Does anyone else cringe when friends text you about their latest MLM product? “Let’s grab drinks,” they say, or “we should catch up sometime.” My heart usually responds with something that, oddly, feels like grief. I want to be happy for my friends who feel financially empowered by these new Read more…
“You’ve got to hear this story,” he said excitedly. I was meeting with the owner of a local chain of luxury auto detail and repair shops. “When I started the business,” he said, “I knew some people I had taken good care of — from back when I worked other Read more…
He was middle aged, but slim and smartly dressed, maybe late forties. He was in a grey suit, expensive, with a neutral tie. He had on stylish brown wing-tip shoes and incongruously colorful socks. We were in a suburban bank. It was closed early for the day. There were folding tables Read more…
Disruptive innovation is a hot button concept today in business. Are you prepared for disruptive competition? Can you survive market disruption? Which industry will fall victim to disruptive innovation next? Innovation and disruption are not necessarily bad things; they usually result in better conditions for consumers and customers, and new Read more…
Leaders are readers. Why? Because one of the most important aspects of leading is vision: being able to see and paint a clear picture of what the future looks like in order to inspire those you lead. Reading constantly exposes us to new ideas and perspectives and keeps us part Read more…
If you are in sales or you lead a team, if you are in a relationship with a significant other or you have kids, if you serve customers or communicate with others in any way — basically, if you live on this planet (and you are not the caveman in Read more…
Trust is every organization’s most valuable asset. It is what great teams are made of. It is what great customer relationships are made of. But what is it and how can we create more of it? Trust, according to Steven Covey, has two major components: competency and character (seen as Read more…
Wow, I feel energized but exhausted…, proud but humbled…, and honestly a little light headed. This week I had the immense pleasure of helping a leadership team discover and articulate clearly and powerfully the guiding principles of their organization. I had a front row seat to observe a team of Read more…
I’ve recently found that the more Self centered I am, the better things have been going. Has anyone ever called you self-centered? If so, you know how much it stings. We’ve all met one of those self-absorbed, narcissistic people who think the world revolves around them and them alone. Ironically, Read more…
Last night was the best Super Bowl I have ever watched. I laughed, I cried, I shouted and I cringed. When the confetti settled, the underdogs had taken the day. But even more striking than the heart-stopping, nail-biter of a game was the fact that many of the commercials had Read more…