Author Archives: Rusty Rueff

About Rusty Rueff

Rusty Rueff, author of purposed worKING. Rusty Rueff is the former Chairman Emeritus of The GRAMMY Foundation in Los Angeles. He most recently completed the successful 16 month leadership role as Coordinating National Co-Chair for Technology for Obama (T4O) for the reelection of President Obama and ten-years of Board service and President of the Board of Trustees of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Corporately, most recently Rueff was the Chief Executive Officer at SNOCAP, Inc. until the acquisition of the company by imeem, Inc. in April 2008. Before joining SNOCAP in 2005, he was Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Electronic Arts (EA) from 1998 until 2005. He was also with the PepsiCo companies for more than ten years, with the Pratt & Whitney division of United Technologies for two years, and in commercial radio as an on-air personality for six years. Rusty holds an M.S. in counseling and a B.A. in radio and television from Purdue University. In 2003 he was named a distinguished Purdue alumnus, and he and his wife, Patti, are the named benefactors of Purdue’s Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Visual and Performing Arts. He is a corporate director of Glassdoor.com and runcoach. He is the co-founder and Executive Committee Member of T4A.org, serves on the Founding Circle of The Centrist Project and a founding Board Member of The GRAMMY Music Education Coalition. He is also the co-author of the book Talent Force: A New Manifesto for the Human Side of Business. Rusty and his wife, Patti, reside in Hillsborough, CA and Charlestown, R.I.

day 1097: A Different Path

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“Come close to God, and God will come close to you”

We are now in the age of big social media.  It was not that long ago that we could have wondered what would survive and what would flourish but today it’s pretty much Facebook’s game to lose when it comes to large and broad social networking.  Sure, Google+ has come on, but if we are honest, Facebook is still growing and continuing to adapt to gain more share and retain their current users.  There was a moment a year or so ago when I thought they might be losing it, but with recent moves, I feel like they are coming on strong again.  Of course, their dominance leaves room for different types of social networks.  I am a fan of Path.com for private messaging among closer friends and family.  While Facebook can allow me to control my groups, as can Google+ with circles, with Path there is an intimacy and connection that we can have that just isn’t possible elsewhere.  This is what happens with our businesses, if we can find the “different path” that people want to take and open up that path to them, they will go there.  So, as we think of where to position and pivot our businesses, consider the path that has yet to be taken and that the other guys are leaving for us to clear.

There are many ways to think about the “different path” that we are on as believers.  With every turn the world is trying to keep us off of this path and have us return to the one that everyone walks.  But, like Path.com, God is looking for us to engage with Him intimately and share all safely and securely with Him. This is the path we are to be on!  Work is one of the great detractors and distractions from us staying on God’s pathway.  As we start this week, let’s be intentional about staying on the path that God desires for us. He promises in James if we come close, He will be close. So, no straying this week!

Reference:  James 4:8 (New Living Translation)