Rob started telling me about the cool stuff he was producing at work. His team is building things that would cost millions to buy. I was impressed with what his team accomplished. I asked him his secret. His team saw problems. They created solutions. Rob's job was easy. Just say "Yes." No one told them to do it. They just did it. Rob let them. More than that... he encouraged them. Rob didn't try to manage his people (or their tasks). He led his people and their … [Read more...]
Do You Inspire Others? And Why It Matters.
April 22, 2013 by
The opposite of inspiring is uninspiring. Brilliant observation, I know. What does being inspiring look like? Passion, commitment, perseverance. What does being inspiring create in others? Engaged emotions Provoking new thought Motivated behavior What does being uninspiring look like? Indifferent, undecided, yielding. What does being uninspiring create in others? One of three things: Nothing ... if we're lucky. Being uninspiring becomes … [Read more...]
The Best Question To Ask If You Want Make A Difference
April 18, 2013 by
I emailed Jim requesting access to the financials for my project. This was the 3rd request in 2 months. He responded with "Your already supposed have access. But I'm not the expert about this." I was frustrated. I would not have asked for access if I had not already tried. He offered no value in his response. I could have left it at that. I didn't. I replied to him saying, "I can't see the site. Can you let me know who I can talk who is the expert?" Two minutes later I received an … [Read more...]
What We Frequent Becomes Our Frequency
March 28, 2013 by
George, a rebel pastor I know talks about how we talk in terms of, "When I have X (Money, House, Car, Spouse) , then I'll do Y (Start a business, go to school, have a baby) and then I'll be happy." He turns it on its head. "When I am happy, then I'll do Y, then I will have X." What we frequent becomes our frequency. A tuning fork vibrates when it is struck by the frequency its tuned to. We are like adaptive tuning forks. We vibrate at the frequency of what we are surrounded … [Read more...]
Want More Success? You’ll Have To Do This 1 Thing
March 14, 2013 by
Will said, "They won't do it! Have you read Sven's email. He said 'No.'" I asked Will, "Have you spoken to them?" "No." I Instant Message Sven. I bring up the situation, apologize for any way we miscommunicated in the past, and ask when there'd be a good time to chat. Sven sent his phone number. We had a quick conversation and set up a meeting with a couple of other folks from his team. Sven's "No" turned to "Maybe." Two more conversations and we got to "Yes." We … [Read more...]
Are you connected enough?
March 11, 2013 by
It seems the more people we connect with the less there is of us to go around. I start with the default answer of 'No' when a friend asks me to do something. I check my calendar. Then I offer a date 3 weeks in the future. Am I free now? Yes. But I have a false notion of obligation. I feel so little control over my time that I hoard the time I can control. I then squander the time I hoarded instead of spending it wisely ... by saying yes to my friend. It seems we … [Read more...]
How do you know if it’s too late?
March 4, 2013 by
To ... Take more risks. Begin to exercise. Eat healthier. Spend a night together with your family. Have a beer with a friend. Ask her out. Say I'm sorry. Say I love you. Buy her flowers. Cook him a steak. Buy him flowers. Cook her a steak. Manage your boss. Manage your boss's boss. Write a thank you note. Quit your job. Start a business. Say hello to strangers. Throw clay to make a lopsided bowl. Sing karaoke. Eat something you don't recognize. Skydive. Start a blog. … [Read more...]
There better be an good reason you don’t read this!
February 1, 2013 by
Sometimes I get stuck in traffic. You, too, huh? I'll start thinking to myself, "There better be an accident up there!" When I'm really twisted, I think "Somebody better be hurt!". Sometimes the situations different. Maybe it's bad service at a restaurant. I let the manager know. Then I think, "They better knock something off my bill!" or "I better get dessert for free!" Like I need a dessert ... "The DVR better record that show!" "The light better not turn red!" "The … [Read more...]
A quick way to kick ass
January 29, 2013 by
I was late. Again. The bruises on my ass sore from me kicking itagain. If my shower was shorter. If I hasn't taken my timeshaving. If I hadn't hit snooze. I would be there.A word whispered in my ear. "You are here." I was in my car. Driving. Alone. No where else. No matter where you'd rather be - you are here. Fighting that realityis an invitation. For guilt, frustration and dissatisfaction.I sit at the light. The clock strikes the time I wanted toarrive. The traffic at the next light … [Read more...]
Want This Year to Be Easier? Read This.
January 3, 2013 by
We scurried out of the house. We just scored an hour with Jen's parents watching the girls. A huge sigh of relief for both of us. It was in the 30s outside. I said, "Let's walk." Jen said, "It's too cold. I'll need to get a hat and gloves if we walk." I shrugged it off. We hopped in the car and started driving. I got to the light. I realized how silly the objection of getting a hat and gloves was. Walking 20 feet to get hat and gloves wouldn't have been a … [Read more...]
