Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships. – Michael Jordan March Madness is upon us. It’s the time of the year in college basketball where dreams come true and when hearts are broken depending on the final score. How’s your bracket looking? Regardless of how your team performs there are key leadership lessons…
If you were anywhere near La Pera Circle in the 80’s you would have heard the echoing of a ball bouncing. I played basketball for hours in my early years. I didn’t play pick up games nor did I play organized basketball; I just shot for hours…on my own. I would play out games in…
I would like to be remembered as a player who was there for others –Mariano Rivera In announcing his forthcoming retirement from Major League Baseball at the conclusion of the 2013 season, Mariano Rivera will certainly be bound for Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame. By the numbers Rivera has no equal. His stats…
Then all the reindeer loved him as they shouted out with glee, Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer, you’ll go down in history!– Robert L. May For many years, the story goes; Montgomery Ward department store in Chicago purchased and gave away coloring books as a promotional during the Christmas season. In 1939, company executives wanted to…
Every person you meet is better at something than you are – Robert A. Cook Last year on a whim I had the opportunity to be an “extra” on the Lifetime TV series Army Wives which is filmed where I live in Charleston, SC. I was excited about this opportunity to make an appearance on…
As a young man, I was drawn to the sport of wrestling. I started at a very young age and practiced through my college life. I have medals and messed up ears to prove it. I liked wrestling because there was a degree of personal accountability unlike any other sport. The wrestling team worked out…
Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays – Søren Kierkegaard The stated mission of the United States Military Academy is to “educate, train and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a…
Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality – Warren G. Bennis One of the emerging stars of the 2012 London Olympic Games is Gabby Douglas. If you missed her performances with her teammates, the Fab Five, you missed quite a show. Douglas won the gold medal in the all-around contest and in the…
Barney! You beat everythin’… you know that? – Sheriff Andy Taylor Last week we lost a beloved television icon – Andy Griffith passed at the age of 86. Griffith starred in numerous television shows over the years but is best remembered for his role as the folksy Sheriff Andy Taylor of Mayberry on The Andy…
The happy Union of these States is a wonder; their Constitution a miracle; their example the hope of Liberty throughout the world – James Madison In the book, Resources, by Kenneth L Dodge, he writes of the experiences of the Founding Fathers after the Declaration of Independence was signed. As…
I am often asked about the keys to leadership. Of course, there are core characteristics that we can list and quantify. Most often, however, I hearken back to sound advice. The best bosses I have had assisted my career development through very human interactions. The strategy book is thrown out the window and you talk to one another…
Those of you who read my blog know that the most anticipated day of my son’s life arrived on Friday: the big screen debut of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax! He had been waiting for months for the big event and I am delighted to say he was not disappointed…neither was I. In the aforementioned blog,…
A good boss makes his men realize that they have more ability than they think they have so that they consistently do better work than they thought they could. – Charles Erwin Wilson “Undercover Boss” has emerged as one of CBS’ top-rated shows on Sunday evenings. As CBS states, “Each week, the show follows a…
Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. – William Shakespeare Tim Tebow earned my respect back in 2009 when he played his senior year at the University of Florida. When other college athletes with lesser talent opted to enter the NFL draft, Tebow…
I think we can all agree that leadership is an art form: a dance, a painting, a well-executed pass play. The best leaders know the moments in which to interact. More to the point, an employee’s valuation of their company comes down to a few moments (and their direct report is usually part of them).…
“Courage is fear holding on one minute longer.” – Gen. George S. Patton As the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks draw near, like so many of you, I can vividly recall where I was and what I felt as I watched the horrific events of that day unfold. It’s been said that…
I want to give him a big hug. It’s an absolute wonderful accomplishment. – Yankees great Yogi Berra In case you missed it, Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees reached a milestone this past weekend by becoming only the 28th player in Major League Baseball to have 3,000 hits. He is the first player…
The respected consulting firm, Hay Group, has just announced the release of its 6th Annual Best Companies for Leadership study. The top 20 are major corporations with a global presence. Collectively, over the last five years, they have generated shareholder returns that are 36 times better than those from the Standard & Poor 500 companies.