Blog
Monday Morning Minute
Intended to be read in a minute, or two at the most, each article will provide you with an inspirational thought or action idea.
"How will you live, love, or lead, differently, or better, this coming week?"
-- Bryan's weekly sign-off
Thinking Twice About Advice
First a quote: “The best way to succeed in life is to act on the advice we give to others.” – Mother Teresa Good morning and happy Monday! When I determined...
Offensive Content Ahead
First a quote: “Try hard not to offend others, try harder not to be offended’.” ― Dan Crenshaw Good morning and happy Monday! When facilitating workshops, I...
Her Majesty’s Wisdom
First a quote: “It has always been easy to hate and destroy. To build and to cherish is much more difficult.” – Queen Elizabeth II (the Queen’s 1957 Christmas...
So Many Doors, So Many Choices
First a quote: “Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make… makes you.” – John Maxwell As parents, one of our philosophies in raising our two...
Leaders & Dads; Accidental or Intentional Teachers?
First a quote: “My father didn’t tell me how to live. He lived and let me watch him do it.” – Clarence Budington Kelland Happy belated Father’s Day to all the...
Which is Worse?
First a quote: “Go fast enough to get there, but slow enough to see.” – Jimmy Buffett Hello and happy Monday, (from a Jimmy Buffett “Parrot head” in Idaho) I...
Where Do You Want to Be?
First a quote: “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.” —J.P. Morgan This past weekend, my wife and I...
I’m Not the Only One!
First a quote: “Having low self-esteem is like driving through life with your hand-break on.” – Maxwell Maltz How often have you “berated yourself” in the last...
Would You Say That to a Friend?
First a quote: “Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” – Brené Brown Reprinted from September 28, 2020 (I took the day off to treat Becky to a...
Can We Still Have a Conversation?
First a quote: “Let us make a special effort to stop communicating with each other, so that we can have some conversation.” – Mark Twain Hello and happy...
Against the Wind
First a quote: “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that an airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford I suspect most...
Are You Balanced?
First a quote: “The biggest risk a person can take is to do nothing.” – Robert Kiyosaki Hello and happy Monday. Several years ago, I had the good fortune of...
Are You Problem-Driven?
First a quote: “Every day each of us has a choice, we can choose to be vision-led or problem-driven.” — Bryan Yager Today’s article is a nod to my dad who...
What is Your LB/LA Ratio?
First a quote: “Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.”— Henry David Thoreau I am often asked to facilitate workshops and deliver keynote...
Humility, A Foundational Leadership Quality
First a quote: “Arrogance repels. Humility inspires.” – Robin Sharma Republished from July 19, 2019. (I’ve been under the weather this week but plan to be back...
The Road to Success is Never Straight!
First a quote: “The road to success is always under construction.” – Lily Tomlin Today is an anniversary of sorts for me, and I suspect countless others as...
A Sign of the Times – Help Wanted; Part II
First a quote: “Everyone talks about building a relationship with their customers. I think you build one with your employees first.” – Angela Ahrendts, former...
Who is More Important? Customers or Employees? – Part I
First a quote: “Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first.” – Simon Sinek Good morning and Happy Monday! Which group of people is...
Get Ready… Get Set… Go!
First a quote: “Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go. They merely determine where you start.” — Nido Qubein I begin this morning with a...
Do You Really Care, or…?
First a quote: “Do you really care, or are you just being a good listener?” – Barbara Smaller I begin today asking you two questions. They are: Are you an...
What, or Where, is Your Schwerpunkt?
First a quote: “Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Good morning and Happy Monday...
Have Plans Become Useless?
First a quote: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” – Mike Tyson I was working with a colleague over the weekend, doing final preparation...
Don’t Break the Chain!
First a quote: “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” – John C...
Luggage or Baggage? Which Will You Carry into the New Year?
First a quote: “What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year.” – Vern McLellan First published on January 7...
We Must Stop Meeting Like This!
First a quote: “You have a meeting to make a decision, not to decide the question.” – Bill Gates Good morning and happy Monday! Are you excited about going to...
Practicing Verbal Aikido
First a quote: “Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg Good morning and happy...
Can You be a Positive Pessimist?
First a quote: “Both optimists and pessimists contribute to society. The optimist invents the aeroplane, the pessimist the parachute.” – George Bernard Shaw...
What Do Your Listeners Hear?
First a quote: “Don’t worry about what other people think of you; worry about what they think of themselves when they’re with you.” – Unknown Good morning and...
Are Your Strengths a Weakness?
First a quote: “Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right use of strength.” – Henry Ward Beecher Good morning and happy Monday! I have had the good...
I’m Never Wrong!
First a quote: “If our egos get in the way of leadership effectiveness, it does not matter how right we are, or were, in the decisions we make, or the actions...
Who Are Your Customers?
First a quote: “If you’re not serving the customer, your job is to be serving someone who is.” – Jan Carlzon, Former CEO, SAS Good morning and happy Monday...
What Did You Learn?
First a quote: “We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” – John Dewey Good morning and happy Monday! It has been over a year...
How Are You?
First a quote: “Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.” – Ed Cunningham Good morning. How are you? Please don’t...
In Search of Purpose
First a quote: “Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.”– Bernice Johnson Reagon One day a long...
Return to Normal?
First a quote: “Normal is nothing more than a cycle on a washing machine.” – Whoopi Goldberg A large portion of my consulting practice, over the years, has...
Below the Deck Matters!
First a quote: “The most important thing a captain can do is to see the ship through the eyes of the crew.” Michael Abrashoff I read the book “It’s Your Ship”...
Time Management is Not the Problem!
First a quote: “Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four-hour days.” – Zig Ziglar Originally Published on August 27, 2018...
Violated Expectations
First a quote: “Almost all conflict is a result of violated expectations.” – Blaine Lee Good morning and happy Monday! Have you ever started a new job only to...
Nefarious… Say What?
First a quote: “One forgets words as one forgets names. One’s vocabulary needs constant fertilizing, or it will die.” – Evelyn Waugh Good morning and happy...
Pebbles in Your Shoes?
First a quote: “Often it isn’t the mountains ahead that wear you out, it’s the little pebble in your shoe.” ― Muhammad Ali Good morning and happy Monday! Do...
Are You Perfect… Yet?
First a quote: “If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content.” – Leo Tolstoy Good morning and happy Monday! Are you perfect? This seems like such an...
Now Auditioning!
First a quote: “Every time you speak, you are auditioning for leadership.” – James Humes Good morning and happy Monday! Please imagine yourself in one of the...
Look the Part… Play the Part!
First a quote: “You have to dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” – Austin Kleon Many, many years ago, in a place far, far away, I was taught the...
You’re Wrong!
First a Quote: “Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one’s ability to persuade.” – Ruth Bader Ginsberg Did you feel a bit defensive when you saw the...
In Search of Wisdom
First a quote: “When anger enters the mind, wisdom departs.” – Thomas A Kempis I awoke after a restless night’s sleep in the wee hours of the morning, again...
The Dawn of a New Year!
First a quote: “Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Happy New Year! I suspect many of you are back at work this first Monday...
Singing the Post Holiday Blues
First a quote: “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it’s happened!” – Dr. Seuss For most of my career, I have facilitated workshops and seminars for a...
Not Feeling the Joy This Year?
First a quote: “As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.” – Mary Anne Radmacher Millions of people are in search of missing joy...
A Birthday Request
First a quote: ““You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.”– Winston Churchill Dear friends, It has been, and is, my pleasure to...
Is the Story You’re Telling Yourself True?
First a quote: “Persons appear to us according to the light we throw upon them from our own minds.” – Laura Ingalls Wilder Please take a moment to visualize...
What Lens Will You Choose This Week?
First a quote: “Gratitude and attitude are not challenges; they are choices.” – Robert Braathe Like a photographer chooses what lens to put on his or her...
Be Real, Not Perfect!
First a quote: “Hard times arouse an instinctive desire for authenticity.” – Coco Chanel I find the art of leadership fascinating, in large part, because it...
Unlocking Confidence
First a quote: “Confidence isn’t thinking you’re better than anyone else, its realizing that you have no reason to compare yourself to anyone else.” – Maryann...
The Power of a Good Compliment
First a quote: “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” – Mark Twain I begin this week by offering an assertion, followed by two questions. Through...
Us Versus Them Thinking
First a quote: “If we see the world as US versus THEM, we can convince ourselves that US is better than THEM.” – Coach Kim Giles Good morning and happy Monday...
We Can Dream Bigger and Do Better
First a quote: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”– Dr. Seuss This week, I must have stared at a piece...
Would You Say That to a Friend?
First a quote: “Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” – Brené Brown Please imagine yourself in the following scenario: You are standing...
Quit Babysitting
Thought for the Week: “If you want people to act like adults, don’t treat them like children.” – Bryan Yager Good morning and happy Monday! For most of my...
Smiles Matter!
First a quote: “Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.” – Mark Twain They say that funerals aren’t about, or for, the deceased, but rather for...
Which is Better, Right Answers or Right Questions?
First a quote: “The wise man doesn’t give the right answers, he poses the right questions.” – Claude Levi-Strauss Happy Labor Day Weekend All! (I took the day...
At My Best, by Choice!
Thought for the week: “Even when the world around me seems to be at its worst, I can choose to be at my best.” – Bryan Yager I have noticed a common thread in...
He Knows My Name!
He Knows My Name! First a quote: “You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”—Malcolm S. Forbes. Thanks to...
Made in the Shade!
Originally published on April 23, 2018 First a quote; “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade we do not expect to sit.” —Nelson...
What Echoes Will You Hear Today
First a quote: “You get what you give. What you put into things is what you get out of them.” – Jennifer Lopez Almost every year, for the last 15+ years, I...
Live Life Intentionally, Not Accidentally!
First a quote: “People don’t determine their future. They determine their habits, which determine their future.” – John C. Maxwell I begin this MMM missive...
Someone Moved My Cheese… Again!
Someone Moved My Cheese… Again! “What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail? ”– Robert H. Schuller In 1998, a man named Spencer Johnson wrote and...
Can Being Right be Wrong?
First a quote: “I am not interested in being right. But I am very interested in getting it right.” – Joseph Connor Yager Do you remember sitting in a grade...
Are Problems the Problem!
First a quote: “The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem.” – Theodore...
Happy Belated Independence Day
First a quote: “A different world cannot be built by indifferent people.” – Peter Marshall Good morning and happy Monday all. I trust you had a safe and...
Are You Poisoning the Pool?
First a quote: “Let us make a special effort to stop communicating with each other, so we can have some conversation.” – Mark Twain Good morning and happy...
I Wanna Be Like Dad!
First a quote: “Lately all my friends are worried they’re turning into their fathers. I’m worried I’m not.” – Dan Zevin Happy belated Father’s Day to dads...
One Planet, So Many Different Worlds!
First a quote: “We all live on the same planet, but we live in different worlds.” – Unknown I have been writing these Monday Morning Minute missives for more...
“Back to Normal” is the Wrong Wish!
First a quote: “We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” – Max De Pree Who has not wished for things to be back to normal; to go out for...
Memorial Day Gratitude
First a quote: “Feeling gratitude, and not expressing it, is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” — William Arthur Ward Upon reflection, I’m often...
Whose Truth is More True?
First a quote; “The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” – Oscar Wilde Good morning and happy Monday. I hope this morning missive finds you and yours both...
COVID-19 University Now Open?
First a quote; “We learn geology the morning after the earthquake.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Good morning and happy Monday. I hope this morning missive finds you...
Making a Mental Shift; Reducing Stress
First a quote; “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James Good morning and happy Monday. I hope...
Dreaming Bigger… Is Now the Time?
First a quote; “Throw your dream into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, or a new country.”...
Appreciation in Difficult Times
First a quote; “The way to develop the best that is in a man is by appreciation and encouragement.” – Charles M Schwab Good morning and happy Monday. I hope my...
Which Fire Are You Feeding?
First a quote; “Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” – Scott Adams Good morning and...
Don’t Get Stuck in Emotional Mud!
First a quote; “Emotions can get in the way or get you on the way.” – Mavis Mazhura Good morning and happy Monday. I hope this morning missive finds you and...
Leadership University; Real Life! Real Lessons! Right Now!
First a quote: “There are forces beyond our control that can take away everything we possess except one thing… our freedom to choose how we will respond to the...
Being Our “Best Self” – Now is the Time!
First a quote: “Let us move forward with strong and active faith.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt Landing on a topic which could be addressed in roughly a one-minute...
Which Will You Feed This Week?
I remember once hearing a story, a fable of sorts, that feels timely given current events, especially news related to the spread of the Corona virus. This...
Don’t We All Need a Cheerleader?
First a quote: “Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson If you have been following me for any...
When the Wind Blows Wrong!
First a quote: “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” — Author unknown* During my career, I’ve experienced more than six major corporate...
How Do You See Others?
First a quote: “One way to change people, is to see them differently.” Barry Stevens Let me start today with a simple assignment for you to consider in the...
I Demand to Know Your Name!
First a quote: “Man has no greater enemy than himself.” – Francesco Petrarca I have always enjoyed people watching and, one of the best places for this pastime...
Am I a Good Coach? A Prologue of Sorts
First a quote: “I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions.” – Augusten Burroughs Thanks to all who took time to drop me a note...
Am I a Good Coach?
First a quote: “A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.” – John Wooden I have often asked myself the question; “Am I a good...
How Does a Lion Hunt
First a quote: “If you want to understand how a lion hunts, don’t go to the zoo. Go to the jungle.” – Jim Stengel, former Global Marketing Manager, Proctor &...
Here be the Dragons!
First a quote: “Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson As humans, many of us tend to fear the unknown and/or...
What Anchors are Holding You Back?
First a quote: “You do not move ahead by constantly looking in a rear-view mirror. The past is a rudder to guide you, not an anchor you drag. We must learn...
Make New Habits; Not Resolutions
First a quote: “Character is the ability to carry out a good resolution long after the excitement of the moment has passed.” – Cavett Robert Good morning and...
A Brand New Start
First a quote: “Although no one can go back and make a new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” – Carl Bard In so many ways, we are...
Getting into Your Learning Zone!
First a quote: “Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.” Neale Donald Walsch As humans, most of us tend to be creatures of habit and routine; e.g., we...
Happy Thanksgiving!
First a quote: “You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” Ralph Waldo Emerson This is the season to let each of the...
Can’t Light the Way with an Empty Lantern
First a quote: “An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.”– Unknown Frequent air travelers know that...
Leave “Your World” a Better Place
First a quote: “Leave this world a little better than you found it.” – Robert Baden-Powell, Founder of the Scout Movement As a young man, I enjoyed being a boy...
Intentional Learning – Part 3
First a quote: “The more you can do, the more you get to do.” – Jeff Schmedding, Defensive Coordinator, Boise State Football I have focused on the importance...
Intentional Learning – Part 2
First a quote: “Tomorrow’s illiterate will not be the man who can’t read; he will be the man who has not learned how to learn.” – Alvin Toffler; author, Future...
Intentional Learning – Part 1
First a quote: “The world is a university and everyone in it is a teacher. Make sure when you wake up in the morning you go to school.” – T.D. Jakes It is my...
Wonderfully Dissatisfied!
First a quote: “It is only through a wholesome discontent with things as they are, that we ever try to make them better.” – Susan B Anthony I remember, as a...
How Funny Are You, Really?
First a quote: ““Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but the highest form of intelligence.” – Oscar Wilde I’m guessing all of us have experienced that socially...
It’s Monday, So…?
First a quote: “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”― Wayne W. Dyer Good morning and, as my good friend Bill Gillispie would...
How Fast is “Too Fast”?
First a quote: “Speed is irrelevant if you are going in the wrong direction.” – Mahatma Gandhi I have always been fascinated by the question “How fast is too...
In Search of Happiness
First a quote: “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln I spent time this morning searching for a Charles Schultz...
Make Someone’s Day Today
First a quote: “”Civility costs nothing and buys everything.” – Lady Mary Wortley Montagu I woke up feeling a tad bit “cranky” this morning after a 3:00 am...
Timeout for Family & Friends
First a quote: “The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.” –Sydney Harris One week from today, our daughter, Alison, is getting married. We will be...
Storytelling – Engaging More Than the Brain
First a quote: ““People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it’s the other way around.” – Terry Pratchett, novelist While data, facts, analysis...
Influence, Not Rank, Title or Position
First a quote: “A leader without influence and an ability to drive strategic change really isn’t a leader.” – Terry L Paulson, PhD, Author, The Optimism...
Humor, an Essential Element of Leadership
First a quote: “Everybody has used the expression, ‘Someday we’ll laugh about this.’ My question is, why wait?” – Joel Goodman It was late afternoon, on...
Humility, A Foundational Quality
First a quote: “Arrogance repels. Humility inspires.” – Robin Sharma It is a fine line indeed. I have often thought one of the most difficult lines a leader...
Resentment; A Silent Killer!
First a quote: “Holding onto resentment is like taking poison and waiting for another person to die.” – Bert Ghezzi, Author* I have come to believe leadership...
The Soft Stuff is the Hard Part
First a quote: “The soft stuff is always harder than the hard stuff.” – Roger Enrico, Former CEO, PepsiCo I have facilitated countless change management...
But Please, That’s Not What I Meant…!
First a quote: “Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold but so does a hard-boiled egg.” – Maya...
You Remember 9/11… How About 9/12?
First a quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world!” Mahatma Gandhi Each Monday, I end this MMM missive with a question, “How will you lead...
Leaders & Dads; What Do They Have in Common?
First a quote: “My father didn’t tell me how to live. He lived and let me watch him do it.” – Clarence Budington Kelland, American Writer & Author Happy...
Are My Problems My Fault
First a quote: “If you create your own storm, don’t get upset when it rains.” ― Unknown It was earlier in the morning than any human should have to get up to...
Coaching, Beyond the Game, Beyond the Work!
First a quote: “A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.” ― John Wooden If you have been reading my missives for any length of time...
Memorial Day Moment
First a quote: “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal.” – Unknown, although believed to be from an Irish tombstone...
Is Time Management Possible?
First a quote: “The bad news is… time flies. The good news is… you’re the pilot.” ― Michael Altshuler My wife often gives a knowing smile when I tell her I’m...
Old Ways Won’t Open New Doors!
First a quote: “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” ― Albert Einstein We face many difficult problems in...
Leadership; Have You Made the Mental Transition?
First a quote: “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” — Max De Pree...
What Habits are Shaping Your Life?
First a quote: “When you choose a habit, you also choose the results of that habit.” – Zig Ziglar I suspect you would be hard-pressed to find many people who...
Getting “Buy-in” Isn’t Enough!
First a quote: “We can change our whole life, and the attitude of people around us, simply by changing ourselves.” – Rudolf Dreikurs When facilitating...
You Make Me Angry!
First a quote: “People can’t drive you crazy if you don’t give them the keys.” — Book title, authored by Mike Bechtle Let’s start with a couple of questions...
Think Influence, Not Authority
First a quote: “The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” — Ken Blanchard Many years ago, one of my mentors taught me the following...
Leaders are Listeners
First a quote: “The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when someone asked me what I thought… and attended to my answer.” — Henry David Thoreau It...
Hope in the Future, Power in the Present!
First a quote: “When there is hope in the future, there is power in the present…” — Zig Ziglar As a collegiate sports enthusiast, I love this time of year. My...
Seeking Work-Life Balance
First a quote: “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” — Dolly Parton Last week I was co-facilitating a workshop for a major player...
Challenge Your Limits
First a quote: “Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” ― Oprah Winfrey Many moons ago, in a faraway place, I launched...
Weeds, Green Grass & People… Leadership Lessons from Mother Nature
First a quote: “Remember that children, marriages, and flower gardens reflect the kind of care they get.” — H. Jackson Brown, Jr. Author, Life’s Little...
Culture Matters! How Fast Are You Driving?
First a quote: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” ― attributed to Peter Drucker While many people attribute the quote above to Peter Drucker, it should be...
Pessimism; Good or Bad?
First a quote: “I like pessimists. They’re always the ones who bring life jackets for the boat.” ― Lisa Kleypas, author If you’ve been following me for a...
Is Your Leadership Energy Positive or Negative?
First a quote: “Become the kind of leader people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no title or position.” – Brian Tracy Did you know young sunflower...
Are You Taking Your Health for Granted?
First a quote: “Health is not valued till sickness comes”. – Thomas Fuller Bill Gillispie, Jr., a good friend of mine, recently suggested I write an article on...
Is Your Attitude Intentional or Accidental?
First a quote: “Gratitude and attitude are not challenges; they are choices.”— Robert Braathe I’m going to ask you to do something I often ask of workshop...
Let’s Get Rid of Management!
Let’s Get Rid of Management was written by Harry Gray, then CEO of United Technologies, and published in the Wall Street Journal in the late 70’s or early...
Luggage or Baggage? What Will You Carry into the New Year?
First a quote: “You can’t launch a new quest with old baggage.” – Spencer Johnson, M.D.; Out of the Maze As I draft this week’s MMM missive, Becky, my wife, is...
A New Book, A New Chapter
First a quote: “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter...
Are You a Source of Joy & Happiness?
First a quote: “Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give...
Do More Than You’re Paid to Do
Do More Than You’re Paid to Do First a quote: “People who never do any more than they get paid for, never get paid for any more than they do.” ― Elbert...
Saying “Great Job” Isn’t Enough
First a quote: “Asking and hearing people’s opinion has a greater effect on them than telling them, great job.” ― Sam Walton, Walmart FounderGood morning and...
Curse of the Brilliant
First a quote: “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting tomatoes in a fruit salad.” ― Miles Kington As a leader, it is wise to...
Do You Trust Your Brain? Perhaps You Shouldn’t!
First a quote: “What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.” – Mark Twain Do you trust your brain to...
An Attitude of Gratitude is More Than a Platitude
First a quote: “It is necessary, then, to cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And...
Viewing the World Through Scratched Lenses
First a quote: “You cannot see the great beauty around you if your vision is hampered by a defective lens.” Dr. Mardy Grothe The first thing professional...
Was Yesterday Your “Best Day”?
First a quote: “Doing the best at this moment, puts you in the best place for the next moment.” ― Oprah Winfrey Was yesterday your best day? Please know I’m...
Today is a Good Day to Begin!
First a quote: “It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings One of my very first jobs (before I was...
Do You Trust Your Team? Do They Trust You?
First a quote: “Our distrust is very expensive.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson In my profession, I fly too many miles, and on too many airplanes! I don’t mind all that...
Looking for a Promotion? Start Here.
First a quote: “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” – Jack Welch...
Challenge Your Fear – Live Your Dreams
First a quote: “There is just one thing that makes your dream become impossible: the fear of failure.” — Paulo Coelho Fear is a very powerful emotion, and...
Inside/Outside… Where is Your Focus?
First a quote: “If change is happening on the outside, faster than on the inside, the end is in sight.” – Jack Welch I have been passionate about the subjects...
Are You Listening to HMFI – AM Radio? The People You Lead Are!
First a quote: “I’ve learned people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya...
Which is Better, Right Answers or Right Questions?
First a quote: “The wise man doesn’t give the right answers, he poses the right questions.” – Claude Levi-Strauss I’ll begin this week’s edition of MMM with a...
Time Management is Not the Problem
First a quote: “Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.” – Zig Ziglar “If only I had enough time to… (fill in...
Filler or Drainer, Which Are You?
First a quote: “Strange how one person can saturate a room with vitality, with excitement. Then there are others… …they spread a grayness in the air about...
Congratulations, You’re the Boss; Who Serves Who?
First a quote: “The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” – Ken Blanchard Congratulations on your promotion… “You’re now the boss.”...
Are Your Expectations Helping, or Hurting?
First a quote: “Give others a great reputation to live up to.” – Dale Carnegie Are people, including your direct reports, co-workers, manager, spouse and...
Is There a Crisis is in Your Future?
First a quote: “A crisis forces us to heed things which, during normal times, we choose to ignore.” –Dr. Mardy Our health is always important; always! Eating...
Grow Your People, Grow Your Business
First a quote: “The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.” –Harvey S. Firestone Farmers fertilize their fields and crops...
What Habits are Compounding in Your Life?”
First a quote: “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it… he who doesn’t… pays it.” – Albert Einstein Most of us...
Are You Working with a Dull Ax?
First a quote: “If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I would spend six hours sharpening my ax.” – Abraham Lincoln Luckily, I haven’t had to chop down too...
Are Your Beliefs Limiting Your Success?
First a quote: “If you think you can do a thing, or think you can’t do a thing, either way, (you’ve decided) you are correct.” – Henry Ford Have you ever said...
Taking Turns Isn’t Enough
First a quote: “We put little effort into real listening, we just take turns talking.” – Bob Conklin Years ago, when I first started my consulting practice, I...
So Much Effort
So Much Energy, So Little Progress? First a couple of quotes: “The ‘start’ is what ‘stops’ most people.” – Don Shula And a bonus: “Momentum builds success.” –...
How Many Positive Ripples Will You Create Today?
First a quote: “We are all having a ripple effect on others, the question is, what kind of ripple effect, negative or positive, do we want to have?” — The...
Memorial Day Gratitude
Memorial Day Gratitude First two quotes: “We must dare to be great; and we must realize that greatness is the fruit of toil, sacrifice and high courage.” —...
How Much Experience Do You Really Have?
First a quote; What can be more painful than learning from experience? Not to learn from your experience.” — Laurence J. Peter I often hear people describe the...
So Many Doors, So Many Choices
First a quote; “Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make… makes you.” – John Maxwell As parents, one of our philosophies in raising our two...
Know When To Fold’em
First a quote; “You got to know when to hold ’em… Know when to fold ’em… Know when to walk away and know when to run.” —Kenny Rogers; The Gambler For years, my...
Alligators Under My Bed
First a quote; “Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fear.” —Les Brown Who among us did not fear the “monsters” we were certain...
Made in The Shade
First a quote; “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade we do not expect to sit.” —Nelson Henderson My mother (who also raised 6...
The Heart of the Matter is Not in Your Head
First a quote; “A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.” —Nelson Mandela It has been my experience most aspiring leaders desire to...
Do You Know What You Don’t Know?
First a quote; “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s own ignorance.” — Confucius Fairly early in my career I had the motivation to climb the corporate...
Don’t My Kodachrome Away?
First a quote; ” “If the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is near.” Jack Welch Many of you may know I started...
Are You Running a Deficit?
First a quote; ” The way to develop the best that is in a man (woman, child, employee, any person who is important to you) is by appreciation and...
Don’t Worry, Be Happy!
First a quote; “Worry is nothing more than the misuse of our imagination.” – Dan Zadra Our minds are incredible instruments and so amazingly powerful. It is...
Beauty On A Dreary Day
First a quote; “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” – Confucius A long time ago, while studying to become a professional photographer, I learned...
Prioritizing Your Schedule Isn’t Enough
First a quote; “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” – Stephen Covey There isn’t a time management expert...
People Don’t Care
First a quote; “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Theodore Roosevelt This quote has been attributed to many people...
Eat Your Frogs First
First a quote, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the...
Intentions ≠ Impact
First a quote, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” Mark Twain And a three part assignment for you to complete this week: 1. Identify any four of...
Just For Today
First a quote, “You will never change your life, until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” John C...
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