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It doesn’t matter where you grew up in the United States, or even when — just about everyone I know at some point had to write an essay or give a presentation about their summer vacation at the onset of the new school year. For me, that always involved two highlights — a road trip…

When I first started watching Ted Lasso a couple of years ago, it was a ray of light during the heaviness of the pandemic. In case you haven’t seen this delightful streaming comedy, it’s about a well-intentioned “fish out of water” American coach who transforms an elite UK football team’s performance and the lives of everyone around…

Are you the kind of person who fixates on one mistake or adverse comment after receiving an avalanche of praise? Ever find yourself consistently paying more attention to bad news over good? That’s true for many individuals and I’ve certainly been guilty of it in the past. However, when you consistently choose pessimism over optimism,…

For me, having a great conversation is like scoring a winning lottery ticket that pays out in joy instead of cash. So, you can imagine my excitement when Joe Boyd, CEO of Leadercast, asked me this intriguing question during our recent interview for his podcast: Who was a mythical / fictional mentor to you growing up? I…

Living in the moment. Being more present. Embracing mindfulness. Whatever you call it, research has shown that being aware of and focusing on your current circumstance – rather than ruminating constantly on the past or what lies ahead, improves your well-being and ability to handle stress. However, while the concept sounds great, many over-achievers, for lack of…

Are you are used to keeping certain items separate? You know, things like church and state, ensuring the peas on your plate go nowhere near the mashed potatoes and always sitting your mom and Aunt Edna at opposite sides of the room to avoid World War III. Apply that to the workplace, and you might…

Let me tell you about one of my favorite people at work, Scott McDaniel. Sure, he is a super-smart C-level executive with decades of impressive accomplishments. But what is most impressive about McDaniel, who I’ve nicknamed McD, is the delightful way he leads with humor. He sends the perfect memes to alleviate boring meetings. For the…

A lot has been written about what makes a leader great. Good communication skills and passion–check. Decisiveness, strong vision, perseverance, and integrity–check. Another quality that should be on that short list–especially in our post-pandemic world–is gratitude. The act of thanking others and expressing your appreciation in the workplace can go a long way in creating…

3 Ways to Learn How to Trust Yourself Any business can try to brew a soda, fry chicken, or make an industrial lubricant. But if you think about Coca-Cola, Kentucky Fried Chicken, or WD-40, those companies have become blockbuster brands by virtue of their storied secret ingredients (in addition to some darned good marketing). The…

Sometimes I see a quote that perfectly captures what I’m thinking. This being the start of a new year and all, in this case, it’s about making changes in your life – “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got,” by that ever popular source, Anonymous. In other…