Articles/Blog

Auto Stop – A Reminder to Breathe

New technologies (and new ideas) often take me by surprise. In 2015, I was driving home from the dealership with a brand-new car, riding high on that feeling of perfect freshness. I saw a red light and coasted to a stop. Right on cue, the engine cut out; right on cue, I panicked, thinking my…

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Radical Generosity

Radical generosity has been gaining popularity in recent years, particularly within the leadership community. It refers to the act of giving freely, without expectation of receiving anything in return. An abundant mindset is the wellspring of generosity. Those who believe there is enough for everyone have a deep trust that sharing their resources, knowledge, and…

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Can Leaders Be Friends?

A good friend once told me that she’s a good friend because she can openly disagree, share a different perspective and not polarize or alienate me in the process. I married that woman and she’s been my best friend for many, many years. Upon reflection, it seems that life would be so much easier if…

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Vision – Vibration – Space and Action

Everything in our lives starts with vision – the possibility thinking regarding what could be. It could be as grand as President Kennedy’s vision of “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely,” or as simple as having a good day. Visioning awakens and energizes us to what is possible, and I think…

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Together We Stand (and yell)

For my regular readers, you know I am interested in and sometimes write about human motivation as it relates to leadership. An understanding of what motivates us and why we choose to lead (and conduct many other activities and behaviors) can assist us in developing and improving. Underneath that interest in motives is simply a…

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Underutilize

I’ve been testing out an intuitive feeling regarding resource utilization in organizations –the feeling that most people are underutilized. I can hear the rumblings already from those who are feeling both overworked and overwhelmed, but that’s the point. While some people seem to get rewarded for good work with more work, there are many in…

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Not Another Resolution

Like many people, I need to be inspired to make a change in my life. Sometimes the change is a pain I want to avoid or remedy, and often it is something I want to improve. I am something of an inspiration junkie, so I make change best when I am inspired by something or…

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Feedback for the Win

Top-performing athletes have systems in place to give them feedback around levels of strain, recovery, and sleep so they can improve their performance and reach their fullest potential. It makes sense when we think about this regarding our favorite teams or players and yet, unfortunately, we often fall short of applying this practice to the…

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Retirement and college degrees are outdated concepts

What I am about to declare is ungrounded. I’m going to say it anyway. Retirement and college degrees are outdated concepts of the 20th century. First, retirement. I turn 65 years old in a few weeks and I am tiring of hearing versions of a few of the following questions: When are you going to…

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Risk

/risk/ A situation involving exposure to danger Recently a friend asked, “What risks are you planning to take over the next year?” I thought about it for a moment and realized this was one of the most profound queries I’d had in a long time. Planning to take risks seems counterintuitive to my safety-seeking personality,…

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