Force Multiplier
“Perpetual Optimism is a Force Multiplier”, declares General Colin Powell in his autobiography, as Rule #13 of his Rules to Live By. His remarkable life experiences and significant accomplishments are a testament to that belief. The defining word here is “perpetual”. To provide exponential effects, optimism must be ever-present; it can’t be occasional, moody or […]
Tell Your Story
You are the only person who can tell your story exactly the way it should be told. After all, you’re the one living it! If you keep your thoughts, ideas and experiences to yourself, they are secrets, not stories. This article marks my 200th attempt to share my story with you. I began writing “Cultivation(s)” […]
First Things First
It’s really easy to get ahead of yourself. When the adrenaline kicks in, the impulse is to just charge ahead without the required focus to suit the situation. Enthusiasm is a good thing; however, unbridled enthusiasm can wreak havoc behind you when that first ride ends! It can also leave you bruised and unwilling to […]
“Every Mower Matters”
ExMark Manufacturing’s director of marketing spoke those three simple words, as he explained their corporate philosophy during a recent visit to their main plant. That phrase is not merely a slogan, however; it’s clearly a strong belief and way of being for their team members. From the moment you arrive at Exmark’s Beatrice, Nebraska plant […]
Power of One
A message has more impact when it is delivered clearly and with a singular focus. A business that shares One Purpose, One set of Values, One Culture, One (Business / Financial) Language and One Identity, has the potential to become more than simply the sum of its parts. Much more. Together, these things create a […]
Gratitude
Gratitude is the Number One Ingredient in Happiness. If you’re not grateful, it’s impossible to be happy. Finding pleasure in small things makes all the difference, because the effect is cumulative. It’s easy to take day-to-day experiences for granted, but doing so is to miss out on the greatest opportunities for appreciation. A smile, a […]
The Seven P’s
Here they are: Proper Planning and Preparation Prevent Piss- Poor Performance. The British Army is given credit for this powerful expression, but it was offered up just this week by one of our own talented financial analysts – in a Sales Training workshop of all places! I think his version may have been the softened […]
By the People…
A student of history should recall these important lines from Lincoln’s 1863 Gettysburg address: “It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that […]
Create Something!
Ideas are wonderful things. They come about in all sorts of ways and take many forms; sometimes they emerge from reflection, other times through problem-solving, yet others from divine inspiration, or even seemingly “out of the blue”! How they come about doesn’t determine their value. The ultimate value of an idea only develops when you […]
2,581 Miles
How many miles can you drive in 24 hours straight? A three driver team managed to travel 2,581 miles in that time-frame during last weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, at an average clip of roughly 108 miles per hour. That includes shifting up to nearly 200 mph on the brief straightaways and then down-shifting to […]