Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired a generation with his powerful “I have a dream” address. JFK, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton reached the highest office in the land, in part by delivering moving speeches. TED talks have vaulted unknowns to celebrity status based on their ability to deliver compelling and inspiring messages. Simply put, great…
Read moreOrganizations are generally led by a predictable C-suite of traditional roles with traditional responsibilities. The Chief Executive Officer reads reports from her Chief Financial Officer about the work of the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Sales Officer. The Chief Technology Officer and Chief Human Resource Officer team up with the Chief Marketing Officer to deliver…
Read moreThe four Rambo films, released between 1982 and 2008, famously depicted John Rambo, a member of the US Army Special Forces known as the Green Beret. Throughout the films, Rambo singlehandedly outwits his opponents, adapts to changing circumstances and achieves at a super-human level. While the movies glamorized his brute strength, the real-world Green…
Read moreThere’s an old saying in the boxing world: “Champions don’t become champions in the ring; they are merely recognized there.” The implication, of course, is that the hard work of winning happens during an intense training regimen. The blood, sweat, and tears on the gym floor; the relentless planning for every possible scenario; the sacrifice…
Read moreIn the Swedish City of Helsingborg, failures exist at an alarming rate. Just across the river from Denmark, the community isn’t actually screwing up but rather celebrating failures from around the globe. History was made when The Museum of Failures opened to the public in June. Colossal innovation failures -from the Apple Newton to the…
Read moreWe all know we should exercise. And read more. And eat less. We should be more kind, should be more punctual, should give more back to our community. We should do dozens of things, but who has the energy? In fact, there are so many shoulds in life that we’re overwhelmed and frustrated trying to tackle them all. In my case, no matter how hard I try, I’m often left with feelings…
Read moreChris Riley was ticked. Caught in a speed trap near his office in Coral Gables, Florida, the officer flagged Chris down like he was a hardened criminal. Yes, he was speeding…but not by much. Since he forgot his proof of insurance, the total cost for his minor infraction was over 500 bucks. Seething, his only…
Read moreIt’s often said that the most successful people focus more on the questions they ask than the statements they make. Asking the right questions can unlock volumes of knowledge, wisdom, and insight. Yet we’re often so busy telling, that we miss out on the power of asking. While this applies to communication with other people, I’m referring…
Read moreBenjamin Houston was having an especially rough night. As a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver in Flint, Michigan, it had been a tough road. The fact that Benjamin is deaf made his situation even more challenging. It all came to a head on July 15, when his car broke down on a delivery run near midnight in a…
Read moreHow do you know if you’ve accomplished something today? What should you measure if you didn’t deliver something measurable? In an era of dashboards, metrics, and key performance indicators, should every ounce of your energy be directed at hitting near term deliverables? In studying the behavior of the most successful people, I’ve noticed that they…
Read moreAs we search for new approaches to our biggest challenges, we often seek the latest-and-greatest tactics from the hottest, cutting-edge research on performance. It feels like there’s a brand new management approach, tech tool, or leadership style on a daily basis. Yet sometimes we can progress even more by learning from those before us. …
Read moreImagine that a loved one is on the operating table in a life-or-death situation. You and your family gather in the waiting room waiting with bated breath for the doctor to communicate the results of this life-saving procedure. When the surgeon finally arrives, you don’t want to hear about how hard she and her team labored. You don’t want to hear that she “gave…
Read moreIn our world of quick fixes and success hacks, there’s an old school approach that wins consistently. Think of it as the most potent high-octane formula to fuel your relationships, career trajectory, client satisfaction, investor relations, and company’s growth. A simple phrase that’s easy to say, but may require a mindset shift to fully embrace:…
Read moreWhy does one small tribe in Kenya – the Kalenjin – produce a statistically impossible percentage of the world’s fastest distance runners? According to David Epstein, Senior Editor at Sports Illustrated, “There are 17 American men in history who have run under 2:10 in the marathon, while there were 32 Kalenjin who did it in October of 2011.” This one…
Read moreWe’ve all done it. As you open an envelope or turn the pages of a magazine, the paper’s edge slices into your finger, causing you to wince with pain. While not requiring emergency medical care, a nasty paper cut stings more than a trip to the dentist on Tax Day. Yet these small wounds, if…
Read moreWe all come across two types of companies (and individuals) in our lives. First there are those that blend in with the others, swim in a sea of sameness, and personify mediocrity. They don’t like to stand out, prefer the safety of the masses, and seek out a profit (or a living). And then there…
Read moreIn our turbulent business climate, we all seek new pathways to growth and success. Yes, winning can be elusive in these times of dizzying speed and ruthless competition. Companies like Tesla, Amazon, Netflix and JetBlue soar while their respective counterparts – Oldsmobile, Borders Books, Blockbuster, and PanAm – are merely tombstones in the business graveyard.…
Read moreIn these highly competitive times, it’s become increasingly difficult to hold onto customers. Retention is tough, and client growth is even harder with fickle clients and fleeting loyalty. It turns out, building deep, loyal, profitable client relationships isn’t as complex as the DaVinci code. In fact, these three simple hacks can boost your client relationships…
Read moreWhether you run a 2-person graphic design shop or a 200,000 global manufacturing conglomerate, you’re likely craving growth. We all do. Expansion fuels profits, serves customers, drives share price, and impacts the world. Through building five companies of my own and helping at least 100 others scale, I’ve seen two repeating growth traps that have…
Read moreWe all face incredible challenges in our lives. Difficult people. Ruthless competition. Time constraints. But so many of us succumb to an imaginary and impotent demon that strangles our potential and restricts our progress. This fictitious monster is called simply … the past. While the past can be a great teacher, it can also shackle…
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