Peripheral Vision

About the Book

In Peripheral Vision, a tapestry of career and life lessons unfolds, guiding readers through the nuanced journey of personal and professional growth. At its core, the book emphasizes the importance of inventing with purpose, understanding the value of bounded rationality in risk-taking, and recognizing the blinding nature of flattery. It encourages creating a sense of belonging and highlights how being seen is crucial for learning. The narrative explores emotional intelligence through team collaboration. Insights from former students and colleagues illustrate the power of passion, persistence and self-awareness in achieving career success.

Peripheral Vision also delves into effective management practices such as empowering employees, aligning high level strategies with frontline employee feedback, fostering a trusting environment as well as the symbiotic relationship between sales and operations. It highlights the importance of systemic thinking and qualitative performance measures.

Lessons in empathy are drawn from challenging experiences, while the healing power of helping others is acknowledged. The narrative concludes by urging readers to embrace life’s non-linear paths and to learn from unexpected sources, illustrating that everyone is a freelancer in the modern world.

About the Author

Four Careers: Responding to Technology and Cultural Inflections Inspired by my father who was a pioneer in medical ultrasound, my career journey is one of navigating the path of possibility during times of inflection. PRE-CAREER As a telephone operator, working summers in high school, helping callers learn that they could direct dial long distance for the first time (“Operator, Can You Help Me Make This Call?”). TEACHING As a public-school teacher in the inner city, during the civil rights movement, creating a photography dark room in her classroom, so students could have photos of themselves for the first time (“Image Emerging”). Teaching fifth grade in private school, creating a year-long integrated civics and financial literacy curriculum, with student-created businesses, a city government, stock exchange, bank accounts, and ultimately, a ‘green’ model city. This launched careers among students (included here): Will Newbold and Gordon Hanscome. (“Paradise City Careers in the Making”) TELECOMMUNICATIONS SALES AND MARKETING Inspired by her teaching experience, entering the world of telecommunications, calling on companies in Manhattan, offering the first alternative to AT&T. Directing the School of Telecom Management, educating enterprise clients (IBM) and fellow branch managers on how to recruit and develop sales talent. Then, as head of customer service and Value-Added Resellers, launching the very first internet-based electronic mail (“The Nation’s New Postal System”). As an independent consultant, (“Becoming an Outie”) she created a global Value-Added Reseller program for speech recognition with Parlance Corp, then joined a team of her former executives to launch a new telecom network in Canada. ADVERTISING AND HUMAN RESOURCES (“Just-in Time for the Hit and Run”) During the dotcom boom, hired as SVP of Brand Advertising for Hill Holliday NYC (“Advertising 101”). When the boom turned to bust, with a degree in psychology, becoming the SVP of Human Resources, or self-appointed (“Guardian of the Morale”), managing down-sizing and helping laid-off employees find career options. September 11, 2001 (“One September Morning”) marked a significant pivot. She ‘adopted’ the agency’s local FDNY firehouse as a project to raise employee morale by helping the heroes of 911. Virtually all employees engaged in helping the firemen: accounting, artists, writers, ultimately publishing a book of children’s art: Do Not Be Sad: (” A Chronicle of Healing”.) CAREER COACHING AND MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING Working with the FDNY and pursuing a fourth career as a coach and mental health counselor: worklifetogether.com (“Pink Freud”.)