Over the last several months, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to leadership and what makes a great leader. What I’ve come away with over this period is that the number one key to successful leadership is communication. Those that communicate effectively and well, with clear ideas, goals, and expectations, led by example. It’s the singular definition of leading from the front. Provide guidance, deliver excellence, and engage the skills required to meet all the expectations that one has. In my organization, I most certainly try to lead by example. Whether it be keeping a clean and clear desk […]

It’s not often that you meet someone who significantly changes your trajectory and has a meaningful impact on your life. Those people are few and far between. I can tell you that for me, in high school, it was a science teacher. They told me that I was special and made me feel that way, as well as helping me believe in who I was. This was at a time when I didn’t have a lot of belief in myself, was very self-conscious, and a bit shy, too. That was so moving and important to me.  Someone actually thought that […]

I read a quote the other day that really resonated. “The comeback is never the moment everyone sees. It is the quiet work nobody knew was happening. While you were counting someone out, they were already three years into the next chapter.” The sentence that really resonated most with me was, “It is the quiet work nobody knew was happening.” That’s what it’s all about – doing the things that are necessary to be done, that no one knows about, that you won’t receive any accolades for, but knowing that it needs to be done. Whether it’s for personal growth, […]

Time is our greatest asset. Yet it is very precious and often overlooked. Make sure to value your time. On Tuesday morning at around 7:30 am, my Aunt Penny, while riding her bike, was hit by a car. It was a ride she and my uncle had done a million times. Close to their home. Flat road. Well lit. The young woman driving wasn’t paying attention and hit my aunt on her bicycle, putting her in the hospital and in a coma. My family’s lives – and the lives of those she touched – have changed in an instant. All […]

“If you punish people too much for failure, then they will respond accordingly, and the innovation you will get will be very incrementalist.  Nobody is going to try anything bold for fear of getting fired or being punished in the same way, so risk reward must be balanced.”  -Elon Musk I find this quote to be incredibly true, both in business and in our personal lives, with our children, spouses, and significant others. Look, it’s okay to get angry. It’s okay to express disappointment or dissatisfaction. But there must also be a follow-up to that. We also must celebrate the […]

Never forget where you came from. All of your pain. All of your struggle. And all of your joy. They are what builds who we are; what created your unique blueprint. For me, with our kids, we don’t want them to struggle. We try to shield them from the pain or challenges that we experienced. Is that helping or hurting? I think it may be both. I certainly would not want to have my kids experience what I did. But at the same time, the world is changing. We don’t know what kinds of jobs or opportunities they will have […]

Why is it so much easier to go into the dark than it is to go into the light? I think, largely we surround ourselves with people that enjoy gossip and seeing people struggle, versus choosing to surround ourselves with people that truly enjoy seeing others succeed and getting all that they want out of life. For whatever reason, it seems easier to counsel someone when they’re having a difficult time than celebrate someone when they’re enjoying all the successes that they deserve. Noticing this further, I recently got back from a conference of very successful people, and I was […]

I’ve always felt that acknowledging success or saying that things were going to happen – and eventually them happening – was arrogant. It’s not until recently that I’ve realized that it’s not arrogance at all. It’s not even confidence. It’s perfectly okay to talk about things that you’re working on – and even get excited about them, as well as share ideas and discuss things that have worked before (and things that have not). Through a lot of work with my coach and others, what I’ve begun to realize is that this is more about manifesting what you want out […]

If we know eating junk food is going to make us unhealthy, then why do we do it? If we know drinking too much on a Wednesday night is going to make us not feel our best on Thursday morning, then why do we do it? If we know that spending too much money on frivolous things and not focusing on our future retirement is a bad decision, then why do we do it? Getting clear on our why – and being intentional with the decisions we make – is how we achieve long-term intentional success. I heard someone say […]

You are exactly where you’re supposed to be right now. We are exactly where we are supposed to be right now. Remembering those things is something often very difficult – but very, very important. That’s especially true in times of great difficulty, when the news reflects things negatively almost every day, and when uncertainty starts to rear its ugly head. Always try to remember that you are exactly where you are supposed to be at this moment. Whether it’s where you want to be or not, it’s where you are supposed to be. Unhappy in the scenario you’re in? Work […]