It’s the end of regulation time in a soccer game and the score is tied. It’s time for the shoot out to determine the victor. You are the coach. How should you advise your five shooters, each of whom will get one shot at close range? “I want you all to concentrate on our scoring…
Life is too short to be little. – Benjamin Disraeli The late Fred Rogers, speaking at his acceptance speech into the Television Hall of Fame, gave a speech that I believe typifies what leadership is truly about. Rogers says, “Fame is a four-letter word: and like tape or zoom or face or pain or love,…
We have the power to choose what we do when situations are difficult and connections fray. Knowing that we always have choices gives us the power to take control. Throughout our lives, we’ll mix and mingle with plenty of people- the outraged and the obstinate, the belligerent and the bothersome, the annoying and the agitated,…
When you hurt someone’s feelings at work, it’s too easy to try and smooth it over with an attoboy or platitude. But is that really a relationship booster or just a band aid? Most of my keynote talks are about how to create and maintain strong business relationships. Most discussions focus on customer or teammate…
What leadership competencies do newly minted Millenial employees need to develop, from the get go? And what strengths do they, as a cohort, bring to the workplace? We hear so much “gen Y bashing” these days. We hear the stereotypes: unfocused, texting obsessed, ADHD prone, the world owes me recognition and, BTW, I’m pretty well…
Reality is the leading cause of stress among those in touch with it. – Lily Tomlin According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens, a man noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys. He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his time in such frivolous activity.…
In my keynotes and workshops on “Getting Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere”, one of the questions that ultimately comes up is, “how do I tell someone about a character or behavioral flaw in their personality?” If you work with customers or have co-workers, are a manager, coach, or care about your friends, there will come…
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. – Helen Keller A story is told of Floyd Collins who in February, 1925, climbed into Sand Cove in search of fortune. Suddenly, his lantern failed. Crawling through the darkness, Collin’s foot hit a seven ton boulder. It fell…
Surprise is a good thing when followed by the phrase, “Happy birthday!” Otherwise, it’s a negative emotion, and when it happens in a customer-provider relationship, it’s a source of dissatisfaction. Regardless of what you sell or who you serve, your customer’s expectations need to be met for you to succeed (in their eyes). In fact,…
They’re either disengaged or under engaged in their work but they very much intend to stay with their current employer for a long time. This is what a new study by Modern Survey revealed. For government workers, 80% were less than engaged but 60% plan to stay. Not like the private sector, you say? Well,…
In my keynotes and workshops focusing on building rapport, relationships and connecting with others to build a more positive, productive and profitable organization, the foundation for success starts with everyone having a positive outlook and good attitude. Keeping your attitude adjusted is not always easy. Even extremely positive people have moments when they grumble, groan,…
Always render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be.” – Og Mandino In the book, “It’s Not About the Coffee”, Howard Behar, the former president of Starbucks International, relates an observation during a store visit. A customer approached a barista and explained that he didn’t like…
If you’re going through hell, keep going. – Winston Churchill A story is told of a group of friends who went deer hunting and paired off in twos for the day. That night one of the hunters returned alone, staggering under the weight of an eight-point buck. “Where’s Harry?” he was asked. “Harry had a…
A Metaphor Imagine that you’re competing in a marathon. You’ve been diligently preparing for it for a long time. You’ve trained. You’ve recruited the people that you felt you needed to help you perform at the highest standard possible, and now you’re in that race. But like almost everyone else in this competition, you’re behind. There…
The 2008 economic crisis was terrifying times, to say the least. Millions of jobs were lost and many people faced difficulty trying to obtain a new line of work. As a result, many struck out on their own, not by first choice, but really out of necessity. I applaud those individuals who took that route.…
People always move toward someone who increases them and away from anyone who decreases them – John Maxwell I came across a story about renowned photographer Edward Steichen that has significant leadership application. His fame as a photographer was almost never realized as he nearly gave up on the day he shot his first pictures.…
I would rather have a Medal of Honor than be President of the United States. – President Harry S. Truman Not long ago I had the privilege of visiting the Medal of Honor Museum aboard the USS Yorktown in beautiful Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Showcased in this museum is a moving tribute to our…
About nine months ago, two synergistic things happened: I decided to get in shape and we got a new dog. And he’s a miniture poodle pup named Banksy that needs to be walked…a lot. So each day, I walk him up and down the Hollywood Hills. Some days, I’ve got a lot on my plate,…
Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. – Winston Churchill The story is told of Franklin Roosevelt, who often endured long receiving lines at the White House. He complained that no one really paid any attention to what was said.…
A corporate leader’s job is hardly easy. He or she must efficiently manage employees, account for outside competition, note any changes in the industry landscape and if necessary, profoundly modify the operational model a business should employ. Ironically, most leaders shrug in defiance at such duties due to their seemingly complex nature. However, there are…