As the generations change, so does the approach to managing performance in the workplace. A couple of generations ago, performance was managed in an annual conversation and written evaluation. The annual performance review proved to provide very little developmental value over and over again, but we...
Throughout my life, I have watched people chase after the illusive brass ring. They define the lifestyle they want and chase after the lifestyle as if it will bring them the joy they have been missing. They think that the right car, the right house, or the right significant other will be the key. I ...
Think about the habits you have formed that lead directly to your success. Then, think about the habits you have that keep you from succeeding at the level you should. Each of our good or bad habits gives us a reward for their implementation. Procrastination gives us relief right now from thinking a...
When I started my business in 1999, I was less than organized in my approach to success. I tried to keep my calendar organized through a combination of notepads and memory. It was not a winning combination. I started my business in September of 1999, so my 4th Quarter came quickly. I missed an appoi...
I have been fascinated by the human mind for most of my life. One particular aspect of humanity that has interested me is the ups and downs of the human outlook. I have coached a number of people who have set big goals, accomplished them, and then felt somewhat depressed afterward. It was the letdow...
Each of us operates under a certain rhythm we have developed throughout our lives. Everyone is driven by this rhythm, but most never know what it is. The rhythm has been called a habit loop, daily patterns, preconscious thought, and a host of other labels. No matter what it is called, it is what dri...
Charles Cooley suggested that we are not simply what we perceive ourselves to be. Instead, we are what we imagine others perceive us to be. His theory, known as “The Looking-Glass Self,” proposed that we create the value of ourselves based on paying attention to what others around us think of us. Th...
In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Outliers, he talked about the 10,000-hour rule as the basis for a person becoming an expert in a given area. I was fascinated with the book and have always loved his writing. He told a number of stories demonstrating that experts in various areas gave 10,000 hours of effo...
One of the great fallacies of our thinking is looking at those who do the same thing as us and believe they are the competition. Things changed significantly in my life when I realized the only real competition that existed was who I used to be. This realization shifted me from making decisions base...
Everything we want in life comes at a price. If we want success, we trade time, discipline, talent, and often more to get the success we want. If we want a great relationship, we trade arrogance, deceit, and self-centeredness. If we want a great life, we trade our bad habits and laziness to get that...
I believe we overcomplicate our lives through indecision. We try to imagine every possibility of how things can turn out. We imagine what others will think of us, what we will think of ourselves, and even worry at times that others won’t think of us. But none of that really matters. What matters is ...
As employers, we often think we are selling a paycheck and discipline to potential employees. I just don’t think they want to buy those things with their time. This is likely why most employers immediately think they are short-staffed because they don’t pay enough. But what is it that employees real...
