Posted on Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Is Limited Time Liberating?

There I was, a strong-headed young man. I was just 24-year-old and on my first job. My earning, before taxes, was a measly $200! And there was a problem.

Our office was about ten kilometers from town. My commute involved taking two buses to and from work. It also meant that I spent about 20% of my meager earnings on the road.

There was a possibility to cut my spending by half. And that was a big motivator too! But our boss at the time would not hear of us clocking out 30 minutes early. This would give us the opportunity to use the courtesy bus into town.

His argument was that our workday was eight hours long with one-hour lunch break. However, we were willing to forgo 30 minutes of our lunch break. But he would hear none of it!

Posted on Saturday, April 11, 2015

Do These 5 Things To Redeem Time

Why do I struggle with time? Sometimes the air is filled with raw stress. My desk looks like a tornado swept by. I can’t even find my own thoughts!

Time is in such short supply. Or is it? Since I started my foray into entrepreneurship, time has been one big battle. I work from my home office. The temptation to stay “switched on” to work is very high.

There is no commute. I can work for any stretch of time as I want. However, I can feel the conflict this is bringing to my relationships. “Just one more hour to fix this or sort out that,” I tell myself. The cumulative effect is frightening!

I thought back to my reader survey a few weeks ago. My surprise was a common thread in response to the following question: “If there is one service that could solve the biggest leadership, communication or branding problem that you have, what would that be?”

The responses were around time management, getting started, shifting goals, tools for meeting management and technology in decision-making. I could identify with the responses.

Posted on Tuesday, March 31, 2015

7 Behaviors That Shape A Leader

Ouch! Where in the high heaven did that pain come from? I had just bent over to pick up a book from a low shelf. The sharp pain in my back felt like I’d been skewered.

There is one behavior that I have neglected over the last couple of months. My fitness has taken a back seat. It has been a season of major content development. Inadvertently, I have traded a useful habit for a sedentary one. My body feels bloated and sluggish. It had developed a character of its own.

It did not matter how flat I lay, the pain persisted. I tried a hot pack and muscle relaxant to no avail. Nothing worked but some strong pain medication. The following morning, I started off with gentle stretches. I then graduated back to walking and a little biking.

Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows their image.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The change was first evident in my mind. I felt more alert and energetic. The sluggishness in my body began to lift. And the pain gradually eased off.

Posted on Friday, March 20, 2015

3 Traps Any Leader Must Avoid

It was story time! My kids were all ears as I recounted a painful, but memorable, tale from my childhood. It was about my encounter with sheep.

Our neighbor had a small flock of sheep. On occasion, they would break their pen and raid our vegetable patch. And my mum’s instructions were firm, “Drive those wooly critters off my patch!” I did not need another invitation.

With a big stick, I jumped the sheep. Whack! My stick connected with the rear flank of one sheep. It took of running with its flock-mates in tow. The air filled with dust and loud bleating. Satisfied that they were far away, I turned and ran back home.

That was a bad idea. I had almost made it back to our gate. Then I found myself flying through the air. A ram from the flock had tracked me down. He planted his head smack into my backside. I fell in a dusty heap, bleeding from scratches and writhing in pain.

Posted on Friday, March 13, 2015

The Art Of Work

It is the reality for every man, woman and child…work! We desire that our work is an adventure. However, at some point, the majority of us become too engrossed in the noise around us. We are overwhelmed and controlled by what is thrown our way. And we give up.

At the dawn of 2014, I quit my job that had left me feeling hollow on the inside. It was the culmination of serious soul-searching and healing of my soul. It was catalyzed the publishing my first book. That was my preparation into a future where work transformed into art.

I had never taken the time to chronicle my progression from work as a duty to the art of work. This is where my friend Jeff Goins nails it!

Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2015

Our Words Matter, Make Them Count!

Today’s guest post is by Dr. Stacy Feiner. She is an executive coach for the middle market and author of Talent Mindset: The Business Owner’s Guide to Building Bench Strength. Contact Stacy any time through her website or email.

The words we choose to describe employee performance can unknowingly stifle growth. Fortunately, we also can power up our language to promote growth and engagement.

What we write on an employee’s performance appraisal can determine whether a promotion is approved or denied. What we say during the selection process—the single words we use to describe a candidate’s skills, personality, experience and potential—will factor in to whether that prospect gets hired for the job. Our words matter, but the problem is the words we use are so wildly subjective. We use words but we don’t take time to choose words.

We think we are saying what we mean, but the words we choose are really just shorthand for approval or rejection. We tend to fall back on professional jargon and generic labels rather than providing thoughtful, deliberate feedback. When we chose our words, we are more genuine in our message, more sincere in our purpose, and others know that we put thought into the feedback we’re offering.

Posted on Wednesday, March 4, 2015

7 Keys To Change Your Game!

I’ve heard this many times, “When life gives you a lemon, make lemonade!” Well, I got fed up with the lemonade business. But why is it so hard to take the action needed to improve my lot?

I was unsettled and felt I have something greater to offer the world. However, I felt stuck, like trying to walk in a sea of thick mud.

You may feel like a square peg in a round holes. You want to thrive but end up like an animal trapped in a cage. The more you run, the faster the wheel spins to nowhere. Have you dueled with thoughts like these in the middle of the night?

I need a break!
I crave or desire joy.
I want to live with significance.

This was me for 20 years. It took me that long to unearth my life’s purpose. When I did, I never looked back! It took a lot of work, but I am now on the way to life with a greater purpose.

“There is no passion to be found playing small… in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” ~Nelson Mandela

I am honored to share with you the exact steps I took. The Game-changer’s Manifesto is part of my journey to inspire and impact people like you. It is just the beginning…

Are you ready to discover your life’s purpose? Sign up to LeadByChoice and get instant access to your free manifesto.

Posted on Monday, February 16, 2015

Respect Begins With You

This guest post is by Frank Sonnenberg. He is an award-winning author and has written five books and over 300 articles. Frank was recently named one of “America’s Top 100 Thought Leaders” and nominated as one of “America’s Most Influential Small Business Experts.” Additionally, FrankSonnenbergOnline was named among the “Best 21st Century Leadership Blogs.” Frank’s new book, Follow Your Conscience, was released November 2014.

You may be able to fool others, but you can’t fool yourself. If you want self-respect, it’s important to set high standards, remain true to your beliefs and values, listen to your conscience, and never stop trying until you do yourself proud.

Sure, you’ll make mistakes and you may even fail along the way. But at least you’ll know, in your heart, that you gave it your best effort and you lived your life the right way. And that has self-respect written all over it.

Now think about the people with whom you come into contact each day. Some of those folks demand respect because of their age, wealth, or position. Others feel entitled to respect because they’re popular, have a big office, or because they’ve won awards. And still others think that everyone deserves respect regardless of their actions. The truth is, many of them don’t even respect themselves.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re young or old, rich or poor, work on the top floor or down in the basement, everyone earns respect the same way. You can’t require respect or demand it. You can’t cut deals or take shortcuts. You can’t buy respect or even place a price tag on it. And that’s because respect is priceless. Earn it every day!

Frank has served on several boards and has consulted to some of the largest and most respected companies in the world.

Posted on Monday, February 9, 2015

Leaders Create a Stained Glass Experience

I am excited to host Chip R. Bell’s guest blog. Chip is a renowned keynote speaker and best-selling author. His newest book, Sprinkles: Creating Awesome Experiences Through Innovative Service, is available on Amazon. Find more resources on Sprinkles or connect with Chip.

My son and his fiancé elected to get married in a large antique church in mid-town Atlanta. Their choice of church was driven in part by the magnificent stained glass windows in the sanctuary. Just at the “I do” part of their late afternoon ceremony, the setting sun suddenly showered through one giant stained glass window sending a mosaic of bright colors over the wedding party. It took our breath away!

What if customer service was like a stained glass window? It would mean service that is arched, not a plain square or rectangle. It would be distinctive and very colorful. It would be handmade and special, not cookie cutter like an ordinary window. And, it would create a story-to-tell in the memory of the recipient.

Service with sprinkles is like a stained glass experience to customers. It lightens up their day, it surprise them with compelling artistry, and it decidedly unique and unexpected

Bottom line – this book is about your bottom line. Customers today crave special and unique. They are not only tired of ho-hum, they are bored with the ‘pretty-good-but-nothing-to-write-home-about’ kind of service. When a large brokerage firm decided to have fun with their phone tree by adding ‘punch 8 to hear a duck quack.’ they were stunned when over a million people a week called just to hear the duck. The punch line? Customers want service à la mode. They gravitate toward people with spirit, organizations with imagination, and leaders with spunk. They want their service experiences delivered with sprinkles.” ~Chip R. Bell

How are you bringing a stained glass experience to your customers? Click here and share a memorable service experience you’ve had.

Posted on Friday, February 6, 2015

5 Steps To Get Your Dream Organized

The human mind needs very little encouragement to explore. Even the most introverted of minds has the ability to wander off once in a while. We love to dream [have a vision] of possibilities. And dreams excite us!

In 1980, my brother and I hunkered down in a hidden corner of our garden with a bundle of pencils and a table-top sharpener. Our dream? To grind the pencils into saw dust. The goal was a pile of sawdust for us to flip somersaults on. We anticipated an afternoon of fun and play.

Needless to say, we failed miserably! Fifty pencils later, all we had to show for our effort was a few handfuls of shavings and graphite. And boy didn’t we get a hiding from my mom.