Every sales person has gone through this scenario...

Your green light has suddenly turned red. What happened? You're out of your zone? The cosmos are conspiring against you?

Minnesota is known for something called "Minnesota Nice," It has a wonderful side—but the shadow side is just plain ugly. After working in all states for over 20 years, there is something unique I find in just about every Minnesota organization, something far less common anywhere else—passive aggressive behavior. It's the dark side of Minnesota nice.

Sure, you've heard that organizations should work off a plan and follow it. But very few organizations expect each and every employee to create a quarterly plan that ties into the strategy with specifics about numbers met and projects completed. As a result, most organizations have people running around with their hair on fire every day but never accomplishing what is critical.

First it's the FDIC assessment. Then it's the problem loans. Then it's the solid diet of regulations consuming your time.

What's next?

I look down at the mountains as I fly to California, having just watched the new Karate Kid movie on the flight. And can't help but think that there is an archetypal lesson in that movie, one so powerful that it moves us to be better people. It's why half of the passengers have tear-drenched napkins. The very act of watching an archetypal message can heal us.