| It's September 10th and there I am again, | | | | overpasses. My favorite one reads America, |
| driving North on the New Jersey Turnpike | | | | Diverse and Free. I think about how important |
| towards Kenilworth (this time). This is the | | | | it is for everyone to constantly remember |
| first day of eight over the next three weeks | | | | that. America really is a Team, made up of |
| at a company in this town off exit 11 and up | | | | all kinds of people. That's one of the things |
| the Garden State Parkway, interspersed with a | | | | that makes us so strong and makes so many |
| couple days in Maryland, two in Connecticut | | | | people outside and inside our country so |
| and one in Manhattan. Three weeks of | | | | envious.The seminar the next day brings those |
| constantly being on the go, being busy | | | | points to fore. What better example of Team |
| conducting seminars and consulting.Team | | | | Building? Instantaneously we've become a |
| Building is the topic for this day, with four | | | | Team. Things go well under the circumstances |
| more to follow. How to build effective and | | | | that day and the next. The American Team |
| efficient teams, communicate better, know | | | | Building has even spread to the Garden State |
| your and your team members' strengths and | | | | Parkway on the 13th where motorists have |
| weaknesses, delegate, motivate and of course | | | | pulled over, gotten out of their cars and |
| have some fun along the way.What a great | | | | stand next to their vehicles holding candles. |
| group of folks they are, a dozen in the | | | | It continues for miles. I leave North Jersey |
| morning class and the same for the afternoon | | | | after more Team Building Sessions on the |
| session. I leave at around 5:30 to head home | | | | 14th.The next week the haze remains to some |
| to Philly. On the road I'm mentally figuring | | | | degree. More Kenilworth Monday and Tuesday. I |
| out how much time I have to eat, make my | | | | must say I really like the people I'm working |
| calls, spend some time with my son maybe | | | | with. They seem to realize their team |
| talking, just relaxing and or watching sports | | | | building needs quite clearly and are already |
| before going off to sleep. Tomorrow is a | | | | using some of the techniques to bring about |
| special day. September 11th and I'm to meet | | | | change.Thursday and Friday I'm in Maryland. |
| my clients Paul and Lynn in Trenton at 7:30 | | | | Thursday night I go to sleep around 10:30. |
| A.M. to catch the train to Manhattan. | | | | The workshop I'm doing starts early. Somehow |
| | | | I hit the pillow and I'm out, sound asleep |
| We have a day of meetings scheduled and a | | | | until a blast wakes me up at who knows what |
| "surprise" Birthday Party in the evening.The | | | | time. I jump out of bed open the curtain look |
| party's for me, Paul had arranged it and even | | | | outside to hear sirens and see flashes of |
| called people on his speakerphone while I was | | | | light. My hand reaches for the remote, I turn |
| in his office to say "Are you coming to Dan's | | | | on the TV to see what has happened and |
| surprise party on the 11th?" And we'd all | | | | there's no signal. How my reference points |
| laugh. September 11th is my Birthday. I can't | | | | have changed. Two weeks before I would have |
| calculate how many times I've told people, | | | | known it was thunder and lightening, now I'm |
| "Do you know how much money I had to spend to | | | | not sure if it's another attack. I figure if |
| get my birthday on all those Police Cars! | | | | it is they'll come and get me, if not I might |
| 911....it wasn't easy"?Paul calls late and | | | | as well make an attempt at more sleep.At the |
| leaves me a message. "There's a change of | | | | Seminar I ask how many folks heard the |
| plans, we're gonna take the eight twenty-five | | | | thunder and how many of them thought that it |
| (or the train around that time)". I call him. | | | | was another attack. More than half the hands |
| I don't think he's feeling too well, maybe he | | | | go up. Most of the rest slept through the |
| wants to get a few extra minutes of sleep in | | | | noise.The next week takes me back up to North |
| the A.M. "Check in with me in the morning" he | | | | Jersey again and Connecticut. The drive to |
| says. Five forty is my call into Paul. "Dan I | | | | Connecticut is strange. I leave Philly a |
| think we can take the 10:35, I just wanna lay | | | | little after 5:00 PM. I get on the Jersey |
| in bed for a bit, but we're definitely going, | | | | Turnpike and take exit 13 Elizabeth.In order |
| see you at the station".So I eat my | | | | to circumvent Manhattan I go through Staten |
| breakfast, take my shower and get all my | | | | Island, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx on |
| "stuff" in order.Now it's a few minutes after | | | | route 278. It gives me an incredible view of |
| nine and the phone rings, it's my friend. He | | | | the Manhattan skyline. It's so beautiful and |
| asks if I'm still going to Manhattan. I give | | | | majestic. I have time. The Battery Tunnel is |
| him an affirmative and he says, "Oh no you're | | | | closed. Traffic backs up and I look at the |
| not, turn on the TV".I press the on button | | | | City while listening to NPR on my radio. Then |
| and there it is. I'm numb, frozen, in | | | | I see it. The smoke is still there. The haze |
| disbelief. Can this really be happening? I | | | | remains, not just in my thoughts but in the |
| attempt to think, but disorganization gets | | | | skyline. Those buildings that I ALWAYS looked |
| thrown into the mix. Sometimes I'm fully | | | | for, the ones that signified that I was close |
| cognizant of what I'm doing and other times I | | | | to my destination were gone. All I could see |
| have to think and rethink to make sure that | | | | were those other buildings, ones that have |
| I'm comprehending even the "normal" things | | | | become familiar to me only through TV, the |
| away from the commentary and pictures on | | | | ones with the greenish domes that formerly |
| CNN.The calls go out, to my son, Paul, other | | | | were dwarfed by their neighbors, Tower One |
| family members and friends to see if | | | | and Tower Two.On my way home to Philly I |
| everyone's ok. And to tell them that I didn't | | | | thought about business and how those two |
| go.I speak with Anne Marie who works in | | | | towers had, to some degree, symbolized the |
| Manhattan. She was supposed to attend the | | | | motors of commerce and how their demise had |
| dinner party. She tells me that a mutual | | | | slowed it down. I counted a scant eleven |
| friend, who she works with, had just dropped | | | | airplanes from central Connecticut to New |
| off a package to his roommate on the 102nd | | | | York City. Eleven. How unreal. |
| floor of Tower One, taken the elevator down | | | | |
| and reached the lobby when the plane hit. | | | | Then I realized that those eleven planes |
| He's fine but he doesn't know where his | | | | were more than I had seen in the sky in quite |
| roommate is.The party, the meetings, the | | | | some time. |
| business seems oddly meaningless and | | | | |
| meaningful at the same time. How nice it | | | | We'll make it I thought. A little more |
| would be to have the party, sit in a meeting | | | | cautiously on one hand and a lot more |
| and do the business of business. And how | | | | determined on the other but we'll make |
| absurd it all seems at this time of | | | | it.Connecticut, Maryland and North Jersey |
| tragedy.The day passes painfully, my birthday | | | | are, for now, behind me.Three weeks of life |
| will mean something so different to me and | | | | (and counting) filled with extreme emotions |
| everyone else from here on out.I try to call | | | | and the everyday chores we may treasure |
| the Red Cross to give blood but all the lines | | | | somewhat differently.It may be me but I get |
| are busy. Finally I get through and they tell | | | | the feeling that people are driving |
| me that there's a blood drive being held in | | | | differently since the eleventh, I would even |
| Flourtown (my Flourtown) tomorrow starting at | | | | say more courteous. We seem to be a bit more |
| 2:00. No appointments will be taken.The 12th | | | | grounded. Is it that we've been hugging our |
| is more of the same, everything to do with | | | | kids more often, understanding each others' |
| business is cancelled and who would want to | | | | strengths and weaknesses with more tolerance, |
| do anything anyway. I wonder about my friends | | | | perhaps even putting our priorities in |
| in NYC and in North Jersey and hope everyone | | | | order.What does this mean for business?I hope |
| is ok.I walk down the block and there, a few | | | | it means a richer, slower more invigorating |
| houses away is a makeshift shrine on the | | | | business climate. One that appreciates |
| steps of a neighbor. Five or six candles and | | | | everyone and everything that makes our |
| two photos, one of the photos is on a piece | | | | businesses work. It may mean that we have to |
| paper that looked so much like the photos | | | | look around at the folks we work with and |
| I've begun to see on TV, held by distraught | | | | tell them how much we enjoy seeing them each |
| relatives and friends. Missing 102nd floor, | | | | day, yeah, even those who used to annoy us. |
| Tower One (the same tower and floor of my | | | | And perhaps it would help to smile at the |
| friend's roommate), followed by his name and | | | | people who pass us by each day, say thanks to |
| the picture of a man smiling. How sad. What | | | | all of those who clean our streets, pick up |
| do you do? Or Think? Or say? My mind still | | | | our trash, deliver our mail, put out our |
| shifts between thinking straight and the haze | | | | fires, protect our safety, check us out at |
| that so many people continue to say appears | | | | the supermarket and sit in the offices and |
| from time to time in their thoughts.I get to | | | | cubicles around us.Maybe it really is time to |
| the blood drive at 1:50 P.M. there are about | | | | put our business lives in perspective. Have |
| forty people waiting. And the line continues | | | | more fun. Treat people with added respect. |
| to get longer. The day proceeds, I wait, and | | | | Continue the capitalist pursuit with a little |
| the realization hits me that I have to go | | | | smile.Maybe it's time to think about this |
| back up to North Jersey the next morning. At | | | | amazing Team we've built and be thankful.Dan |
| 7:25 P.M. I've been thanked, my blood has | | | | Goldberg, MBA, is President of Dan Goldberg |
| been given and I head home. The Team Building | | | | Consulting L.L.C. a training, coaching and |
| Seminar Series is to continue in the | | | | business development firm located in the |
| morning.Team Building has come to America in | | | | Philadelphia, PA area. He is the founder and |
| a manner that theory, academic exercises or | | | | former owner of "For Eyes" the highly |
| lecture can only reinforce in a seminar. | | | | successful international optical company and |
| We've illustrated it by our actions. The | | | | an internationally recognized keynote |
| firefighters, police officers, emergency | | | | speaker. Dan is the author of the book "Stand |
| workers, and "civilians" have reacted in a | | | | Back A Second, Just don't fall off the edge," |
| way that shows the best in people.Everyone is | | | | and of "The Six Steps To Solid Sales Success" |
| helping and supporting, giving money and or | | | | and "The Seven Elements Of Successful |
| blood, sending supplies, performing tasks | | | | Management" programs. He is |
| that must be done in order to make things | | | | Executive-In-Residence at Kutztown University |
| move somewhat smoothly in what otherwise | | | | and has been the subject of stories in |
| would be a totally chaotic situation. And we | | | | Newsweek, Business Week, Playboy, Successful |
| do it. From psychological help to just | | | | Business, Investor's Business Daily, major |
| talking with each other. We somehow realize | | | | newspapers in New York, Philadelphia, |
| that we need one another.Then there are the | | | | Washington, D.C., Boston, Baltimore, Miami, |
| flags. More than I've ever seen. I wonder how | | | | San Francisco, Oakland, St. Louis, Chicago, |
| many are displayed out of respect, how many | | | | Los Angeles and many other national and local |
| out of real patriotism and how many out of | | | | publications. In addition, Dan has appeared |
| jingoism. I hope the former two far out | | | | on Good Morning America and other national |
| weight the third. I glance up to read the | | | | and local television and radio programs. |
| sayings placed under old glory on the | | | | |