Reflections from Pearl Harbor #41 Some of you may not want to read this, it’s a different type of post. It’s a recap of our visit to the USS Missouri Memorial at Pearl Harbor which was a sobering experience to say the least. Thoughts of all who’ve served, as well as my Dad and brother (who were both in the…
Here’s to the Crazy Ones #40 Possibly my favorite quote and one of my favorite ad campaigns ever is Apple’s “Think Different” campaign. Visit the YESS! offices, and you’ll see every one of the campaign posters I’ve been able to collect, which I treasure. I’ve read this quote to leadership teams, my family and groups in trainings I’ve led. It’s…
Great Leadership Requires Vulnerability #39 When you’re on an island in the middle of the ocean and you realize Mother Nature would decimate you with just one storm, that’s vulnerability. Knowing you’d be helpless when the storms rose and approached the shore, you realize your power is limited. It’s limited to your choices, your options and the number of flights…
Knowing is the Booby Prize #38 If you’ve woken up at 2am with your brain running and your to-do list building, if you sometimes feel more like a fire fighter than a leader, if you’ve ever missed a meaningful event last-minute with family or friends because work was chaotic and you were the only one who could “fix it,” then…
Something to Look Forward To #37 It’s amazing to anticipate the future and then enjoy it. Sometimes, you’re looking forward to an event: a vacation, dinner with a love interest, an anniversary, a movie, concert, time alone, reading a good book or anything else you don’t have the luxury of doing often. It puts your present mindset in a space…
Every Time I Argue With Reality I Lose #36 When you set goals or envision your future, you engage in one of the most stimulating, exciting experiences you can have. You enter the world of possibility. The world of what hasn’t happened yet, or what could be. When you do this with another person or a team, the power of…
You’re Overdue #35 I’m preparing for another trip, one which includes a keynote in Hawaii (!! Read excitement here, most of my speaking and training destinations are not quite on the same scale as this one – think Sandusky, Ohio – no offense Sandusky friends), and this trip is flanked by time off and vacation on either side of my one…
It’s Always Easy #34 Friends for a lifetime. It’s been said before, but those people who you’ve known since childhood – perhaps since single digits- you can go months and years without seeing and when you reunite it’s as if you’ve never missed a day. It’s remarkable really. I had one of these days with my best friend and her…
Growth Equals Pain #33 It happens in my sessions all the time. Well-intended leaders gather and generate a list of “issues” they need to solve to clear the way and reduce friction on the business for everyone involved. So why is it they can’t focus and stay on track once it’s time to dig in and solve? It’s the same…
Slowing Down to Speed up #32 I travel quite a bit. I observe people for a living. Going to the airport is a virtual overload of people, behaviors and adventures into human interactions of the best and worst sorts. Because I’ve accumulated enough miles, I’m often in First Class when I travel. It’s nice, it allows me to work as…