Drowning
When I was about 12 or 13, I saved a little boy who was drowning. I didn’t really think too much about it at the time. When it happened, it…
How Can Systems Improve My Business
Systems are like recipes. If you follow a recipe, you get a predictable outcome, something you can count on. If you have a recipe for a chocolate cake and you…
Why are Systems Important in Business
What is a System? A system is a series of steps or processes working together to produce a predictable and expected output. Think about a car. The fuel system is…
G.O.A.L. – Get Out And Look
Business owners can learn a lot from truck drivers. Driving a big 18-wheeler comes with its own special challenges. The biggest challenge is probably the other drivers they are forced…
It’s Time to Start Focusing on Tomorrow: Life and Business After COVID-19
I’m sure you are all familiar with the grieving process. That 5-stage process – Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance – is necessary for our psyche to deal with the changes…
Guest Post: Mike Michalowicz
Use the Business Hierarchy of Needs to Move Your Business ForwardDiscover the critical issue you need to fix next What is the next problem you must address or opportunity you must…
Happy 2020!
Happy New Year! When you hear someone say “2020” what do you think? If you’re like most people, you think of eyesight. Or rather, hindsight and the old saying “hindsight…
Unlimited Coaching
Feeling Stuck? As a business owner, there have probably been times when you’ve felt stuck in your business. Like you’ve hit a wall or a ceiling that you just can’t…
Situational Awareness for Leaders
The phrase “situational awareness” is most often used in reference to military or paramilitary engagements or when people are in a dangerous environment. It means having a critical awareness of…
Thank God it’s Monday!
When was the last time you said those words? If you’re an entrepreneur, you may not have a traditional Monday anymore. By that, I mean that you are probably working…
If You Had No Fear, What Would You Do?
The strongest motivator known to man also happens to be the barrier we all face at one time or another: FEAR. Fear motivates us where most other motivators (money, love,…
Stop Trying to Grow Your Business! Do This Instead!
When have you ever heard a business coach tell you to STOP trying to grow your business? It’s counter-intuitive, it goes against the grain of everything you’ve probably ever read….
Why Leaders Should Communicate Their Company’s Vision, Mission, and Purpose
Are you having problems with your employees? Do you struggle with getting employees to follow directions? Do you have employees who don’t show up for work on time, leave early,…
Communicate Like a Leader
To be an effective leader, you must be an effective communicator. Because, when you think about it, LEADERSHIP is COMMUNICATION. Leadership is communication. As a small business professional, you must…
Team-Building: Developing a Team You Can Rely On
Team building is important when it comes to managing people. People are simply more willing to work together when the atmosphere encourages it. For many organizations, teamwork is necessary for the…
Lack of Focus Could Cost You Millions
It’s so easy to let your mind get preoccupied and lose track of your goals and dreams. The world is full of distractions; more so than ever before, and they…
The Law of Attraction and Your Business
You’ve probably heard about the “Law of Attraction” that is covered in popular books by Esther and Jerry Hicks. Many people claim that the law of attraction has its roots…
Hang Gliding Tips for Your Business
My wife and I went hang gliding one beautiful weekend in May. Years ago, we stopped giving each other “things” as gifts because things get lost, things get broken. Things…
Contingency
Contingency Plans Contingency plans are essentially your “Plan B” or what you will do when Plan A fails or is no longer an option. Contingency planning is part of a…
Continuity Planning
Expect the Unexpected Continuity in business is critical. If you’re in business for yourself – if you are the boss, then you have to be prepared; more so than mere…
The Power of Checklists
I am a private pilot. I’ve had my license since 2008. I don’t fly as much as I’d like (it is a rather expensive hobby) but when I do fly,…
The Icarus Effect
You’ve probably all heard the song “Carry On Wayward Son” by the group KANSAS. Based on the opening lyrics, some people assume that the song is based on the Icarus…
Everything Happens for a Reason
So… I’ve got some good news and I’ve got some bad news. First, the bad news: Like it or not, you are responsible for your life. Your life is your own…
Coaching for That “Ah-Ha” Moment
During casual first meetings with people, the subject of careers often comes up. When people find out that I am a coach, there is invariably one person who challenges the…
Sometimes you Need to Listen
We’ve all worked with or managed that person. You know the one I’m talking about; we usually referred to them as the BMW: the person who is always bitching, moaning,…
Chivalry – The Knight’s Code
In a previous post, I spoke about my quest, a personal journey based on the ideals of Chivalry and Becoming a Chivalrous Leader. Continuing that theme, I want to talk…
Leading Change – Dispelling the Myths #2
“We Don’t Need Change Management.” Boy… if I had a dime for every time I’ve heard THAT phrase. Many business leaders think that having a project plan that includes a change…
Strategies to Save You Time
In my conversations with business owners, I often ask “What are the main issues or pain points that keep you up at night? What are the things in your business…
Living With and Learning From Failure
To be a successful entrepreneur you are going to have to learn to deal with – and learn from – failure. There is no way around that fact. Thomas Edison tried…
Entrepreneur: What is your passion?
One mistake new entrepreneurs make… getting involved in a business idea that doesn’t match their passion. They come up with an idea to make or sell some item that they…
Leading Change – Dispelling the Myths #1
People Hate Change This is the first in a series of blog posts dispelling the myths that surround change. You’ve probably heard them before and it’s likely that you heard them…
The Tentative Leader
Everyone has their pet peeves; I have several. The one that really annoys me is tentativeness and people who are tentative. We encounter tentative people all around us: driving in…
Becoming a Chivalrous Leader
What is Chivalry or being a “chivalrous leader”? First, there are many misconceptions when you mention the word Chivalry. People immediately picture knights in armor, immersed in bloody battle, pillaging…
Why New Managers Struggle
These are challenging times. All businesses struggle; large or small. The markets are fluctuating, customer loyalty can change at the speed of a mouse-click, and the constant pressure to innovate…
Communicating with Currency
As a Leader, knowing how to communicate with your employees is crucial. Part of that is knowing the currency by which the employee is motivated. By now, you’re aware of or…
Enough
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had enough. I’ve had enough rudeness, incivility, lack of respect, lack of accountability. I’ve experienced this kind of behavior all too often,…
Be a Mentor
Everyone needs a mentor, someone to “show them the ropes” and help them to gain the valuable skills that come with experience. I’ve had many mentors throughout my career,…
Mapping Out Your Strategic Plan
It’s not enough just to know where you’re going (though that’s critical). You must also know how you plan to get there. As you may already know, I’m a…
Playing the Victim
Some people claim that they are a victim of circumstances. They would have succeeded if only…. they would have won the person’s heart if only… they would have arrived…
You Have Arrived
Hello 2016! I’m not big on making new year’s resolutions. If you’re honest with yourself, the topic of your resolution is more than likely something that you SHOULD have been doing…
5 Life Lessons I Learned from MacGyver
Most of you may not remember the ABC television series “MacGyver” that aired between 1985 and 1992. Richard Dean Anderson played a secret agent that used his resourcefulness and knowledge…
Choose the Right Communication Vehicle
Okay, so this is one of my pet-peeves: People who schedule meetings just for the sake of scheduling meetings. There are times when a meeting is necessary and there are…
What Example are you Setting?
You are a leader, but how exactly are you leading? What example are you setting for your followers? When I was growing up, my mom used to tell us…
Happy Monday!
I spotted this image online and had to laugh. Can you relate? This used to be me. Most mornings I would wake up and be just fine; give me a cup…
The Power of Persistence
Noted as one of the greatest United States presidents, Abraham Lincoln’s early life may not have reflected his potential greatness. He failed in business. He lost elections to the…
Stop Putting Emphasis on Self-Esteem
It’s lonely being the contrarian, but I disagree with most of the published and accepted works dealing with self-esteem. There are a lot of misconceptions about what self-esteem is, where…
“I Am The Greatest” – Goal Setting Lessons From a Legend
As a coach, I encourage my clients to write out their goals “as if.” By that I mean, write the goals as if they are true today. Don’t talk about…
Our Decisions Make Us Who We Are
Every decision we make, every minute of every day of our lives, makes us who we are. Read that sentence again, slowly. Let it sink in. That is a profoundly…
DITCH THE CHAOS AND SIMPLIFY YOUR BUSINESS
Don't Struggle Any More. These 6 Proven Strategies Will Help You Get Back Your Time and Sanity.
