Hi Reader,

On Friday, I usually share a few leadership ideas, interesting discoveries and questions that caught my attention during the week.

This week we continued our conversation about how and whether to create a Code of Conduct to set the expectations for behavior in the workplace.

• We kicked it off with a timely discussion of the issues that erupted for the San Francisco 49ers in Do the Same Rules Apply to the Person at the Top?​​
• On Wednesday, I shared Should Pleading Guilty Excuse the Violation?​ which discussed our options to deal with violations against the backdrop of the West Point Cadet Honor Code.

Last week, I finally put together the First Five of books in the Mystery-Thriller-Suspense genre that will give you a toehold for a lot of Fall reading.

Here are five more I'd recommend. Each of these novels is part of a series, some newer and shorter, but all entertaining.

It's rare when I start a new series because with the 100+ authors I follow, most of whom are publishing at least one novel/year, there's little time for a new series.

I'm trying to overcome that obstacle because I know I'm missing some great storytellers. This week, I'm happy to report that Robert Dugoni's debut novel, My Sister's Grave, was a great find.

My Sister's Grave is the first book in the series featuring Tracy Crosswhite, a Seattle homicide detective. The book has been optioned for a TV series and many of the books in the series have been nominated for various book awards.

Also, Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz is the latest in his Orphan X - Evan Smoak series. Smoak is a former black ops expert who is off the grid, helping anyone who calls by answering, "Do You Need My Help?" Trust me. You don't want to be on the other side of that dilemma.

Jack Carr, a former Navy SEAL, whose highly-regarded series about James Reece has spawned TV and movie adaptions, started a new thriller series with M.P. Woodward, The Fourth Option, featuring Chris Walker, a Navy SEAL who takes no prisoners.

Revenge Prey is #36 in the long-running Prey series from John Sandford featuring Lucas Davenport. Split Second, the first in the King & Maxwell series from David Baldacci, is an older series but new to me.

Labor Day weekend is a good time to start on one of these.

I’ve found this to be a powerful way to emphasize the attributes we encounter throughout our lives and the differences among Dependent – Independent – and Interdependence.

Thanks to Steven Covey and his The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People:

1. On the maturity continuum, Dependence is the paradigm of you - you take care of me; you come through for me; you didn’t come through; I blame you for the results.
2. Independence is the paradigm of I - I can do it; I am responsible; I am self-reliant; I can choose.
3. Interdependence is the paradigm of we - we can do it; we can cooperate; we can combine our talents and abilities and create something greater together.

• Dependent people need others to get what they want.
• Independent people can get what they want through their own effort.
• Interdependent people combine their own efforts with the efforts of others to achieve their greatest success.

We've all probably laughed at the somewhat inane gift of a gold watch when someone retires. It's an old tradition that hasn't traveled so well.

But, I only just learned there was more behind it than I realized.

It was not only gratitude but the gesture was intended to send this message:

Nice.

There’s little doubt that medical technology has saved a lot of lives and will continue to do so — and yet only by accident almost 100 years ago, PENICILLIN was discovered.

Sir Alexander Fleming was a young bacteriologist when he left a plate of Staphylococcus bacteria uncovered. He later noticed that a mold had fallen on the culture and killed many of the bacteria. He identified the mold as Penicillium notatum, similar to the kind found on bread.

In 1929, Fleming published his findings and named the antibacterial substance PENICILLIN.

These crack me up – no pun intended – every time I hear them.

A physician claimed that the following are actual comments made by his patients (predominately male) during the period he was performing their colonoscopies

1. "Take it easy Doc. You’re boldly going where no man has gone before."
2. "Find Amelia Earhart yet?"
3. "Can you hear me NOW?"
4. "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"
5. "Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?"
6. "You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out..."
7. "If your hand doesn't fit, you must quit!"

And the best one of all: