Category Archives: Leadership Skills

3,000 Different Theories

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“If at first you don’t succeed try, try, try again.” This quote from William E. Hickson has been around a long time, 1857 in fact. Many times we let the fear of failure hold us back. Persistence pays off. As we take a look at some of the most famous individuals such as Thomas Edison or Abraham Lincoln, these gentlemen had several failures before they were ever able to have a win or success. As I learn about the different setbacks and disappointments that Abraham Lincoln encountered it provides me hope and humility that it doesn’t matter if we fail but if we pick ourselves back up and keep trying.

Thomas Edison constructed 3,000 different theories in connection with the electric light. If he had given up at failure 100 what would have happened? Failure can be a gift and the perspective gained that something needs to be changed or tweaked.

Sometimes the fear of failure is our greatest stumbling block. We have to look at the word fear and change its meaning to an acronym: False Evidence Appearing Real (FEAR). Faith and fear cannot reside together at the same time. So having faith and a strong belief that whatever the outcome will be the journey and process of trying is where the opportunities lie.

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Anatomy of relationships

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Why is it that there are some individuals on this planet that you instantly connect with and others who take a little bit of time?

This question has been one that I have often meditated upon. I find that those individuals whom I feel what I like to refer to as, “energy transference,” are the individuals I enjoy spending time with. What is meant by “energy transference?” Energy transference is when you feel positive and synergistic communication occurring between yourself and another. In contrast, have you ever met those folks who when you have a dialogue or exchange information with they suck the life right out of you? I know I have, and I have made it a priority to seek relationships that I feel positive energy from.

Some of our deepest relationships sometimes start off rocky or we misjudge the individual. One of my dearest friends growing up had the personality of someone who was aloof and unapproachable. As time went on and we had reason to interact I realized what an amazing woman she was and currently is. The lesson to each of us is to be careful not to judge. In fact if you become a perceiver instead of a judger you will experience more happiness.

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Appreciating Service

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While sitting in a restaurant the other day, I noticed the table next to me and how the serving staff was very attentive to this table and to all the surrounding tables.  What was interesting about my observation was how those folks sitting at the various tables were interacting with the restaurant staff. Each table was a little different.  One table was very gregarious and laughing it up while another table was very quiet and didn’t seem to notice those serving them.  The third table appeared to be very demanding and extremely rude from what I was observing.

Now if you have ever worked in the service industry you will probably recognize these different behaviors. Do you notice those serving you? Or do you go through life expecting service and never really acknowledge great service? Some service professionals are trained to be invisible while others are trained to connect and take more of a sales role. It is extremely interesting to observe political candidates and how they treat service staff at a networking function. If you have never done this, I would encourage you to try it sometime. Some individuals have a tendency to put forward an air of superiority while others are cognizant that they are not the only individuals walking the planet.

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Catch Me If You Can

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“Good decisions come from wisdom; Wisdom comes from experience; Experience comes from making bad decisions.”

–Author Unknown

Many years ago I had the opportunity to speak at and facilitate a conference where one of the most famous and recent national speakers of the day presented. The speaker’s name was Frank Abagnale. Between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one he was probably one of the century’s most cunning swindlers. Although misdirected he changed his life and eventually turned into an FBI instructor. Like many stories, this particular individual’s story was picked up and produced by Hollywood into a bestselling movie entitled, “Catch Me If You Can,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

I expected him to be a very gregarious and loud individual as a result of his portrayal on the silver screen. However, when I met the real man I was struck with how shy and humble he is. In fact, when I met him he verily looked me in the eye. I learned a lot from his presentation and his message is still today one worth listening to because as a con artist he was able to illicit trust from those he met instantly.

So let’s take a look at some of the characteristics of someone who is trustworthy.

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Raising Summer – We’re in trouble now!

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Raising Summer – We’re in trouble now!

Three weeks from today I will lose a daughter and gain a son-in-law.

How many of you have a child? Have you ever looked at a child and thought they are just like their Mom or Dad? That happened to me. It hit me like a lightning bolt. The child was my daughter Summer and from the minute she was born I could read her like a book. From the minute she started mentally processing life, I could tell what she was thinking because her brain is very similar to mine.

It’s pretty scary to look at your offspring and realize uh-oh, we’re in trouble now!

One the first precocious things she did was when she was three years old and we brought home a baby brother named Logan and about the second night we were home went in to pick up Logan from the crib and she was standing on his crib and shaking it and saying “wake-up baby, wake-up.” Figured out that night, Summer, needed to be put in a different bedroom.

When she was born and through her early years we were always told that she looked like her dad. Now, I’ll let you decide.  In several ways she is like her dad, but I can still read her like a book.

Unlike me, Summer has always spoken her mind from a very young age.

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