Several years ago while visiting my mom, I stopped by to find her watching "Shark Tank," a TV show where entrepreneurs seek investments from wealthy "sharks" to help them take their business to a new, and sometimes substantial level. Back then, my mom was a little old lady in Indiana with no illusions of starting a business. I asked her why she watched it and she said she got a kick out of the show, that the sharks were "characters," and that she really loved that Mark … [Read more...]
February 21, 2022 By Leave a Comment
Raise your hand (or drop me an email) if you love being told what to do! I’m guessing there aren’t a lot of hands raised out there nor will I get a lot of emails from most of you. Whether you’re a teenager being told to pick up your socks or professional going through a process or system change, most of us don’t like being told what to do. It’s common for people to want control over your own destiny or, at a minimum, to feel like you are being brought along on the … [Read more...]
January 27, 2020 By Leave a Comment
It seems like it would be great to be from the south, and not just for the biscuits. Why? Mainly because of people like Dr. Phil. When he says something like, “You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge,” we all just shake our heads in agreement, “Yup, he’s right.” “Foundations are built, they don’t just build themselves.” - Kim LaFever If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, that’s what I would say to anyone working in a team setting today. It’s as true … [Read more...]
August 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
DIY: Live the Life You Love with a Career Map The job market has been HOT the last year or so and yet many people feel edgy, like we are living in uncertain times. Maybe it's the summer heat or the crazy politics in Washington. who knows! Whatever the reason, there is one thing you can do NOW to take charge and feel confident about your future. Build your own career map. Let's begin with two simple truths... 1) Only You Can Own Your Career. No one can do it for you, nor should … [Read more...]
August 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Recently I went to Vegas to speak at an HR Strategy a conference. I was so zero chill about this trip because: Well, it’s Vegas of course, YOLO (You Only Live Once) If I hadn’t accepted the gig it would have led to a major FOMO (Fear of MIssing Out) Okay, okay, some of you probably have no idea what I just said and others of you are probably laughing your ass off because I’m totaling destroying your slang. For a short glossary of terms, scroll to the end of this … [Read more...]
October 12, 2016 By Leave a Comment
“Hey, do you have a minute? I want to run something by you. But, it’s really important that you keep this confidential.” “Can I talk to you about something? I’ve got this situation going on but this has got to stay between you and me.” People tell me things. All the time. Despite the double dog dare secrecy, most of the things people tell me aren’t gossip or trade secrets. It’s way worse than that because they share their grisly details of conflict, miscommunication, … [Read more...]
August 25, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Why do some teams fall apart under pressure, when other teams overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and keep getting stronger? It’s not just about the people. Teams stacked with great talent often still fail to get past major challenges. And having a strong leader isn’t enough either. To deliver truly outstanding results, your team needs a culture of sustained engagement. What is engagement, and why do I need it? Engaged employees are fully involved in and enthusiastic … [Read more...]
July 10, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Raise your hand if this has never happened to you: you see a picture of someone from high school online and think, “Wow, what happened to Bob*? He looks like an old dude now!” Maybe this says a lot about my age, some deep-seated shallowness, or an inability to feel social shame. I’m hopeful it says more about perception. Perception is our way of understanding or interpreting something. It's our mental impression and the stories we make up about the way things are. It gets a lot of … [Read more...]
March 24, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Want to be more influential and a better leader? Get clear on your purpose. Ready to stop quitting your job all day long while "technically" still working there? Same answer: find your purpose. Getting clear on your purpose only takes 10 minutes. Ask yourself some questions: What did you especially love doing when you were a child, before everyone told you what you should or shouldn’t like or do? What have been two of your most challenging life experiences. How have they … [Read more...]
September 15, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Joseph Campbell once said, “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” Reading a quote like that takes me to a mythical place, somewhere lofty, and expansive, where I wonder what it would be like to make a BIG difference to an entire company, country or all of humanity. And then my email dings, and I snap back into the present and I start to think about a different kind of heroics. The kind I hear about with certain types of clients … [Read more...]