I could listen to Frank Sinatra music all day, every day. There is just something about the melodic sounds of his voice and the compelling lyrics that warms my heart and always lifts my mood. As soon as I hear his voice, I am immediately brought back to my childhood home and the aromatic smells of Italian “gravy” cooking on the stovetop and my parents and grandparents singing along with the stereo. I am grateful that my own children inherited my love for the Chairman of the Board.
All these years, I had no idea how Frank got his famous “Chairman” nickname. It was easy to figure out why people referred to him as “‘Ol Blue Eyes”. I assumed that he became known as the Chairman of the Board because he was always “in charge”. What I did not know was that Frances Albert Sinatra actually held the position of the Chairman of the Board. In 1960, he started his own record label - Reprise Records - and quickly became the company’s President and Chairman of the Board of Directors. Frank started the company as a vehicle for his own recordings and those of his best friends (and members of the legendary “Rat Pack”) Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr.
There are many reasons why people are motivated to start their own company. It seems like it is the logical path to take if you are frustrated with the service (or lack thereof) that you are receiving. Can’t get your book published? Self-publish it! Hate the local restaurants? Open up one of your own. Can’t get your music recorded? Create your own record company. Not only will you seize control of your destiny, you will no longer have to deal with an unreasonable boss.
While I now have my own (albeit small) business, I don’t think you have to create a company in order to be the Chair of the Board of your life! If there are things that are currently not working for you, it is time to stage a corporate take-over! They say that the definition of the word “insanity” is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result each time. If you are repeatedly getting sick, perhaps you should reexamine your diet. Do you wake up each day with a backache? When was the last time you changed your mattress? Is your skin extremely dry or irritated from the products you are using? Spring clean your toiletries cabinet and treat yourself to some fresh, new lotions and potions! Since you are the newly appointed Chair of the Board, you won’t have to wait for a majority of the shareholders to vote in order for you to implement some positive changes. Remember that you are the highest ranking officer of the company and that you preside over all meetings. While the job may not come with corporate perks such as the large corner office and reserved parking spot, what you have far outweighs frivolous benefits. Your position holds the power and the authority to hire, fire, and make important decisions. Congratulations on your new job! When you carry out your duties, remember to think of Frank Sinatra and the lyrics to one of his greatest hits:
“Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do , I saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course, each careful step along the highway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way.”
As we are seizing corporate control and busy making these positive life-changing decisions, we should also keep in mind the title of Frank’s personal favorite song (which are also the words that appear on his tombstone)...
THE BEST IS YET TO COME!