Goethe’s Creed
“If I accept you for who you are, I will make you worse, however, if I treat you as though what you are capable of becoming, I will help you become that.” ~ Johann Goethe, German Playwright and Author Everyone in their life needs somebody to expect greatness from them. It is absolutely essential, and […]
The Law of Limited Performance
As a leader, what expectations are you putting forth? Everybody is going to rise to the level of expectation set forth by their leader. If on the first day of practice, a cross country coach tells his runners that they’re going to run 5 miles, that’s how far the runners will go. If that coach […]
Are You a Thermostat or a Thermometer?
In a leadership position, you have to realize that you are the one who sets the pace. You set the temperature for the organization, the team, the association. Depending on whether you’re a thermostat or a thermometer determines how you set the overall tone for your organization. A thermometer measures temperature. A thermostat, on the […]
Lead First – Friend Second – Earn Respect First
The incredible basketball coach, Bobby Knight, coached for decades and he worked with various generations of student athletes. He was asked what his observations were of working with so many different generations of student athletes. Knight responded, “I noticed that today, kids are growing up in a world where too many of their parents are […]
Be the Chief Evangelist Officer
The most successful people in the world – whatever their mission may be – they are the Chief Evangelist Officer (CEO). This is not the Chief Executive Officer, though they may hold that title. I myself hold the title of CEO, but I do not view my job as being the Chief Executive Officer. First […]
Make Your Goals S.M.A.R.T.
Here we are, in a New Year and a new beginning. Are you excited about the possibilities of a fresh start? Did you make a New Year’s resolution? You’re not alone. I had a 15 minute wait on every machine at the gym the last 2 days. I wonder if those people will still be […]
The 4 Rules of Business
Rule 1: Say please and thank you This rule is all about customer service. The business has to understand that their customer service can make them stand out and be remembered. Too often today, we get excited about receiving reasonable customer service. It’s exciting because we don’t expect outstanding customer service anymore. When we go […]
Fresh Fish for Sale – The Slow Erosion of the Fundamentals
Here is a story that captures the reason people don’t achieve their goals and objectives. A gentleman owns a fish market on the waterfront. It is a simple fish market which is reflected by the sign that hangs over the market. The sign reads, “Fresh Fish for Sale.” Over time, some of the patrons approach […]
Sharp Skills
Set Up, Organize Up, Show up, Follow Up What has to occur for things to be accomplished? Think about a medical operation. If someone is going to have an operation, a number of things have to occur for that operation to happen. People have to take the time to make that surgery happen. Administrators need […]
Learn a Lot About a Little and Do a Lot of It (Specialize)
I often say, “learn a lot about a little, and do a lot of it.” This is also known as specializing. The most prosperous people today are specialists. They have a particular skill set that they have mastered. They are not trying to be all things to all people. They are not trying to serve […]