I’d been absent from the air waves for a couple months. Why? Mainly because of one key decision in 2018: to take the Portland Underground Graduate School class, Financial Freedom 101 (FF101).FF101 blew so many things out of the water for us in terms of what we “thought” we had to do in order to retire. It taught us things about money and time that we just can't "unsee" now. We realized we have options to "buy our time back" sooner but only if we make some different choices. Choice … [Read more...]
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...]
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...]
“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...]
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...]
I love checking out personal and professional growth offerings and sharing the good stuff. Here you'll find book, videos, and seminars and other resources that are truly awesome. I get nothing for these endorsements, it's just stuff I love! Free Meditations from Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey If you've been contemplating checking out meditation or want to try again, check out a free sample meditation from Deepak and Oprah. At least twice a year they offer a free 21-Day … [Read more...]
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...]

Milk-Bones. Frozen fruit pops. Italian soda. Gluten-free crackers. That's all it took for me to “misplace” my husband at the supermarket recently. Shopping doesn't tend to be a team sport for us. But one day after golf recently we stopped by the store for a few things. For most of the trip we were side-by-side and in lockstep. But then, as we neared the end of our list, we went our separate ways: me to get fruit pops and him to get the Milk-Bones. And that’s where the problems … [Read more...]
What would you do if you had 200,000 more dollars to spend this year? I know what I would do. I’d buy that little house we saw in Mexico last week - the one with the rooftop Jacuzzi. And, I’m pretty sure that’s not just the tequila talking. $200,000 is one of those funny amounts. It’s not BIG money; most people couldn’t retire on it. And maybe it’s not a lot when you are talking rooftop Jacuzzi. But, it’s A LOT of money in just about any other circumstance! And … [Read more...]

What’s the one thing all superheroes seem to have in common? They go from being average, vulnerable, and maybe even a little nerdy, to being superheroes in a matter of seconds. The next time you need to make a quick change in your team, wouldn’t it be great if you could step into a phone booth and step out a few minutes later with everything in place? Or, start getting better results in minutes or days instead of months? I've asked the Superheroes of Change Management and they weighed … [Read more...]