How to Start Living Your Dream Today

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What did you want to be when you grew up? No, really. Think back. Remember what you wanted to spend your life doing? Picture yourself as a child, dreaming of the future, knowing someday you would be doing something you would be happy with every day. Do you remember that feeling? Is it a distant memory, or is it a part of your reality?

Somewhere between childhood and becoming an adult, we are suddenly burdened with responsibility and this notion that supporting yourself and living your dream are irreconcilable. But why? Why does it have to be that way? I don’t think it has to! Here are a few thoughts on how to live your dream.  Continue reading →

I Don’t Want My Talent!

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With time off during the holidays, I have not encountered as many leadership stories in my day-to-day activities. I have, however, had the opportunity to find leadership lessons in animated movies. Either I’m desperate to find examples of leadership, or Disney has done a good job of building character lessons into their films. Continue reading →

Why Your New Year’s Resolution Won’t Succeed

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“You’re going to be 40 anyway. Do you want to be 40 with a degree or without?” This was encouragement a friend gave her husband as he lamented how long it would take to get his degree going to school part-time. How often do we fail to start something because of how long it will take to reach our goals? We miss the big picture, though: we will still reach them, even if we are 40 or 50 or 90!

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Opportunity in the Turbulence

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We tend to like the calm. We like calm skies for our flights, calm waters when on a ship, and calm weather when traveling. The problem with calm is you always know what to expect. And while it makes it easier to fly, sail, or drive, it’s not necessarily the best thing in all areas of our lives.There is opportunity in turbulence. When industries are calm, it’s hard to get a foothold. The customers aren’t looking for someone new to buy from. There are no new differentiators between products. Things are pretty much status quo. If you are trying to get into the market or gain market share, it’s going to be tough. Why choose you over the industry leader? Continue reading →

Key Ingredient to Be the Best

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Do you have an all-consuming passion? I recently had the pleasure of being in the audience to hear a CEO of a Fortune 500 company speak about the company’s future. I sat enraptured by his passion and realized the most successful people have an all-consuming passion and focus.
This type of passion keeps leaders ahead of the competition. Since these leaders are passionate about the industry, they never feel they know enough and are driven to keep learning. Staying on the edge of the latest information allows them to make strategic decisions, helping differentiate their company from the rest.

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Refined by the Fire

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Picture a drill sergeant. Can you see that mean look and hear the yelling – are you cowering with fear? Cross that with a chicken with it’s head caught off, and you know exactly what I looked like on the day of my sister’s wedding. We were falling behind schedule, and a few things weren’t turning out as planned. As the ceremony time approached, my ability to see the bigger picture and what next steps or corrective actions were needed helped us get everything completed. However, my directive and impatient nature rose to the surface as I barked orders in abrupt (but efficient) ways.

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Why Are We Here: The Importance of Communicating Project and Team Purpose

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“And we could be fined for over $200 million!” The bigger picture came after the project had been in flight for a year. Setting and clarifying team priorities and the vision should be done up front, not when the project is behind schedule and the team is exhausted and wondering what the point was anymore. Why do we have such a difficulty communicating purpose and vision?

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Be More Successful by Not Working

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“I’ll sleep when I’m dead!” During college that was a common phrase among my friends. It was the embodiment of our “go, go, go” mentality. After college it changed from balancing school, homework, and social activities, to balancing work, personal development, family and friends, volunteering, and more! It is so easy to fill our lives with good things and forget to rest and take a break.

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6 Tips to Control Your E-Mail Instead of Letting It Control You

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Just throw it away! Or at least file it! I’m talking about those thousands of e-mails in your inbox. For those of you who are like me and have less than twenty e-mails in your inbox, this post isn’t for you. However, for those of you who have mentioned you have 1,900, 6,000, or that special person who has 67,000 e-mails in your inbox, pay attention!

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3 Reasons to Stop Shooting for the Moon

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My philosophy has always been, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars.” I’m a firm believer in Jim Collins’ BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals). Dreaming big builds excitement and enthusiasm that propels us into the future. It also allows the creativity to flow and generate new goals and ideas. However, there are times when big goals are simply unrealistic to the point they work against you.

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