The Value of Differences
The Value the Differences Many years ago, I watched a movie called August Rush. It was about a young boy who could hear music in all of the sounds around…
Thoughts, Guidance, Inspiration
Forget About Images from the Past
Forget About Images from the Past Some years ago, I met someone who had attended the same school as me. He was about three or four years below me. He…
Strive to Find the Meaning of any Struggle
Strive to Find the Meaning of Any Struggle I recently watched a YouTube video about a man who repairs broken books – books that have suffered damage. He was described…
Put Your Mind to Work
Put Your Mind to Work I try to swim at least two times a week. My swim currently consists of forty lengths. As I swim, I have markers, milestones and…
Accountability -A Key Strength
Accountability – A Key Strength of the True Professional Have you ever noticed how hard it seems to be for some people to admit that they have made a mistake…
Ironmen and Entrepreneurs
Ironmen and Entrepreneurs Both of my sons are triathletes who have competed in a number of Ironman races. An Ironman race consists of a 2.4 mile swim, followed by a…
Words Can Really Hurt or Heal
Words Can Really Hurt or Heal – Choose Them Wisely The famous Russian pianist and composer, Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff, started playing the piano at age 4. He graduated from the…
The Value of Community
The Value of Community Whether we accept it or not, most human beings need community. We are intrinsically social-beings. Mankind seems to prosper when we work together: when we share…
Don’t Get Stuck in the Past
Don’t Get Stuck in the Past Many years ago, when I was in my mid-20s and living in England, my company sent me on my first business trip to the…
Some Basic Home Truths about Customers
Some Basic Home Truths about Customers Do you ever catch yourself or any of your colleagues criticizing customers? If you do, then consider the following. Customers are the only reason…
Don’t let Disappointment Dash your Hopes
Don’t let Disappointment Dash your Hopes Some years ago, my wife and I were looking to purchase a property and had found one that we thought was perfect. We made…
Never say “Just do your best”
Never say “Just do your best” Many individuals in leadership roles use a “Do your best” approach. They assign team members a goal or task and simply ask them to…
The 3 Ps and Rs of Effective Leadership
The 3 Ps and Rs of Effective Leadership Picking, Prioritizing and Pursuing Goals is an important practice of the effective Leader. Once a team’s goals have been Picked, the Leader…
Goals – DNA of a Successful Organization
Goals are the DNA of a Highly Successful Organization All behavior is goal directed. Humans act in defined ways in order to achieve goals no matter how routine, mundane or…
The Importance of Taking Risks
The Importance of Taking Risks If you want to be a great leader you have to realize the importance of taking some risks. This doesn’t mean being reckless but it…
Rejection as a Catalyst for Success
Rejection can be a catalyst for Change and an Incentive for Success Sometimes being rejected is what it takes to push us into changing and it can be the incentive for our ultimate success. Jack…
Adopting a Serving Mentality
Adopting a Serving Mentality Albert Schweitzer, a world-renowned physician, philosopher, theologian, and great humanitarian, won a Nobel Prize in 1952 for his philosophy of “Reverence for Life.” This reverence for…
What You are Looking for May be Nearer Than You Think
What you are Looking for May be Nearer Than You Think Many years ago when I was living in Kenya in East Africa, I drove my wife and three young…
Being in the Present
Being in the Present Those who practice Professionalism and are Peak Performers tend to be very goal-oriented. They have written goals and their brains tend to filter out anything that…
Going the Extra Mile to Greatness
Going the Extra Mile to Greatness I love the following quotation by Alberta Lee Cox who apparently wrote this while she was in the 8th Grade. “It is not enough…
Doubt is the Killer
Doubt is the Killer What’s holding you back from following your dreams? Most people want to achieve success in some form or another. They want to follow their dreams. However,…
Good Manners Always Matter
Good Manners Always Matter It is surprising how many people just don’t realize the importance of good manners. We all need to be aware that many people notice when someone…
Attributes of Professional Behavior
What are the Attributes of Professional Behavior? It is important to note that someone’s title or position in an organization is not a guarantee that they will act in a…
Beware of “Dream Snatchers”
Beware – Could a “Dream Snatcher” Be Holding You Back From Achieving Your True Potential? If you want to achieve your true potential it is important to first recognize whether…
Lessons from the Bumble Bee
Lessons from the Bumble Bee – Dream the Impossible Dream To be truly successful you need to avoid being a “Limitation Thinker.” In fact, you need to be the opposite.…
Strengthening Your Strengths
Professionalism – Strengthening Your Strengths It is an all too human tendency to worry about the things we are not good at. Such people spend much of their time and…
Determination
Determination Who do you think I am describing? He failed in his first business as a storekeeper. He failed in his first attempt to obtain political office. He failed when…
Life can be just like my chicken
Life can be just like my chicken I was recently preparing to heat-up a pre-cooked piece of chicken in the microwave. Before putting it in the microwave, I thought how…
The Art of being a Good Communicator
The Art of Being a Good Communicator Ronald Reagan was the 40th President of the United States. He is often remembered as a great communicator. His skill in communicating was…
Active Listening
Professionalism – Active Listening A true professional appreciates the importance of active listening when someone else is speaking to them. Just think about how often are you not fully attentive…
Striving for Excellence
Professionalism – Striving for Excellence People who act in a professional manner do not settle for mediocrity. They do not deliver “shoddy work.” They pay attention to detail. They take…
Attributes of Great Leaders
Attributes of Great Leaders “Leadership is not about rank, title or position. It is about actions and results.” Great Leaders are focused on creating the future. They focus on what…
Projecting a Professional Image
PROJECTING A PROFESSIONAL IMAGE “Just like a bottle of Coca-Cola, your personal image is your brand.” The way you dress, the way you do your hair, the shoes you wear,…
Professionalism and Integrity
Professionalism and Integrity “Integrity is like an invisible suit of armor. It will protect and support you throughout your life so long as you take good care of it.” People…
Leadership – Exceeding Expectations
Leadership – Exceeding Expectations “If you want your team to exceed expectations you must first tell them the expectations they have to exceed.” It seems a simple enough directive. Tell…
Achieving Peak Performance
Achieving Peak Performance – Personally and Organizationally ‘If you want to change the results you have been achieving you must start by changing the goals you have been pursuing.” If…
Maximizing Personal Performance
Maximizing Personal Potential – When Bad Things Happen It is a normal part of everyday life for bad things to sometimes happen. Bad things happen in our personal lives and…
Think Like a Customer
Think like a Customer Whether they realize it or not, all people in the workforce can have a distinct impact on the success or failure of the organization in which…
Don’t be a “Limitation Thinker”
Don’t be a “Limitation Thinker” If you want to achieve your full potential, you need to avoid “Limitation Thinking.” People who are plagued with this are those who build invisible…
“Negative Self Talk”
“Negative Self-Talk” – Removing the habit Are you ever conscious of allowing “Negative Self-Talk” to be going around in your head? All of us have a tendency to do that…
Avoiding Anacondas
Avoiding Anacondas – Achieving Your True Potential Everyone has the potential for greatness. Unfortunately, very few people achieve it. In fact, many people just drift along and never expect to…
Emotional Control
Emotional Control Do you ever feel compelled to say something to someone because their words or actions have greatly annoyed or offended you? Do you feel a pit in your…
Professionalism
Professionalism Have you ever wondered why some people are referred to as being “very professional?” What sets them apart from other people in the workplace? Why is it that others…
Personal Effectiveness
Personal Effectiveness The most effective people in the workplace appear to have a certain characteristic in common. This characteristic revolves around their utilization of time. They know where they spend…
Improving Your Communications
Improving Your Communications In today’s society, one of the greatest sources of misunderstandings is often the failure of one person to communicate effectively with another. Communication failure is often a…
Commit to be more Open-Minded
Commit to be more Open-Minded A member of my family was recently expressing their apprehension about going to a holiday event. They thought that the person responsible for organizing the…
Being a Reliable Person
Being a Reliable Person I recently had a telephone call with a company that had done some work on my home and was due to return for a few minor…
The Problem with “Realistic” Goals
The Problem with “Realistic” Goals I believe it is important to set goals each year – both personal and professional. Most people and many organizations often achieve much less than…
Tell Team Exactly What is Expected of Them
Tell Team Exactly What is Expected of Them Peter Drucker is often referred to as the “Father of Modern Management” and it was Drucker who stated “Management by objectives works…
Thoughts for Leaders and Aspiring Leaders
Thoughts for Leaders and Aspiring Leaders As a Leader or an aspiring leader, it is important to have a list of tenets or beliefs to which you subscribe. These can…
3 Tips to Start the New Year
3 Tips to Start the New Year Get a great start to your success in the new year by taking note of the following tips. 1. Clearly visualize your goals…
Take a Look in the Mirror
Take a Look in the Mirror When I was a child, my mother frequently had to remind me to wash behind my ears. Similarly, when I was brushing my hair,…
Don’t Overreact to a Negative Situation
Don’t Overreact to a Negative Situation When I was teenager my father had a very nice motor car. It seemed to have so many advanced features on it. However, I…
Taking on the 800 Pound Gorilla
Taking on the 800 Pound Gorilla The challenge faced by many start-ups (and sometimes the far more developed companies) is how to successfully compete with and beat a much larger…
Listening Problems
Listening Problems A year or two ago, my wife and I had been trying to purchase wood flooring. It was at that time in short supply, and I had become…
Think Before Speaking
Think Before Speaking My mother-in-law had a number of phrases or sayings that she would use from time to time with great effect. One in particular that still makes me…
It’s All about Lobsters
It’s All about Lobsters Someone recently discussed a situation with me that had made him feel somewhat uncomfortable. He had met with three of his work colleagues who discussed their…
The Importance of Meeting Notes
The Importance of Meeting Notes I have often found in business that unless I write notes during a meeting or, at least, prepare a written report immediately following such a…
Creating a World-Class Organization
Creating a World-Class Organization with World-Class Customer Service One of the best ways to ensure the outstanding success of a company is for everyone in the organization to understand and…
What’s Holding You Back?
What’s holding YOU back from Achieving Your Full Potential? Is it an “Anaconda?” Everyone has the potential for greatness. Unfortunately, very few achieve it. Many just drift along and never expect to make much of themselves. They don’t seem…
A Simple Smile
A Simple Smile Some years ago, after moving my office into a new building, I could not help but notice when walking down the communal corridors just how miserable some…
Don’t Prejudge People
Don’t Prejudge People Many years ago when I was living in Norway, most mornings I would see a Norwegian man walking to his office, which was in the same building…