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…
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…
When you have got an elephant by the hind legs and he is trying to run away, it’s best to let him go. – Abraham Lincoln A well-known story in some sectors of coastal communities such as where I live is that of the crab mentality. It is used to describe selfish or short-sighted people…
Circumstances don’t make a person; they reveal him or her. – Richard Carlson The story is told of two hunters who came across a bear so big that they dropped their rifles and ran for cover. One man climbed a tree while the other hid in a nearby cave. The bear was in no hurry…
The bigger we get the smaller we have to think. Customers still walk in one at a time. – Sam Walton A story is told of how many years ago a man conned his way into the orchestra of the emperor of China although he could not play a note. Whenever the group performed, he…
Nearly every company revolves around the central idea of team performance. The synergy created by having multiple personalities and motivations can help any project be completed with efficiency and with quality results. Naturally, there are some times when things may not go as smoothly as planned. Indeed, if every effort always resulted in superior results,…
Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured. – Mark Twain A story is told of Abraham Lincoln’s secretary of war, Edwin Stanton, who was angered by an army officer who accused him of favoritism. Stanton complained to…
Ahhh, I recall with sincere fondness the memory of playing certain childhood games. Sorry, Monopoly, LIFE, and one of my personal favorites – Chutes and Ladders. Now, each of these has messaging, or themes, that could be related in some fashion or another to Corporate America – risk/reward; entrepreneurial spirit; getting ahead with good deeds…
Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected. – Steve Jobs While you may be familiar with the many inventions of Thomas Edison which include the incandescent light bulb and the microphone, but there is a back story to one invention that is of great significance. It…
Like as the waves make towards the pebbl’d shore, so do our minutes, hasten to the end. – William Shakespeare Architect Frank Lloyd Wright once told of an incident that may have seemed insignificant at the time, but had a profound influence on the rest of his life. The winter he was 9, he went…
The typical teleworker in the US is a 49 years old, university educated, salaried individual in a management or professional role, says the Telework Research Network. Some of these just love the opportunity to indulge themselves through the satisfaction of doing knowledge or creative work that both engages them and challenges them. But many of…
I’ve always loved Steven Colbert’s concept of Truthiness. Believing in something “because it feels right” to believe in it. It’s neatly installed into the gut of your sales target, making it easy to win your point. Seen a lot of it lately from politics to business. Doesn’t always mean it’s right and when it’s wrong,…
The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision – Helen Keller Max Lucado shares a story about Bob Edens. For 51 years he was blind and could not see a thing. His world was a black hall of sounds and smells. He felt his way through five decades of darkness.…