Here's my final post of 2008. I've enjoyed keeping this blog and hope it has improved our transparency as an organization, allowed those who don't know me well to get to know me better, while providing a forum for idea-sharing on a variety of topics. I'm looking forward to 2009, with its challenges and its opportunities, and I'm sure plenty to write about.

As you look back on the past year and plan for the next one, here's a quote from Jim Collins, author of "Good to Great" that you might want to keep in mind. He was asked to identify a longtime belief about which he had changed his view:

"I used to believe that the critical questions in life were about “what” — what decisions to make, what goals to pursue, what answers to give, what mountains to climb. I’ve come to see that the most important decisions are not about what, but about who. The primary question is not what mountains to climb, but who should be your climbing partner. If you want to have a great life, the most important question is not what you spend your time doing, but who you spend your time with. First who, then what – life is people."

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year.

Bill