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 993: Maps

purposed worKING No Comments

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” 

When was the last time anyone was so concerned about a controversy over maps?  Well, you don’t have to ask many people with an iphone before up will come a question or concern about the Apple maps on ios6 vs. Google maps on ios5.  I purposefully haven’t upgraded because I depend on the maps heavily, not having a GPS in my car, not liking to rent them in rental cars, and basically not being very good at geographically orienting myself.  So, I know I am missing out on 3D orientations, continuous map fulfillment, etc.  But, when it comes down to it what I really want in a map is accuracy.  If a map fails on that front, then what good is it?  Some of us remember the Thomas Guides.  We counted on them because at least for a year, before their next issue, they were the most accurate maps of all.  In our businesses, we need to be sure and offer the same accuracy in our products and services.  Apple is taking a reputation beating right now for the miss.  We can all be on that end of the stick if we are not careful and we don’t provide accuracy in what we present to our consumers and customers.

I had a conversation earlier this week with someone who is trying to figure out where to take their career.  I was quick to remind him that we have a map to call upon that helps us find out where we should go next.  That map is God’s Word.  If we follow in the ways and words of Jesus we get 100% accuracy on how to manage and lead our lives moving forward.  God hasn’t given us something that we need to upgrade or be concerned about changing or getting out of date.  If we need to reorient ourselves, or ever feel like we are lost, then let’s get back into God’s map, His Word today.

Reference:  Psalm 119:104 (New Living Translation)