Ocean Palmer, Author at Ocean Palmer

Why Courage Matters

November 13, 2011 by Ocean Palmer 1 Comment

Two trees named Joe fell in the forest last week and hundred of millions were there to hear them. The first was Joe Frazier, former heavyweight champion of the world. Two days later fell the second, a football coach, Joe Paterno, who moonlighted for half a century as King of Pennsylvania. I met Joe Frazier […]

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Why First Impressions are Hard to Change

October 27, 2011 by Ocean Palmer 3 Comments

Relationships strengthen and weaken based on interactions the brain catalogs into three buckets: non-verbal evaluations, voice and tone, and selected words. Therefore a strong first impression goes a heck of a long way toward launching a solid relationship. A weak first impression is very difficult to overcome Researchers at NYU, Stanford, Tufts, and NYU have […]

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Why Most Companies Don’t Sustain A Strong Sales Culture

September 30, 2011 by Ocean Palmer 1 Comment

I was lucky enough to work for Xerox during the height of the company’s marketplace presence and power. I was even luckier to be selected to teach advanced selling at the firm’s international training center. This was a prestigious selection. For two years I worked to further develop the firm’s greatest performers. I played my […]

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Why the 10 Unhappiest Jobs Don’t Need to Be That Way

September 27, 2011 by Ocean Palmer Leave a Comment

Anyone who has rented his or her soul for a paycheck has reaped its rewards and weathered the taxes that go with it. In the boom economy, when work was steady and raises expected, for many the pluses of working for a living outweighed the minuses. But now, as storm clouds stubbornly hover over a […]

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The Lighter Side: News Fit for a Monday

September 26, 2011 by Ocean Palmer Leave a Comment

To buy some time while I continue working through a recently published list of the ten most unhappy jobs I offer today’s compilation of “news” from around the planet. A tip of the coffee mug to: Dog Eats Man: In a story that makes us all feel extra special about the bond between a man […]

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Why Collaboration Works

September 11, 2011 by Ocean Palmer 2 Comments

As I pause from a 9/11 day of remembrance to mourn again the loss of my trusted friend, coach, and mentor George Simmons, I honor him by sharing the power of collaboration. Whether we’re talking about work, the pursuit of a personal passion, or the desire to make a complex dream come true, there’s no […]

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New book: “We Got to Play Baseball”

September 4, 2011 by Ocean Palmer 4 Comments

I was very excited this week to finish and submit the manuscript for a new book, We Got to Play Baseball, co-authored with former Major League All-Star Gregg Olson. Gregg and I have been friends for a long time but this project, two years in the making, brought us even closer. Gregg was the 1989 […]

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Even the Strong Are Broken In Places

August 27, 2011 by Ocean Palmer Leave a Comment

The sudden, tragic death of Baltimore Orioles icon Mike Flanagan cuts deep for those who watched him mature from a young ballplayer into a distinguished middle-aged man. As his adulthood unfolded, Flanny’s chapters seemed to be the stuff of dreams: handsome and popular pitching ace, World Series hero, front office executive, and popular broadcaster. Externally […]

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Perceptions, part 3 of 3: How Perceptions Can Change

August 12, 2011 by Ocean Palmer Leave a Comment

Changing perceptions hinges on two things: actions and receptivity. To dissect both, we first need to understand the four elements of effective communication. They are: Sender Receiver Channel Message We judge ourselves by our intentions; others judge us by our actions. A Sender who hopes to change a perception must refocus less on what he […]

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Perceptions, part 2 of 3: How Perceptions Are (or Are Not) Affirmed

July 20, 2011 by Ocean Palmer 1 Comment

Perceptions start with first impressions, which are based upon brain-driven calculations and conclusions drawn from instinct, experience, and expectations. Formed almost immediately, these are quick, snap decisions. Once set, they do not change until given reason to change. For example, many first-daters decide within the ten minutes whether they will date the person again. Nearly […]

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