TEAMWORK. Most of us know that true teamwork is the key that unlocks not only the collective potential – yet the individual potential as well. In my business experience, every successful team I was on – or that I led – was 100% attributable to the folks with whom I worked. Period. The rising tide truly …

Recently, I have been engaged with a few organizations and teams who are struggling to build good working environments. We have all heard the adage ‘team work makes the dream work’ and this most certainly is true. Most of us have been members of teams and organizations that were, in a word, dysfunctional. No one was happy. …

This past week I was in my hometown, refueling my gas tank as my father would say, with my little rescued white schnauzer, Lulu.The week was magical as it almost always is when I am at the lake house. Peaceful, introspective, and rejuvenating. To my surprise, I read an article in my hometown paper that struck …

As I wrote about in my 2nd book, “Is This Seat Taken? It’s Never Too Late to Find the Right Seat”, there is no question that each of us always have the power of choice. Many may think they do not – that things are ‘out of their control’, and yes, that may be true for many things: the economy, the political environment, the weather, social security, and even healthcare. However, how we respond, is 100% up to us.

As we come back from the long Fourth of July holiday, the lovely, lazy summer days will seem far away when the stresses of every day work life pile up on us again. We have all been there; when there just aren’t enough hours in a day. When office politics threaten our sense of security and ability to maintain our self worth. When internal and external competition can erode our sense of accomplishment and contribution. I get it. After all, this is ‘earth school’ and we all live with these challenges.

As an avid thoroughbred racing fan, having been reared in Hot Springs, Arkansas….home of Oaklawn Racetrack and the Arkansas Derby, I watched with wild enthusiasm the race season leading up to the Triple Crown. The stories leading up to the Belmont Stakes are nothing short of inspiring. Here are the facts about the race and the players…

Who has not been the recipient of mean girl behavior? And as for my male followers, I can assure you that your wife and your daughters have been victims at least once in their lives….odds are many more times than just once. And yes, these mean girls do grow up and become mean women. I have been the punching bag more than once, and the meanest experience I ever had in my life happened just a few years ago. There is so much we can learn from these experiences AND so much we can teach….

We have had such a tumultuous winter in many parts of the world. Ice, snow, power outages…..and they often hit at the most inopportune times. For example, my 2nd book launch and associated signing fell on the same day as Dallas was to get a few inches of traffic-stopping ice! It did not actually happen, yet many succumbed to the ‘fear’ of its potential. AND still others…….

Over the past few months, I have lost several individuals who were integral to my life. Yes, we know this is a part of life, and as my father would say, “None of us get out of here alive”. However, what can we learn from these inevitable transitions? A few observations:

I dare say, there is not a single person who at least once in his or her life has not faced an unexpected situation, a newfound reality, a daunting challenge, or veiled opportunity and not wondered what to do. You may feel that you have made poor choices, that your opportunities have passed you by, or that you’re playing musical chairs, the music has stopped, and all the seats are taken.