Posted: November 11, 2016 | Categories: Leadership, Self-Improvement

“You can judge a person’s character by the way he treats people who can’t help or hurt him”

I came across the above quote today, and my thoughts immediately went to an event that occurred when I was a child in my early teens.  It happened in Cheyenne, Wyoming on a hot summer day.  I was visiting relatives, and my cousins and I were out walking around in a small strip mall.  Someone came up to me and said, “There is a guy over there giving out free ice cream!”  I looked over, saw the crowd, and made a beeline to the free ice cream. My eyes were glued to the prize like a heat-seeking missile.  Just a few feet before I got there, an arm gently stretched out and halted my momentum. Read More…

Posted: October 25, 2016 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Team Building

In this virtual world of high tech and social media, it is easy to be seduced into the mindset that an “in-person” conversation is getting a little old fashioned.  It isn’t!  Whether selling, leading, or parenting, there is no substitute for a quality face-to-face conversation.  I am vividly reminded of this almost every day.Read More…

Posted: October 13, 2016 | Categories: Leadership

When I reflect on the most effective and respected leaders I have worked with in my career, there is one quality that is a common denominator among all of them:  They are straight talkers.   They say what they mean and they mean what they say, and they do so in a way that builds trust and goodwill.  Like the quote in the old Jack Nicholson movie, they can “handle the truth”.Read More…

Posted: October 5, 2016 | Categories: Leadership, Team Building

“You’ve got to get there the firstest with the mostest”

The quote above comes from one of my favorite high school teachers.  He also coached a football team that did not lose a game for 7 years.  He knew how to stay ahead of the game.

Top performing teams know how to stay ahead of the game.  They know that you want to launch any noble effort with the strongest possible momentum.Read More…

Posted: August 24, 2016 | Categories: Leadership

In my coaching, I help companies build winning teams.  These folks want to be the best and stay the best.

I want to share with you what I believe to be the most corrosive and toxic thing a team member can do.  Doing this destroys trust, and immediately creates a defensive wall among team members.  What is it? It’s intent.  Let me explain:Read More…