Greetings! I had planned a brief July 4th edition on Monday - to wish you and yours a wonderful Independence Day holiday- and to honor my personal commitment to publishing every Monday - without fail. I was unable to get a usable cell signal while on vacation deep in the Adirondack Mountains and consequently could not "get online" to send the July 4th issue I had mostly prepared before I left. 
My technology had failed me (it's not my only failing!) - and I realized, once again, just how dependent I have become on technology and virtual connectivity. Beyond the desire to be in touch, many of us never fully escape our customers, employees and the myriad problems we face in our day-to-day work lives. And it's just as bad if like me you are a news and sports junky. I have normalized being "always on" and have forgotten that technology can be as much a prison as a source of soaring freedom. In fact, the freedom we celebrate on Independence Day was not fought with anywhere near the technology the average American 12-year old carries around in their cell phone today. There were no satellite images, virtual analytics, night-vision goggles or even radios. The Revolutionary War was won with grit, wiles, passionate determination and enormous human sacrifice. See the section below on Fort Ticonderoga and The Boston Campaign. I know that getting away from technology every so often is not only a good thing; it is necessary. It's why I collect phones and Blackberries at my CEO group meetings. But, Sunday evening I felt a brief tug of frustration and considered getting behind the wheel of my car in pursuit of the signal I "needed." But what I found instead was a reconnection to a gift I had received a long time ago: the realization that being on vacation should mean a vacation from work - not one with work. In the past, as a CEO of the companies I ran, I would routinely fail my family in this regard. As long as I had a number where my office could reach me - or a cell phone in hand's reach, I was never truly present in whatever moment I should have been enjoying with my family. I was either waiting for a call, making a call - or just thinking about work. I have pictures that are ugly reminders of myself at a pool at an exotic resort - my kids in the water and me on my cell phone, on line at Disney the same way and similarly on dozens of trips. If this strikes a familiar chord with you, then I urge you to consider examining your priorities. As difficult as it feels, the hard truth is that to lead your company successfully you must be a leader not just act like one when you need to. This means understanding that you must exhibit the same passion, drive and dedication to all the things important in your life - and not allow your professional drive or your business to throw your life off balance. You must lead your life, and lead your relationships with your family with the same ability to be present, connected and centered (balanced and fully resourceful), just as you need to demonstrate these qualities as the leader of your company. (See last week's edition of MMCEO for more about this.) Being unable to not only damages to your relationships with the people whom you love and who depend on you - but also will ultimately compromise your ability to be a fully-realized leader in any area - much less lead a happy life. I long ago realized that the most successful people I knew and admired were those who demonstrated that balance. It's amazing but not sadly not surprising how many people I work struggle to find balance in their lives - even when they tell me it's important. Choosing to Cheat A colleague of mine shared a book by Andy Stanley, a pastor fro Atlanta, called Choosing to Cheat: Who Wins When Work and Family Collide? While he uses some biblical accounts to demonstrate his points, the book is not a religious solution to your problems nor is it particularly "preachy." His message is clearly secular and universally meaningful. If you are a hard-driving CEO and have either been told - or simply know that you have trouble in this area of your life - you should give this book a read. You can find the information below or click the following link: http://www.amazon.com/Choosing-Cheat-Wins-Family-Collide/dp/1590523296 Why Vistage Executive Peer Groups Help CEOs Achieve Better Work-Life Balance I generally avoid directly promoting Vistage - as it seems self-serving - and there is plenty already written at the Website at www.Vistage.com. But this topic cries for an exception. Based on my personal experience as a CEO and my professional experience as a Vistage Chair for the past 6 years, I am firmly convinced that there is no better alternative to a Vistage CEO group for establishing work-life balance. A book may help you realize this is what you need and why. Any good executive peer group will give you a forum to understand that you are not alone in your needs and struggles. But a Vistage group offers unique link: the relationship with you Chair - who through spending deeply personal time with you - understands the dynamics of your life and business and can bring these conversations to your peer group with insight, clarity and a bias to change and results and challenge you to take action. It's the level of candor that comes from the safety of a professionally facilitated group combined with the leverage of mutual accountability that makes a Vistage group experience difference from any other. For the Sake of What
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Lil and George's Place- our camp at Paradox Lake on a recent fall visit
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So, here I am, on vacation with my wife, kids and their respective girl and boyfriends and my Golden Retriever - feeling the pressure to sneak away in search of signal - when I realized how many times in my life I had been behind the wheel, driving away from the things that should matter most. This time I chose to think instead of the larger commitments that make me who I am. These commitments address all things for the sake of what is truly and ultimately important to me, and support me in leading my life the way I truly want to. Being consistent with my commitment to Monday Morning CEO is important - just not as important as balance in the larger scheme of things. And besides - who says it has to go out every Monday? As always, wishing you a great and successful week ahead. 
Philip R. Liebman Managing Director, Strat4 Group Chair, Vistage International | 
