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Tad Waddington
Tad Waddington says he achieved literacy
while getting his MA from the University of
Chicago’s Divinity School where he focused on
the history of Chinese religions. He achieved
numeracy while getting his PhD from the
University of Chicago in Measurement, Evaluation
and Statistical Analysis. He achieved efficacy
as Director of Performance Measurement at a
Accenture. (Any views expressed herein are
solely those of the author, and may not in any
way be attributed to the author’s employer.) As
for achieving a legacy, well, that remains to be
seen. Tad can be reached at
www.LastingContribution.com, at Tad@LastingContribution.com,
or on
www.LinkedIn.com.
"Tad Waddington has pulled together
the great thoughts from
the great thinkers who worried about why
we are here, what we are supposed to be
doing, and how best to get on with
it...Highly recommended for anyone
looking for answers to life's most
intriguing questions, brought to you by
a uniquely talented guide, in a book you
won’t be able to put down. Should be
required reading for every senior
executive everywhere in the world."
James E. Schrager, Clinical Professor of
Entrepreneurship and Strategy, Graduate
School of Business, University of
Chicago
"In this wide-ranging and
thought-provoking book, Waddington
weaves a compelling intellectual
tapestry. His thesis is as simple as it
is profound: We can and should make a
positive difference in our world. This
little book is full of big ideas. Read
it!" James Gross, Associate Professor,
Department of Psychology, Stanford
University
"Be inspired. Make a “lasting
contribution.” Read this book. Twice."
Marvin Zonis, Professor, Graduate School
of Business, University of Chicago
PageOneLit.com: Where did you grow up?
Tad Waddington : We bounced around a lot: Kansas City, Omaha, Des
Moines, and Phoenix, a trend I continued later, starting once in San
Francisco and heading east until I got to China, where I spent three
years.
PageOneLit.com: Was reading and writing part of your life?
Tad Waddington : Reading came to me very late. Indeed, I could
barely read until high school, which is why my favorite line in
Kirkus’ review of my book is, “Unlike the average motivational guru
who seems to have read a single book—the one he or she has just
written—Waddington has read them all….” I’ve subsequently made up
for lost time.
PageOneLit.com: Who were your earliest influences and why?
Tad Waddington : We were poor so I always felt kinship to Brer
Rabbit.
PageOneLit.com: Why do you write?
Tad Waddington : Writing is how I think. I get the thought out and
give it a good whack to see if it rings true. But here’s the funny
bit: Since I came to reading late, I process information better if I
hear it than if I read it; sometimes I write things that I can’t
read so I have the computer read it to me so I can listen for that
special resonance.
PageOneLit.com: Discuss briefly your new book.
Tad Waddington : It proposes a theory of action that is intended to
help the reader live a more effective and meaningful life. Wouldn’t
that be great?
PageOneLit.com: What is your overall message that ties the book
together for the reader?
Tad Waddington : To achieve greatness, you must balance details and
the big picture, thought and action.
PageOneLit.com: How is it different from other self-help books?
Tad Waddington : They say: Just do it. Or: Just believe. And:
Success is easy. Horsefeathers! Life is difficult and doing
something important with your life is even more difficult. My book
gives the reader a sufficiently sophisticated way to overcome life’s
obstacles.
PageOneLit.com: Explain: “Effective action in a complex world
requires considered action–knowing when and how to take action and
when not to.”
Tad Waddington : Many business books say that you should seize every
opportunity that comes along. More poppycock, because you’ll quickly
exhaust your resources. Instead, you should save your resources and
wait for the best opportunities to pop up. Then pounce.
PageOneLit.com: What motivates you daily?
Tad Waddington : Curiosity. What can I make of today? Let’s find
out.
PageOneLit.com: Explain: “Pursue the authentic—decide first what is
authentic, then go after it with all your heart. This is the path to
success”
Tad Waddington : I was thinking of St. Francis de Sales, “While I am
busy with little things, I am not required to do greater things.”
Many people play tiddlywinks with their lives, because they are
afraid to discover and then pursue what they value.
PageOneLit.com: What’s next?
Tad Waddington : Readers e-mail questions to me at tad@lastingcontribution.com.
I want to give good answers and do so by posting their question and
my considered answers at http://www.lastingcontribution.com. I’ve
also been giving a fair number of talks on the book, so far in
Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur.
PageOneLit.com: What was the last book you read?
Tad Waddington : I just finished reading 50 books on how to give a
good speech.
PageOneLit.com: Do you have any hobbies?
Tad Waddington : I enjoy exploring ideas with interesting people
through long conversations.
PageOneLit.com: How do they enhance your writing?
Tad Waddington : I can reflect on a good conversation for months and
continue to find new ideas.
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