The Contented Cow Blog

Building Workplaces That Work

Monday I attended a lunch meeting at which a spokesperson for the American Medical Association was the speaker. It was good of him to come from Colorado to Florida to address our group, but it was, as we say in the speaking business, “a tough room”.

The speaker was there to rally support for the AMA’s positions on the growing health care crisis in the United States. Most of what he advocated didn’t go down any better with this group of business professionals (many business owners) than did the dry chicken on the buffet.

It’s a complex problem with no easy solutions. But here’s what I took from the speaker’s remarks, if I understood him correctly:

• Costs are out of control, and will only get worse.
• Physicians and hospitals are being reimbursed only a small fraction of what they’re billing. The rest is allocated between what’s negotiated with payers, and written off as bad debt. Oh, and they do a lot of pro-bono and charity work.
• Far too much of patients’ treatment is being determined by insurance companies, and not by patients and their doctors.
• A well-integrated nationwide system of electronic medical records is a long way off. The technology’s not the problem. It’s getting suppliers to cooperate, and governments to quit passing such restrictive legislation that’s getting in the way.
• Fear of litigation and extremely high court-awarded damages has led to unaffordable malpractice insurance, and the ordering of unnecessary “CYA” tests and treatment.
• The greatest share of pharmaceutical research and development is borne by American drug companies, and that’s why prescriptions are so expensive in the U.S., compared to other nations.
• Health insurance shouldn’t be tied to one’s employment.
• The best idea would be to eliminate the tax deduction that employers currently have for employees’ health insurance premiums, and use all the extra tax revenue collected to give back to individuals, who could then go out on the open market and buy a private health insurance policy. Our decisions about what kind of coverage to buy would be driven by our needs and what we could afford.

As you might imagine, that last idea wasn’t exactly embraced by the employers and business owners in the room.

I found myself agreeing with a few of the good doctor’s points. Not with others. But at no point did he suggest that there was anything physicians or hospitals could do to reduce costs or improve the quality of care.

He talked a lot about people taking responsibility for their lifestyles and their healthcare. But not much about any responsibility those in the medical profession might share. It all sounded a little one-sided to me.

Our blogsultant, Tia Graham, tells us that it’s OK to have the occasional blog post that doesn’t really relate to our topics of Leadership and Discretionary Effort, but that reveals something personal, in our core. This is one such post.

I detest cilantro. I can think of nothing - nothing - the taste of which is more foul to my pallet than the vile, green, leafy herb, so used, overused, and misused by so many restaurants today.

Cilantro tastes, to me, like cleaning fluid. How would I know, you ask. But it does. And yet, in the last few years, cilantro has become so ubiquitous in food I order in restaurants, that I have now taken to asking, on what would have at one time seemed to me to be the most ridiculous of circumstances, if something is served with cilantro.

There’s no cilantro on that steak, is there? Oh, actually, I think there might be. Why, are you allergic? No - I just can’t STAND it. Please ask the chef not to put any cilantro on my steak.

I have had mashed potatoes, cole slaw, French Fries, polenta, bread, salads, green beans, pinto beans, corn, and every meat product fit for human consumption made unfit for this human’s consumption by contaminating it with cilantro.

Cilantro is fine for others to eat, in dishes with clear warnings in their names: lime-cilantro dressing, cilantro chicken, and the like. You have to expect cilantro to be dusted into almost everything in a Mexican restaurant, especially the less authentically Mexican ones. And cilantro is a clear and present danger in most Thai restaurants, but again, the presence of this most repulsive of all vegetation, is usually heralded in places like this.

So please, if any professional cooks or chefs are reading this, do us all a favor. Throw out your cilantro. Few people object to it as much as I do, but trust me on this - no one will miss it. And for Pete’s sake, keep it out of stuff it belong in.

If there’s anyone out there who shares my disgust for cilantro, I’d love to hear from you.

 Thanks!

Richard Hadden is a leadership speaker, author, consultant, and known cilantro-hater, who helps organizations improve their business results by creating a great place to work. He and his co-author and business partner Bill Catlette, are the authors of the new book Contented Cows MOOve Faster, as well as the acclaimed business classic Contented Cows Give Better Milk. Learn more about them and their work at ContentedCows.com.

One thing my father repeatedly told me was “Put your mind in gear before you put your mouth in motion.” Although he would have been among the first to acknowledge that he often failed to take his own advice, it’s good advice nonetheless. What we say - the words we use - or sometimes more importantly, the ones we don’t use, make a big difference.

Just ask any of the current presidential candidates. There are lots of thoughts they probably wish they, their supporters, and their spouses had kept to themselves.

A couple of weeks ago, I took my 74-year-old mother to the airport, so she could fly to Tennessee to visit my sister. Mom’s in remarkable shape. She’s employed full time, works out at a local gym 2 or 3 times a week, and goes to line dancing class every Thursday. Each Friday, she gets her hair done.

As has always been the case, people are still often surprised, when they meet her, to know that she’s my mother. Most remark that she doesn’t appear to be old enough to have a child my age (gee, thanks). 

She drives all over town, travels with some regularity (Europe in a couple of weeks), and has an active social life revolving around friends, neighbors, and her church.

While we were walking through the Jacksonville airport, with Mom pulling her roll-aboard suitcase, and walking at a brisk pace, a gentleman who appeared to be in his 60’s, and who worked in some capacity for the airport, was walking by, and greeted us with a cheerful “Good Morning!” We responded in kind, and then he said to my mother, “Ma’am, would you like me to get you a wheelchair?”

I nearly had to restrain her to keep her from beating the man about the head and shoulders in the manner of Ruth Buzzi on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In from the 60’s.

She declined the offer (I started to say “graciously declined”, but I’m not certain that would state it accurately), and marched, without any assistive devices or vehicles, to the security line, and got on her flight, smarting just a bit, perhaps, because this man of extremely good intentions and kind heart, failed to engage his mind before he did his lips.

A few days later, I stopped by our local supermarket to pick up a few items. Because I live in the same neighborhood I grew up in (I know - very unusual), it is not uncommon to see people I’ve known since childhood.

I ran into a retired couple (I know this for a fact - they are retired - I’m not making an assumption) whose kids are just a few years younger than I, and whom I guess I have known most of my life.

After the usual pleasantries and inquiries as to the health and wellbeing of myself and my family, the woman in the couple said, “So are you retired now?”

Retired?! No, I’m not retired, and with one kid in college and another one who soon will be, I don’t see that prospect on the horizon any time soon.

I don’t know if she asked the question because she thought I looked to be of retirement age, or because I appeared not to be gainfully employed, milling around the grocery store in the middle of a Thursday.

Over the course of the last few months, I have, intentionally, dropped about 30 pounds. As a result, I feel much better, and my family tells me I look better. I ran into an old friend last week, someone I hadn’t seen in about a year. He said, “Richard, you’re looking really good!”

“Thank you,” I said, feeling even more satisfied about not eating the way I’d really like to all the time.

“What is it? Are you coloring your hair?”

 So much for the compliment. And no, I’m not coloring my hair. As far as I know, Just For Men doesn’t sell a color called “Salt and Pepper.”

Just because you think it doesn’t mean you have to say it. I learned long ago that just because a woman appears to be carrying a little extra up front, and may be presumed to be pregnant, is no reason to give voice to that presumption.

At any rate, the solicitous airport worker, the retired couple, and the old friend taught me a lesson. Remember what Dad always said: “Put your mind in gear before you put your mouth in motion.”

Who am I to argue with Warren Buffett? He’s made brilliant decisions about investments, business strategy, and other things in his 77 years, and it’s made him one of the wealthiest people on the planet. But he’s not right about everything. On Monday of this week, he declared that the US is in a recession “by any common sense definition of the word”.

I don’t know what a common sense definition of “recession” is.  Maybe Harry Truman said it best: “It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose yours.”

But I do know that the commonly accepted definition of economic recession is “two or more consecutive calendar quarters with negative economic growth, as measured by real Gross Domestic Product, or GDP”. USA Today calls a recession “a widespread decline in economic activity lasting more than just a few months.” There is no “official” definition of recession, but that last one sounds a little vague and fuzzy to me. I go for the one we can measure in real terms.

I’m not naive. Business is down in many sectors of the economy. People have lost jobs. And homes (for many, homes they couldn’t afford in the first place). The credit market’s in deep trouble. Consumer spending is down (wonder why…). People are hurting, and the economy is clearly growing at a slower pace than it has for most of the last decade.

But it’s not a recession.

Some parts of the US are doing well. Others are not.

Some would say “What difference does it make what we call it? The economy’s in trouble, and that’s all that matters.”

But it does matter what we call it. If we’re going to call this a recession, when in reality it’s a slowdown, what word are we going to use for a recession?

We’ve enjoyed, and perhaps become accustomed to, and complacent about, the growth of recent years. But since the 4th quarter of 2002, scarcely a year after the worst terrorist disaster this country has sustained, the economy has grown - as in - gotten bigger than the quarter before - every single quarter. Some quarters it’s grown a lot (2003, quarter 3, 7.5%; 2007, quarter 3, 4.9%). In other quarters it’s barely grown at all (the 1st and 4th quarters of 2007, 0.6%), but it has grown.

I have a teenage boy at home. In 2006, he grew a foot - literally. Since then (thankfully, for his mother and me, who are charged with clothing him), his growth has moderated. But he’s still an inch taller than he was when school started in August. His growth has slowed, but he hasn’t shrunk!

Slowing growth is not, repeat not, the same as decline.

I’d like to suggest that we, and the pundits, and the investors, and the media, spend less time wringing our hands about an impending recession, and get on with the work of being more productive, as in putting more Discretionary Effort, or OOMPH!, as we call it, into what we do every day. Go the extra mile to serve your customers, be creative in convincing them that what you’re selling will solve a problem of theirs. Pay more attention to how you’re spending your company’s money, so it’ll earn a bigger profit next quarter.

And while it’s apparently not in vogue these days to offer any hopeful economic news, I’m going to advance some anyway. A careful check of the business cycle in the US since 1854 reveals that periods of economic expansion are always (ALWAYS) longer than periods of economic contraction - and they’re getting longer. History is the best predictor of the current slowdown. And if history is any indication, it’ll be shorter than the expansions on either side of it.

As if Warren Buffett needs to take advice from me - I wish he’d stick to what he knows best - investments, and running Berkshire Hathaway. And I wish he’d stop playing fast and loose with the English language. We’re not in a recession. I just hope he, and others, don’t succeed in talking us into one.

Tomorrow, two NFL teams will be going at it, hammer and tong, to determine which team deserves to be be known as the champion. For many, if not most of the players, every day of their lives since sometime back in high school has been oriented toward the moment - this moment, when they will play for all the marbles.

Most players in the NFL never get the chance to play in a Super Bowl, let alone wear the champion’s ring. Because of that, one thing is absolutely certain… every player who steps on the field tomorrow will be be giving it his very best, leaving nothing in the tank. They will all be going the extra mile to wear the ring that signifies the rarity of their achievement.

I was exposed to “the ring” about fifteen years ago while on a business trip. After taking my assigned seat on the plane, I happened to glance down at the arm rest which was covered by a hand belonging to my seat mate. Adorning the ring finger of that hand was the biggest gosh darned ring I had ever seen. Upon first glance, I could make out the letters, C O W B. A moment later, when the hand moved slightly, I could make out the remainder of the inscription, which identified the wearer as a member of the one (no, many) time world champion Dallas Cowboys, Gil Brandt. A very interesting conversation ensued, in which we talked about the ring, the Cowboys, and various NFL players. I came away with the distinct impression that more important than the game check, fan adulation, and everything else, was that ring which served as a permanent reminder of the fact that this guy had once been at the very top of the mountain in his profession.

Not everyone plays (or is interested) in football. And, as mentioned above, few players earn the right to wear “the ring.” But setting that particular game aside for a moment, deep down, we all want to be winners in whatever it is we do. Just as Tom Brady (he with the gimpy right ankle) will do whatever it takes tomorrow, under capable leadership, we will expend every ounce of our discretionary effort to be known as a winner in our chosen endeavor. We think it is indeed worth it, for those of us who have chosen to lead, to take the necessary steps to help our teams be winners in whatever it is we do.

For those who’d like to learn more, Richard and I will be keynoting a webinar entitled, “Work is Contractual… Effort is Personal”, on February 21 (11:30AM, EST). The session is free of charge, and is being hosted by the folks at Globoforce Ltd. http://www.globoforce.com. We invite your participation.

As for the Pats and Giants, here’s a not so fearless prediction: Patriots 27 Giants 17.

Godspeed!

A thought leader in the areas of leadership and employee engagement, Bill Catlette is a seminar leader, keynote speaker, and executive coach. He helps individuals and organizations improve business outcomes by having a focused, motivated, capably led workforce. For more information about Bill, his partner Richard, and their work, please visit their website at www.ContentedCows.com

Those of us in the US are, whether we like it or not, in the midst of the presidential primaries, several key states having already held their primaries or caucuses, with most of the rest of them happening over the next few weeks.

While I do have an opinion about the best candidate to choose, I wouldn’t foist that opinion on any of you through this channel. But I will make one recommendation, and a strong one at that.

Vote for the person you think is best for the job. Period. Not necessarily for the so-called “frontrunner”.

There are lots of things relevant to that decision on the part of each voter. How the people of a state that’s already had its primary or caucus is NOT one of them. While I’ve watched with interest how the voters of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, Wyoming, South Carolina, and other states have voted, those results won’t change my vote. What the candidates do, or say, while campaigning in those states, and mine, will affect my ultimate decision, but not the outcomes of those races.

Being unduly influenced by the results from prior states dilutes the will of the people, and gives us a flawed outcome. Could that be the reason the majority of Americans have consistently been dissatisfied with their own choice for president since Ronald Reagan? I’ll stick to my guns, thank you, and if my candidate emerges victorious, I’ll be happy, but I won’t vote for the projected frontrunner just so I’ll look like I was right. How stupid is that?

If my choice happens to be for someone who’s not “leading in the polls” (yeah, right, like they’re always correct - remember New Hampshire?), there will be those who will say I’ve thrown away my vote. I disagree. To vote for the person everyone else is predicted to be voting for - rather than voting your mind, your heart, your convictions - that’s throwing away your vote.

 Comments welcome.

Richard Hadden is a leadership speaker, author, and consultant who helps organizations improve their business results by creating a great place to work. He and his co-author and business partner Bill Catlette, are the authors of the new book Contented Cows MOOve Faster, as well as the acclaimed business classic Contented Cows Give Better Milk. Learn more about them and their work at ContentedCows.com.

The Contented Cow Blog will be taking a week off, starting today, January 13, 2008, while our intrepid blogmistress, Tia Graham, insitutes a redesign of the blog. The blog will be available - but we won’t be making any posts.

One point we hammer home in our books, and in keynote speeches and leadership training is that people’s work must matter. If we ever get the impression that perhaps it doesn’t matter, we can’t possibly put everything into it. If you give an employee a task, and he or she never sees how this task benefits a customer, directly or even indirectly, there’s no way the employee can give it everything they’ve got. No way. Imagine if your entire job is like that.

This is no different for us than for anyone else, and so, our blog is being redesigned with this in mind.

Don’t get us wrong, we enjoy blogging. It’s therapeutic. It helps us formulate our thoughts, test out ideas, and expand our community. But we’d really like to know who’s out there with us. As enjoyable as it might be, we’d probably do a better job of blogging if we had a better sense of who was actually reading our stuff, and deriving some benefit from it. The redesign will help with that.

To that end, we’d like to ask a favor. If you’re reading this, simply send me a quick email, to Richard@ContentedCows.com, and let me know you saw this. You don’t need to say anything else (although you’re more than welcome to). Or - you may use the comments feature of the blog. If you like, let us know what you’d like to see more of, how we can help your business, and what ideas you’ve seen on our blog that you’ve used.

Have a great week! We’ll be back on January 21.

I had the occasion to travel to Boston for a speaking engagement recently. Owing to the date of the engagement, I wound up traveling in the post-Thanksgiving travel madness period in which massive numbers of business road warriors and novices converged. It wasn’t as ugly as I’ve seen on other occasions, but things could still have gone smoother.

In view of the fact that we’re approaching another peak holiday travel period, it dawned on me that it might make sense to offer some insights and ideas from 30+ years of constant business travel. So, in no particular order, here are some things to think about before you next venture into the “friendly skies.”

Planning Your Trip

For many, planning a trip means logging on to one of the large, Internet-based travel sites such as Travelocity or Expedia, where you can plan, reserve, and purchase your entire travel experience online… almost. I say, “almost” because these days, travel involves a lot of forced variability due to the vagaries of weather, crew scheduling, security, flight cancellations, missed connections, and the like. In such cases, you might regret not having a dedicated, professional travel agent on your side. A travel agent - remember them? They’re still out there, and can be worth their weight in gold when the stuff hits the fan. Here’s one I think the world of.

Generally speaking, airline and airport operations are highly interdependent, and contingent on a level of perfection that seldom materializes. Hence, most days, your only real chance for an on-time, relatively hassle-free flight is to catch the first thing smoking in the morning. After that, the cumulative burden of weather and routine delays can make for an aggravating experience that gets worse as the day progresses.

Be sure to take advantage of the very best thing the airlines have done in the past ten years and check in for your flight and print your boarding passes before leaving for the airport. Most airlines now also let you sign up to receive travel alerts via text message or email. Do it.

Packing

After years (no, decades) of carrying a briefcase crammed with electronic gear, files, and what not, together with a garment bag, and giving myself a screwed up neck, I’ve adopted some new habits insofar as travel packing is concerned. In terms of what goes with me through security and into the passenger compartment of the plane, I’ve become a lot more of a minimalist.

Gear consists of a Crackberry, Ipod with Vibe Vmoda earbuds, and 12″ Mac Powerbook. Since Apple doesn’t seem to want to make any more of these little, sub-5 lb. jewels, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep this baby updated and operating. In fact, it just came out of the shop with a new optical drive. I’ve not yet made the conversion to one of those omnibus power adapters, but if Santa is listening, I might get the chance.

Paper files are either scanned and stored on a 4 gig thumb drive, uploaded to our intranet, or FedEx’ed to my destination. Keys, medicines, an emergency flashlight (!), hairbrush, and copy of our latest book round out the carry-on articles. The briefcase is gone. Everything carried aboard goes into a mid-sized, black Tumi backpack. It’s stylish, useful, and puts the weight squarely on my back, rather than one shoulder.

Leave the good jewelry at home, for more than one reason. Consider using a plastic watch on trips. With the advent of cell phones, I’ve quit wearing a watch altogether when traveling. And remember, your shoes are going to be coming off, so wear a pair that can easily be slipped back on.

In view of the TSA’s stance on liquids, I’ve concluded that simultaneously managing a boarding pass, photo ID, backpack, laptop, shoes, jacket, suitcase, and quart sized Ziploc bag with carry-on liquids at the screening site is, well… nuts. Hence, my default position is to check luggage, unless the trip calls for an interline connection. In my case, luggage amounts to an olive colored Hartmann roll-aboard because, A. It’s well made, and B. The color stands out on the baggage carousel. We all like to whine about airline miscues with checked luggage, but in actuality, they do a reasonably good job. Correction, Delta does a reasonably good job. BTW, though it seems counterintuitive, if your luggage is checked through a hub city, as mine often is, your chances of having a bag go awry are actually greater when you have a long connection, rather than a tight one. So, keep your connection times under 90 minutes and you’ll improve your odds.

Alternatively, with a couple days notice , you can bypass the baggage carousel altogether by FedEx’ing your stuff directly to your hotel. Trust me, it’s a luxury you can really get used to. While we’re on the subject of shipping, do everyone a favor and resist the urge to attempt to board a commercial aircraft bearing all your worldly possessions stuffed into a Hefty garbage bag. That goes for holiday presents, as well as the front end parts for your daughter’s ‘93 Buick. The less stuff you can travel with these days, the better. Be especially judicious about looking for ways to mix and match with your wardrobe. This sounds (and is) unstylish, but I’ve reached the point where, but for one pair of jeans which are worn on the trip, if it isn’t black, white, or gray, it stays home. As for those jeans, I wear them, together with a long sleeved cotton shirt because they are more comfortable to travel in, and though we don’t like to think about it, less flammable in the event of an accident.

Use one external pocket of your carry-on bag to stow any loose items (coins, jewelry, money clip, cell phone, etc.) that will cause you to have more intimate contact than desired with TSA screeners and their toy collection.

Boarding

While we can’t control the weather, airline scheduling, or the Neanderthals who set policy at the TSA, there are a lot of things each of us can do to eliminate further delays, and make the experience a little less burdensome. The first has to do with your interaction with the gate agent. Two words of advice here - be nice! These folks don’t make the schedules, fix (or break) the planes, or screw up the weather. They do, however, have the final say about who actually gets on the plane and where they sit, so don’t give them a hard time, ever.

Failing to orient yourself before boarding an aircraft winds up inconveniencing a lot of other people, as you stand in the aisle fumbling with your ticket or carry-on luggage. Know your seat number, and be prepared to stow your belongings quickly. Upon reaching your seat, get out of the aisle as quickly as possible.

Unless this is a well-practiced routine for you, please don’t attempt boarding the aircraft while carrying on a cell phone conversation, or any conversation for that matter. It’s going to slow you down, and really piss off the rest of us who want to see the plane leave on time.

Please remove any briefcase, backpack, or purse from your shoulder before entering the aircraft. The people who are already seated don’t appreciate getting smacked in the head with it as you pass down the aisle. While in the process of getting seated (and throughout the flight), try to avoid grabbing the seat back of the seat in front of you, because it jostles the occupant of that seat.

Be respectful of other people’s stuff when stowing items in the overhead bin, and when closing the bin, please don’t slam it. The noise hurts some people’s ears. Note to flight attendants: This goes for you, too.

Note to rookies and road warriors alike: Please check to see that your assigned seat number and the one you’re about to plant your derriere into are one and the same before settling in. This should be a complete no-brainer, but with the aforementioned cell phone distractions, coupled with some goofy seat numbering by the airlines, it’s not. If you can quickly and readily resolve any seating issues without the need to summon a referee, do so. Flight attendants really do have better things to do.

Simple Human Courtesies

Please try to bear in mind that you are entering an environment where you are in very close proximity with about a hundred other people. Indeed, as travel guru, Joe Brancatelli puts it, “sitting any closer might constitute marriage in some states.”

Aside from the seemingly obvious Andrew Speaker-type consideration, your presence will be enjoyed a great deal more if you are conscious of other people’s senses of sight, smell, and hearing, not to mention their personal space. As but one case in point, bear in mind that a little perfume or cologne goes a long way - a really long way on an aircraft. Ditto for some ethnic foods, or, for that matter, greasy cheeseburgers smothered in onions, especially at 8AM. Come on, folks, that stuff really doesn’t belong on the plane. And, if you’ve been drinking prodigious quantities of beer or eating burritos, YOU don’t belong on the plane, got it?

Consider the fact that just because you can call everyone you know from the plane, doesn’t mean that you should. While the person on the other end of the phone conversation may be interested in what you are saying, the rest of us are not. If you really must, as my son and daughter-in-law admonish their grandson to do, please use your “inside voice.” That also goes for those who simply must regale their seatmates with their latest conquests, troubles, or solutions for the planet. Those who want to avoid such entertainment should get (and use) a pair of the aforementioned earbuds.

Yet, let’s keep our sense of humor about us, too. If you are bothered, as a Southwest flight attendant was, that a “scantily clad” 23 year old happens to be sitting next to you, just reach above your head, push the “ding” button, and you’ll be able to quickly auction your seat to someone with different sensibilities.

Finally, if you can extend a courtesy to a fellow traveler, do it. When you encounter a desert combat uniform clad soldier in your travels, pay their breakfast or bar tab, offer to let them use your cell phone, or just tell them “thank you.” Give the older folks a break, too. Don’t crowd them, and offer a helping hand when you are able. With any luck, you’ll get there someday, too.

Godspeed!

A thought leader in the areas of leadership and employee engagement, Bill Catlette is a seminar leader, keynote speaker, and executive coach. He helps individuals and organizations improve business outcomes by having a focused, motivated, capably led workforce. For more information about Bill, his partner, Richard, and their work, please visit their website.

I thought it was about time for an update on Julie Hadden, the contestant on NBC’s reality show The Biggest Loser, who just happens to be my sister-in-law. I take no credit for any of this. My brother had the good sense nine years ago to marry her, and Julie had the chutzpah to apply to be on the show.  Apparently lots of people have found their way to this blog by searching for Julie, and that is just one of many things, this Thanksgiving Week, that I’m thankful for.

The show’s 11th episode will air tomorrow night, November 20, at 8:00pm (7 central), and Julie’s still in the game, having survived 10 eliminations. Her weight loss, to date, on the show, has been 38 pounds, or 17% of her body weight.  Keep in mind that Julie was the least heavy contestant at the beginning, that only 10 of 15 episodes have aired, and that all contestants keep losing weight through next month.

Two episodes ago, she won a physical challenge, and her prize (and that of fellow “black team” member Bill Germanakos) was a 2008 Ford Escape SUV Hybrid. She and my brother Mike picked out the actual car this past Friday at their local dealer (she couldn’t take delivery until the episode had aired), and it is a beauty! And with gas at $3.17 a gallon here in Jacksonville, Florida, the hybrid engine will be most welcomed.

If you watched last week’s show (Nov 13), or if you get a chance to watch the Nov 20 episode, you’ll meet my brother. As the number of contestant grows smaller and smaller, the show is focusing more on the personal and family lives of the contestants.

The show wrapped up filming in August. But the way the show works - contestants are to continue losing weight, at home, through an extremely rigorous program of physical training and nutrition, until the show’s finale, on December 18. During that episode, which will be broadcast live, ”The Biggest Loser” will be determined, and will go home with the grand prize of $250,000.

No one knows who the winner (Loser) will be yet. Those of us who are close to Julie and see her often (they live about 10 minutes from us), are sworn to secrecy on her progress. I just keep telling everyone what my brother has instructed me to say: “Keep watching!”