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 607: Staying Grounded

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“This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as he is above his fellow citizens”

We all have to have something that keeps us grounded. We live in an age where business leaders can become rock stars. With a few successes we see leaders on the front page of magazines, newspapers and featured on TV shows. We are all human and it is hard to stay grounded when the acclaim and accolades come our way. This can happen even when we are just getting recognized by our boss or peers. We have to work to ensure that we don’t let it go to our head and begin to think that we are above the rest of the people in the office. I have noticed over the years that the most humble of leaders will usually have a poster or sign in their offices reminding them they are like everyone else or reinforcing teamwork, etc. This visual statement of humility is not just for others, it is a marker for them to never forget who they are really are or where they came from. We are to be humble in our successes and not let ourselves think that we are above others or taken too seriously, especially by ourselves. We are given a great example of how to stay grounded in the book of Deuteronomy when we read the guidelines for a king in Chapter 17. Kings are told to keep the laws in front of themselves and with them on the throne to stay grounded.

As believers, to stay grounded, we can keep God’s laws and God’s Word with us at all times. And for this to work, we are told that “regular reading” is required. When it begins to feel like you might be taking it all too seriously or that you have allowed your actions and words to not be in touch with those who helped you get to where you are, then you are overdue to get back into God’s Word. Preventive reading never hurts either. Let today be a great step forward in staying grounded.

Reference: Deuteronomy 17:20 (New Living Testament)