Brilliance Revisited
Brilliance in the world of business occurs when highly functioning teams operate in an environment where time has no meaning because the “job is not considered a job” but is instead viewed as a pursuit of passion with purpose. Said another way, team effectiveness is maximized when its members are metaphorically “able to contribute in…
When a River Runs Through It
Yesterday, my son Carl reinforced lessons learned a long time ago about how Pareto’s Principle (the 80/20 rule) applies in both business and fishing. To improve outcomes in the world of business, a mentor once said to identify the 20% of clients that produce 80% of company profits. The next step is figuring out how…
Why You Should Maximize Each Day
Today is a new beginning. As a small business owner, are you ready to make the most of each moment? What will you do to create the best possible day? According to one definition in the Merriam Webster Dictionary, commencement is “the time when something begins.” Taken literally, each day commences the rest of your…
Team Building Lessons from the Seattle Seahawks
Because it is relevant to small business owners, I am sharing three things that John Schneider, the Seattle Seahawks General Manager, offered when he spoke about team building last week at the Bellevue Downtown Rotary Club. Following each point made by Schneider are thoughts and questions I am giving small business owners to consider: Vision…
Do You Believe in Miracles
“Great moments are born from great opportunity. And that’s what you have here tonight boys. That’s what you’ve earned here tonight. One game! If we played them 10 times they might win 9. But not this game! Not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight, we stay with them and shut them down because we…
A Memorial Day message
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once…
Losing Fear over Making Mistakes
Losing fear over making mistakes begins by recognizing the opportunity that recovering from mistakes provides to deepen and strengthen personal connection; in and out of the workplace. Making mistakes is normal and OK. For example, while performing at Business Theatre Live last Tuesday, I inadvertently walked out on stage without a remote control device for…
The 5 Bases of Team Building for Winners
Have you ever seen mayhem in the workplace when a company’s culture is toxic; with employees leaving the company as quickly as they are being hired? Have you ever wondered WHY that happens? I believe one reason is because such leaders do not invest time to implement the “5 B.A.S.E.S of Team Building for Winners!”…
The Next Time
Getting in a rut can be the “kiss of death” for any small business owner that is trying to innovate and improve their future. You are in a rut if old patterns of behavior are repeated with the hope that different results will somehow miraculously occur. If you find yourself stuck in a rut and…
Overcoming Fear
Fear is an emotion that inhibits taking action. In the world of business, what are the things feared which thwart you from innovating a new product, service or process? Chances are that any emotional fear of unknown is disproportionally high to what could logically go wrong if things don’t turn out according to plan. My…