Ask the Author: Margot Morrell
Answered Questions (10)
Margot Morrell
My name / profile is connected to a book I had nothing whatsoever to do with! Why would somebody do that? How is that possible? Very, very mysterious.
Margot Morrell
Photo-essays on fascinating lives posted at leadershiplives.com
Margot Morrell
You're on a yacht off Antarctica, a summer storm blows up, the mercury plummets, when the clouds clear, you're surrounded by an endless sea of frozen ice. No one knows where you are.
Margot Morrell
Would love to relax and chill in The Storied Life of A. J. Fikery. Great book. Highly recommend.
Margot Morrell
The Thursday Murder Club and anything by Len Deighton.
Margot Morrell
In 1980, I had the opportunity to work on President-elect Reagan's transition team. At the time I worked for an executive search team in Boston and I was "loaned" to the transition team.
At the time, the press loved to portray Reagan as a puppet. Working on the transition team with people who had worked closely with "the Governor" for years, I came to appreciate that was far from the case.
The original title of the book I envisioned was Reagan's Way - Leadership Lessons from the Great Communicator but as I learned more about RR in the research phase of the book, I became much more interested in how a poor boy from nowhere, who graduated at the bottom of the Depression in 1932, managed to get himself on a career path to tremendous success.
Starting from nowhere, he coached himself to the top of 5 professions - sportscaster, Hollywood star, union leader, corporate ambassador and world leader.
At the time, the press loved to portray Reagan as a puppet. Working on the transition team with people who had worked closely with "the Governor" for years, I came to appreciate that was far from the case.
The original title of the book I envisioned was Reagan's Way - Leadership Lessons from the Great Communicator but as I learned more about RR in the research phase of the book, I became much more interested in how a poor boy from nowhere, who graduated at the bottom of the Depression in 1932, managed to get himself on a career path to tremendous success.
Starting from nowhere, he coached himself to the top of 5 professions - sportscaster, Hollywood star, union leader, corporate ambassador and world leader.
Margot Morrell
Helpful friends sometimes suggest topics to me. I appreciate their interest but for me, projects have to come from deep, deep, deep within me. I have to be really interested in a subject to devote the time required.
Margot Morrell
Follow your interests.
In the 1980s, a dear friend lent me Brian Tracy's audio program, Psychology of Achievement which I can't recommend highly enough.
The central point to the program is a question - "What one great dream would you dare to dream if you knew you could not fail?" Every time the tape would come to that point, I would stop and think to myself, Well, that's a really good question unless your dream revolves around an obscure Antarctic explorer.
My dream came true! I just wanted to share Shackleton's amazing story of triumphing over seemingly impossible odds with as many people as possible.
In the 1980s, a dear friend lent me Brian Tracy's audio program, Psychology of Achievement which I can't recommend highly enough.
The central point to the program is a question - "What one great dream would you dare to dream if you knew you could not fail?" Every time the tape would come to that point, I would stop and think to myself, Well, that's a really good question unless your dream revolves around an obscure Antarctic explorer.
My dream came true! I just wanted to share Shackleton's amazing story of triumphing over seemingly impossible odds with as many people as possible.
Margot Morrell
For me, life doesn't get any better than poring over original source material at the Scott Polar Research Library, the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington, NZ, the Mitchell Library in Sydney, Dartmouth University's special collections, the Hoover Institute at Stanford, the Bancroft Library at Berkeley, the Reagan Library...
Margot Morrell
On the wall behind my computer - in my line of vision - I have a sticky note with the names of 3 or 4 target readers. When I get stuck writing, in my mind, I tell one of them what I'm trying to explain. Problem solved.
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