From time to time, anyone working as a manager needs to decide whether they really are a leader. I’ve recently begun an association with a long-time executive coach, Daniel Mueller. He’s a pioneer in the field of executive coaching having served senior executives across most of the Fortune 500 companies. Daniel has graciously shared some of...
Young managers, working their way up the corporate ladder often find themselves alone. As the demands of the job increase, the support systems stay static. While pressures to perform grow and responsibilities expand, there is little if any network to fall back on; the backstop is either too small or doesn’t exist. You begin...
In my experience, one of the most dangerous types of thought is the limiting thought. You know it, the little negative seed of an idea that gets planted in the brain and keeps great things from happening. Limiting thoughts are lame thoughts; ok perhaps not as lame as James Franco, but still pretty lame....
Here are my thoughts as we move into the celebration of the Thanksgiving season here in the U.S. At thirty thousand feet, so many things seem so clear. The roads that wind across the landscape seem to make perfect connections with each and every stopping point. What could seem to be insurmountable obstacles in...
There is a big difference between having intentions and living intentionally. Our intentions are our thoughts about what we should and shouldn’t be doing. Some think about it as choices. We are faced with dozens of choices every day — some little, some big; from whether to choose a salad or a chocolate sundae...
That’s the answer to the question “how do people change?” There are plenty of situations in our lives and in the world around us when people want to talk about change. Whether it has to do with a red state/blue state matter, an economic trend, a market condition, or the price of something, change...
Companies spend a lot of time and money trying to identify “good fit” during their hiring process. Candidate selection is driven by the magical, mystical notion of making a good fit decision. Clearly the first step usually involves matching job description requirements with the candidate’s stated background experience. Right away, the matching process starts...
Not long ago, my neighbor had to have some foundation repairs done at his house. I live in an area of the Texas Gulf Coast where there is long term terrain subsidence. Foundations can shift and begin to crack without intervention. If you are not familiar with repairing a foundation, the crew will dig...
This evening is Halloween; celebrated in many different ways. Of the many best loved traditions in America, the donning of costumes is at the top of the list. Many, many years ago, in times past, adults began dressing in elaborate costumes for Halloween parties, also known as Masquerade parties, long before it became an...
People often ask me about ways to beat procrastination. I usually say “I’ll get back to you.” Just kidding. Everyone procrastinates sometimes, but 20 percent of people chronically avoid difficult tasks and deliberately look for distractions—which, unfortunately, are increasingly available. Procrastination in large part reflects our perennial struggle with self-control as well as our...