, and confident.  Make sure the recipient sees that you have thought about the skills and qualities they honed in on during the interview and reiterate your expertise in that area.   Your note should be engaging, interesting and focus on your ability to provide results to your new employer.  Be succinct!  Check all punctuation, grammar and spelling and read your note out loud to be sure it makes sense before you send!