My father is having an auction in a couple weeks. My siblings and I have been helping him sift through a lifetime to determine what he wants to save and what he wants to sell. (Check out the auction items here.)
If You Could Give Graduates Advice, What Would It Be?
June. The month of endings and beginnings for millions of students across the country. Commencement speakers bestow wisdom on graduates in hope that some of it will make an impact. What would you say if you were asked to speak to graduates? Here are a few of my favorite commencement remarks.“Live your life like it’s your second chance.” ~Salman Khan
So Many Good Ideas – How Do You Choose The Right One?
Sean and Dave are brothers and business partners. They’ve built their company by working hard, paying attention to the numbers and listening to customers. Their business has been stable and successful for years. Lately though, changes in technology, increasing competition and customer preferences have begun to threaten the status quo.
Are You A Tortoise Or A Hare?
Getting what you want fast can be addicting. Getting where you want to go in a hurry is exciting. Achieving your annual sales goal by mid-year is exhilarating. But slow and steady will produce more long term, stable results.
Did Your Mama Teach You The Magic Words?
I was in line at a small bookstore at the end of a day; there was only one clerk behind the counter. Suddenly the door opened and a woman stepped in front of me, interrupting the clerk (who was helping another customer) and totally ignoring those patiently waiting their turn. She demanded immediate service.
Don’t Believe Everything You Think
The bumper sticker on the car ahead of me read: Don’t believe everything you think. My reaction was, “Say what??” Then I stepped back and considered the statement. The average person thinks between 50,000 and 70,000 thoughts per day; they range from the mundane (Pick up bread on the way home.) to significant (I love you.) to the self-destructive (I’m
It Only Takes One Bad Apple
In almost every roundtable I facilitate, one business owner laments the difficulty in finding skilled employees in today’s economy. That’s why it’s easy to talk yourself into keeping a “bad apple”, but beware. A bad apple is a person whose negative behavior affects the rest of the group to varying degrees. Bad apples are like a virus to their teams
I Think I Need A “Think Week”!
Twice a year, for the past twelve years, Bill Gates has gone into seclusion for a “Think Week”, retreat where employees, friends and even family are banned. The insights gleaned from “Think Week” help determine Microsoft’s future.
Could You Be A Helicopter Boss?
We’ve all heard the term “helicopter parent,” a reference to moms and dads who constantly hover over their children, never giving them the opportunity to make their own decisions or mistakes, swooping in to save the day when things get the least bit challenging.
Do You Need A Reverse Mentor?
Jack Welch, former GE Chairman popularized “reverse mentoring” over a decade ago. He ordered his top 600 managers to find Internet junkies among their ranks and become their students. With the ever-increasing role of technology in business, the concept is now even more relevant.