 Greetings! There was fascinating and troubling article in this past Sunday's New York Times dealing with teenagers sending sexually explicit text messages - or "sexting" - using their cellphones. (http://tinyurl.com/4mre3ac ) As a parent of four kids it speaks to the fact that our children are literally exposed to a world nearly without boundaries and with enormous uncertain dangers - connected with anyone and potentially everyone through websites like Facebook and over the airwaves through their mobile devices. As responsible parents we strive to protect our children from these dangers by educating them about appropriate use of these technologies, supervising them as best we can and remaining vigilant for signs of anything suspicious. But at the same time, it is clear that controlling the floodgate is practically impossible as is any expectation of keeping our children innocent to and isolated from the evils of the world. As a CEO, the hyper-advancement of technology poses similar risks and demands a substantial level of awareness and vigilance. (If you've been reading my recent issues of Monday Morning CEO you already know that I believe that managing the risk leveraged on a company's assets is the primary responsibility of it's CEO. ) Mike Foster, an IT security specialist with high-level clients throughout the United States (http://www.FosterInstitute.com) is a Vistage expert resource and speaker. I invited Mike to present his IT Security workshop to my CEO group last year, and he literally scares the hell out of most CEOs. While the risk of a large-scale cyber-attack on your company might seem remote - he shows how easily malicious attacks can be made with simple tools and relatively little sophistication - and how vulnerable you, your family and your business are to cyber-criminals with the sophistication and motivation to afflict serious harm. On a lesser scale, many crimes are simply made of opportunity. By simply eliminating the opportunity for your employees, customers or random strangers that might have access to your financial information, customer lists and other trade secrets -you may stave off a threat that could prove extremely damaging to your business. Another area of risk that is perhaps even more widely overlooked or ignored  is legal liability. My good friend, and also a Vistage expert resource and speaker, Joel Greenwald from the law firm of Greenwald Doherty (http://greenwaldllp.com) speaks to groups of CEOs on this topic. Joel's firm is one of the region's top-ranked firms providing employer-side employment law services. He notes that because technology is evolving so quickly most companies policies fail to adequate cover many of the emerging issues that stem from employee use of company-provided cellular devices, company computers and servers as well as general internet and email usage on company time and equipment and activity on social networking Websites and services. In fact, the case law for many of these issues is just emerging. However employers find themselves at risk for potential overtime liability for employees who check their blackberries after work, risk discrimination suits for acting on information uncovered on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook and get tangles in a myriad of potential privacy issue complaints all related to computers and electronic devices in the workplace. If you don't have a current and comprehensive policy in place, I strongly urge you to contact competent council and become educated on how you can create a work environment that protects both your company and your employees. Last, but not least, it is clear to me that most successful people tend to continue learning more about the things we are already good at - and spend little or know time experiencing what it's like to be a beginner again. There are two problems with this. First, as CEOs and leaders, we need to grow if we expect our organizations to grow. Learning and growth is not optional. The second reason has more to do with improving your leadership. You likely demand that the people in your organization stay sharp, learn new things and can support the innovation that is needed to ensure that your company can outpace and outperform your competition. If you are not demonstrating those qualities yourself, what can you really expect from your employees? One of the great benefits I experience as a Group Chair with Vistage is the constant access to some of the best thought-leaders in the world. Each year I invite seven or eight of these experts to speak on topics ranging from esoteric perspectives on global politics to nuts and bolts topics like cutting-edge approaches to financial management and reporting. If you don't have a resource to keep you sharp and growing let me suggest you find one. The benefits are hardly surprising, but the fact that so many CEOs retire from using their "beginner's mind" is truly alarming. Today's quote is by Michael Eisner. I have always been hugely impressed by Disney. I must say, though, his quote could have just as well been attributed to Wendy Shen, the CEO of FlomoUSA (http://flomousa.com) located in New Jersey, who has been a Vistage member in my CEO group since 2007. She is remarkably humble - and her's is one of the more impressive success stories I know. I would say to Michael Eisner that working hard is only part of the secret. From working with Wendy for these past five years, I have learned that hard work combined with unconditional respect for people is the true recipe for real success. As always, wishing you a great and successful week ahead. 
Philip R. Liebman Managing Director, Strat 4 Group Chair, Vistage International P.S. I am pleased to announce that I will be a guest on the radio show "Make Your Move" - with Alan and Brian Beaulieu on April 4th at 4:00 PM. You can tune in weekly to a new radio talk show on the Voice America Talk Radio Network hosted by Alan and Brian every Monday afternoon at 4:00 pm (eastern). Visit www.voiceamerica.com and click on the Business Channel and then click on "shows" or "hosts". You can also call in to the show at 1-866-472-5790. Today, Aan had Raul Pupo, author of "America's Service Meltdown" as a guest on the show. You can listen to the show's recording by visiting: http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/52730/service-meltdown-in-america Be My Guest on April 26th. Glenn Waring will be leading a workshop of Effective Financial Management for CEOs. This is a must-attend program whether you are financially astute - or needing to gain a better understanding of your financials, get better control of your financial reporting, how to work with your accountants or negotiate with your bank. If you curious about the value if being a Vistage Member - this is a perfect opportunity to get a look behind closed doors at what my members experience every month. I have a very limited number of guest opportunities. Please call me right away to determine if you are qualified - and for availability. | 
Similarly James Suroweicki has another remarkably insightful article on what he calls :"creative destruction" and pints out how "history suggests that, despite the terrifying destruction and horrific human toll, the long-term impact of the qualke on the Japanese economy could be surprisingly small." 
