Change the Way You Think

Posted on by Scott

woman-1148923_640As a young professional, I used to listen to motivational guru Zig Ziglar. He was a top salesman turned motivational speaker who published a number of books and other materials regarding the keys to success. During my long work commutes in Nashville, Tennessee, I would often forgo the radio in favor of an audio book by Zig or one of his contemporaries. They always used to fire me up and put me in the right frame of mind for a successful day at the office.

Zig Ziglar used to say “If your thinking is stinking, then so is your business.” His point was that your mindset has a huge impact on the course of your work. The way you think determines, to a great extent, the outcomes you experience. Stinky thinking involves focuses your mind on negative things – failures, problems, worse case scenarios. Ruminating on these things causes you to unconsciously encourage them to come about.

I’ve seen this play out in my own life. The days where my mind is occupied by negative thoughts are my worst days. The more I let my mind drift into stink thinking, the more my mood suffers, and the more bad things happen. Conversely, when I consciously decide to focus my mind on positive things, my mood is better and good things tend to happen.

Mental health is a lot like physical health in that what you choose to put in determines what you get. If you want to feel better and be more physically fit, you have to eat the right kinds of food and participate in the right kind of exercise. Doing so prepares your body to move in ways that are beneficial vs. harmful. The way you approach your mental diet and exercise is, I believe, just as important.

As I prepare for the new year, one thing I plan to focus on is the way I think. I stopped making resolutions a long time ago. Instead, I make a list of three personal challenges. I write them down and post them on my mirror where I can see them every day. This helps me stay committed throughout the year.

My first personal challenge for 2017 is to change the way I think.

I’m going to picture success. Too many days find me in a bad mood before I even hit the office. My mind is picturing a confrontation with someone who cut me off on the drive in. I’m anticipating a heated debate regarding a controversial issue. I’m dreading a meeting that I don’t want to attend. These are symptoms of stinky thinking and I need to address them before they take root.

Before tackling the day, I’m going to try and create a mental image of a successful day. What will my meetings sound like? How will the various interactions unfold? What will I have accomplished by the time I go home that signals a good day? By envisioning the future that I want, I will be taking the first step toward making it a reality.

I’m going to focus on what’s possible. How often do you find yourself worrying about things beyond your control? There are times when I spend valuable mental energy griping internally about other people who don’t think the way I do or act in ways that seem counterproductive. I waste time waiting for others to get engaged or decide to move on projects I feel are important. These are also symptoms of stinky thinking and I need to redirect my thoughts in a sweeter-smelling direction.

I’m going to train my mind to zero in on the actionable steps that I can control instead of the things I can’t. What forward movement can I take, however small it may be? How can I prepare for opportunities that might lie just around the corner? What can I do with what I have, where I am, right now? By keeping a forward focus, I’ll be able to identify specific ways to contribute to my success.

I’m going to seek out positive inputs. My mental diet over the past several months has been horrendous. I’ve consumed a steady stream of negative political ads, name-calling, bickering, and general doom-and-gloom based news. Everything from my television to my Facebook feed has trended negative. This can’t possibly be good for my own mental outlook.

I’m going to make a conscious effort to seek out sources of positivity. I’ve already taken steps to block social media friends who post nothing but negative news or attacks on others. I plan to identify some constructive podcasts and excuse myself from gripe sessions when they start up around me. When what I listen to, watch, and even participate in is stinky, my thinking starts to smell as well. It’s up to me to fix it. By inviting more constructive things in, I’ll leave little room for the negative.

I’m confident that purposefully addressing the mental part of my game will have significant benefits for me in 2017. I’m curious to know what your mental diet looks like. What does your image of success look like? What do you do to keep yourself focused on the right things? Where do you find positive inputs to exercise your mind constructively? I invite you to share. Next week, I’ll share my second personal challenge for the year.

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Get Fired Up!

Posted on by Scott

match-268526_640Sometimes, you just run out of steam.

One day, you’re on fire; ready to tackle the world. These are the days when you get so much work done, and make so much forward progress, it feels like nothing can get in your way. The wins start stacking up. Your confidence swells. You end the day looking forward to tomorrow and the great things you’ll accomplish. It’s even hard to sleep because your mind is racing with ideas, answers, and possibilities.

But when morning comes, it feels like the tank is empty. All that energy and excitement is gone. In fact, you’re starting to wonder what made you think you could have an impact at all. Engaged? Nope. Motivated? Not a chance. It’s all you can do to get out of bed and put one foot in front of the other. Forget “seizing the day” or “taking the bull by the horns.” Maybe, if you’re lucky, you can make it to lunch without anyone asking too much of you. Maybe, if you go through the motions today, tomorrow will be better.

We all have those days when our confidence takes a hit. It certainly happens to me. Despite my best intentions, I just can’t muster enough willpower to ignite the spark that usually drives me to do my best work. Sometimes, it’s a bit of bad news that brings me down. Something doesn’t go my way and the setback seems particularly harsh – a key resource lets me down or a pet project falls flat.

Sometimes I just feel tired. The energy I’ve expended in recent days, either at work or even on projects outside the office, takes its toll and I need to recuperate. Sometimes a new project seems a little too big to tackle and I feel drained just thinking about it. I don’t feel confident in what I’m doing and my motivation takes a hit.

You’ve been there, haven’t you? No one can maintain a high level of motivation all the time. Everyone feels the drain. The key is to recognize what’s happening. Temporary drops in engagement are normal, possibly even healthy. But long-term disengagement is dangerous. I don’t like feeling that way. I like feeling energized by my work and look for ways to rekindle my motivation.

Back in January, I wrote about some things I do to stay motivated – activities that help boost my mood. Today, I want to share three mental exercises that I think are key to building confidence and, by extension, engagement. How we think determines how we act. How we act determines our impact.[Tweet “How we think determines how we act. How we act determines our impact.”]

Exercise #1 – WAKE UP!
The first step to rebuilding your confidence and motivation is to shake yourself out of the mental stupor that’s clouding your judgement. So what if something didn’t go your way? Who cares about that person who shot you down? Stop letting circumstances and people outside of your control dictate how you feel. Take ownership of your mental state and snap out of it.

Remember, you were born to do great things! You have talents and skills that no one else can provide! You have value that people desperately need. The longer you let self-doubt and hesitation keep you from reaching your potential, the longer you starve the world of your gifts. Now is the time to wake up!

Exercise #2 – GET UP!
You won’t accomplish anything just sitting there. Stop stewing in self-pity and malaise and start moving. The only way to realize your true potential is to act. That means it is time to attack your future head-on. Seize control of your emotions by engaging in activity that moves you forward.

Go for an easy win. Reach for the low hanging fruit. Take the first, tiny step forward. Get a small accomplishment under your belt and see how great it feels. Now use that feeling to propel forward into the next, more significant step. Build up some momentum and let inertia work for you. Now is the time to get up!

Exercise #3 – LOOK UP!
Once you’re on the move, keep your focus onward and upward. Let nothing pull your attention away from the goal. All it takes is one distraction to stall your efforts. That’s what caused you to lose confidence to begin with, right?

So don’t look back. This is not the time for “what if’s” and “if only’s.” If you start looking back at what could have been, you’ll feel the urge to wallow in the past. Don’t look around at what others are doing. It’s too easy to see someone doing something different or better. Self-doubt lives in our peripheral vision. So keep your eyes front and your feet moving. Now is the time to look up!

I’m constantly amazed at how quickly I can become my own worst enemy. One minute things are going great. The next, I’ve let my focus drift. I’ve stopped moving. I’ve fallen asleep. Thankfully, my mind is equally capable of reversing the downward spiral. Once I take control of my emotions by waking up, getting up, and looking up, I feel the fire within ignite. Once that fire gets burning, there’s nothing that can stop me.

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Creating Fanatical Fans

Posted on by Scott

Exclamation-PointsMy, how time flies. Where have the months gone? It seems like just yesterday we were singing Auld Lang Syne and here we are in December; just a few days away from the biggest event of the year.

I’m talking, of course, about the premier of Star Wars: The Force Awakens on Friday. I was nine years old when the original Star Wars film came out; before it was referred to as Episode IV: A New Hope. It was simply Star Wars.

I remember the anticipation I felt on the way to the theater to see the film. The advertisements for it on television had convinced me I was in for something special. And I was not disappointed. From the moment the movie started – with those iconic blue letters spelling out “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away…” – I was hooked. At the age of nine, I became a life-long fan.

Now that I think about it though, the word ”fan” isn’t quite good enough to describe my feelings for the Star Wars franchise. I was a fanatic. By Christmas of 1977 my bedroom resembled a shrine to my new passion. I had Star Wars sheets on my bed, Star Wars curtains on my windows, and every toy imaginable. If it had Star Wars on it, I wanted it. It’s safe to say I was a fanatic.

Fanatical fans are the goal of every business. A loyal fan base means repeat business, ongoing revenue, and enthusiastic referrals. But building a business worthy of that type of following isn’t easy. It takes an equally fanatical focus on the part of both management and staff to create something so special that, like Star Wars, it almost defies explanation.

To see if you have what it takes to command such a strong following, see how many of these blockbuster elements are present in what you have to offer:

  • A strong cast. It’s hard to create fans without a roster of superstars. Make sure to hire A-listers in order to ensure the quality of work only the best can offer. Pay attention to both those in front of the camera and those behind the scenes. Details count when your goal is producing a hit.
  • A compelling story. Do you have something interesting to share? Or does your pitch sound just like any number of tales that have been told before? Make sure to define what makes you different in order to stand out from the crowd.
  • A unique presentation. The most memorable movies present something viewers have never seen before – something that changes the industry. Everything that comes after is compared to this new standard. Identify what differentiates you from the competition and make sure to put it front and center.

Nearly forty years after first seeing Star Wars, I’m still a fan. I can’t wait for the new movie. Come Friday, you’re sure to find me sitting in the theater, popcorn in hand, grinning from ear to ear; feeling like I’m nine years old again. As long as the franchise keeps delivering the same level of experience, I’ll keep handing over my money.

See you at the movies!

For Better Results, Trying Slowing Things Down

Posted on by Scott

campfire-e1449461880550A few weeks ago, I started watching a television series called Longmire. Originally produced by A&E and picked up by Netflix last year, the show focuses on the exploits of Walt Longmire, a Wyoming sheriff. The sheriff and his deputies investigate a variety of crimes while navigating racial tensions between the locals and the inhabitants of a nearby Cheyenne Indian reservation – all against a backdrop of beautiful mountain scenery.

What appeals to me most about this series is the way Sheriff Longmire goes about solving each case. He never settles for the easy answer, instead preferring to dig deep into the facts and personalities surrounding each one. He makes plenty of mistakes, but his desire to do the right thing forces him to work harder and look further than others around him.

Longmire’s determination also means that some cases take several episodes to solve. The show is what I call a “slow burn.” As pieces of the puzzle start to come together, viewers are treated to some great character development and get to play detective right along with the cast. The end result is a story that’s more satisfying than most.

I think we could use a little more slow burn these days. It seems like life (particularly work life) has become so fast-paced and harried, that we just don’t have time to engage in a study of any one aspect for very long. We’ve become used to fast answers, obvious solutions, and projects that are organized and efficient. Along the way, we settle for the easiest option. We jump to conclusions. And we avoid those people or issues that might require more than a cursory glance to understand.

But the slow burn comes with some pretty compelling benefits; more in-depth information, better decisions, and stronger relationships. As desirable as those are, they typically lead to even better things – increased loyalty, higher productivity, more sales, and stronger revenues. Those are results any business would be happy to invest in.

For most of us though, slowing down takes conscious effort. It doesn’t come naturally. Only those with a desire for something more than moderate success are willing to endure the slow burn. If you think you are up to the challenge, here are three disciplines to pursue.

  1. Take time to build relationships. Most of the people we work with are little more than strangers. Make an effort to change that. Have real, honest conversations with people. Learn about their history, their passions, and their dreams.
  2. Take time to make better decisions. Resist the urge to dismiss an idea because it’s new, risky, or goes against your preferred way of operating. Commit to keeping your mind open to new possibilities.
  3. Take time to let things build. Recognize that, for best results, you often have to allow things to develop over time. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day – and good things come to those who wait. Give worthy projects the time they need to mature.

Netflix just announced plans for a fifth, expanded season of Longmire. It seems like the slow burn is working for the show – and for Netflix. While there are times that moving quickly is called for, I for one plan to try taking advantage of this tactic as I start my next season. I invite you to tune in as well.

What Makes a Top Performer?

Posted on by Scott

image

Last week, I had a conversation with a couple of people about identifying their top customers. It’s been my experience that when asked to name their best customers – that is, those who contribute the most to the business – the majority of people get it wrong. A look into actual sales data and performance of actual accounts over time always reveals others who contributed more. In fact, those that were considered “top” customers often prove to be hurting the business. Their demands for refunds and special treatment make them a burden rather than an asset.

The same can be said of employees I think. A manager’s perception of their team’s top performers is very often skewed. Someone who knows the right things to say or manages to be in the right place at the right time is not necessarily a key contributor. Digging into some actual performance data reveals that the actual work was conducted by others, people who may not be in a position of influence. The one you think is a top performer may in fact be riding on the coattails of the organization’s true heroes.

How do you identify a top performer? How do you know you are one them?

Top Performers Will: Top Performers Won’t:
  • Volunteer for new challenges.
  • Wait for someone to tell them what needs to be done.
  • Give credit where credit is due.
  • Allow you to believe they contributed more than they did.
  • Have a track record of steady contribution.
  • Have a hard time explaining their individual contribution to the team.
  • Identify ways to improve the organization.
  • Bad-mouth the organization.
  • Look for opportunities to assist others.
  • Shrug their shoulders when others encounter difficulty.
  • Work to build a history of performance.
  • Rely on friendships or past successes.
  • Have the support of those who work closest to them.
  • Be resented for failing to act as part of the team.

As a manager, do you know who your top performers really are? Are you relying on hearsay, assumptions, or friendships to guide your perception of team performance? If you were to dig a little deeper into actual performance, who would stand out?

As an employee, are you contributing in a way that identifies you as a top performer? Are you producing actual work or claiming success that really isn’t yours? Would those who see what you do on a daily basis refer to you as a top performer?

We all want to be seen as a marquee player. And everyone wants to have superstars on their team. The good news is top performers, like top customers, are easy to spot. You just have to know what to look for. What attributes tell you someone is a top performer?

The Power of Small Moves

Posted on by Scott

 

shoes

Last week I bought a pair of running shoes.

It’s a small thing really. Many of you may shrug it off as insignificant. But for me it’s huge. I’ve never thought of myself as an athlete, much less a runner. I still don’t. My pursuits generally lean in a more leisurely direction. Running was something I did when one of my children cried out in pain. I’m not a total couch potato. My involvement with the Boy Scouts of America occasionally found me camping, hiking, or canoeing. Other than that though, I was pretty sedentary. And it showed.

I’m one of the millions of Americans who would moan about the unhealthy state of my body, suck in to button my pants, and then reach for a second helping of some greasy, fattening junk food. I regularly promised myself that this would be the week I did something about my health. This would be the week I finally got serious about exercising and eating better. But like so many others, I never did it.

Then a couple of months ago I participated in a Color Run. I walked the event, huffing and puffing the entire way. With each step, I grew more and more frustrated with myself and my lack of discipline. I was surrounded by hundreds of people at least as unhealthy as me, but all I saw were the strong, toned bodies running seemingly effortlessly ahead of me. I thoroughly enjoyed the event, but it made an impression on me. Something clicked and spurred me to action. I decided to stop wishing and start doing.

I began by searching for beginner workout plans. I came across one called “90 Days of Action” that looked fairly easy. It features two or three exercises a day using only your body weight. The total time investment is maybe ten minutes. Surely, I thought, I can commit to ten minutes a day. I’m motivated by seeing clear progress, so I made a chart and started marking off the days.

As promised, the workouts were short and not so difficult that I couldn’t manage them. After a week or so of crossing off the days, I read about the American Heart Association’s recommendation to take 10,000 steps per day. I downloaded an app to my phone and started walking. That led to discussions with a couple of people about the Fitbit bands they were wearing. I ordered one. A recommended companion app got me to tracking my calorie intake. Almost subconsciously, I started adjusting – ever so slightly – what and how much I ate. Then one day last week, in the midst of walking around the park, the thought came to me …

“I think I could run for a little bit.”

 

It’s often said that people are afraid of change. That’s not true. If people feared change we would never buy new clothes, trade in our cars, or rearrange the furniture in our house. No, people don’t fear change. What we fear is transition; the work it takes to move from one state to another. We want the change to take place – we just balk at the act of changing.

I think most transitions fail because we try to take on too much at once. There’s a reason gym membership goes up right after New Year’s Day and falls off less than three months later. There’s a reason most attempts at dieting don’t stick. It’s because those moves are too big. They involve too much change at once. The finish line is too far off and the mountain just seems too high. All it takes is one small slip and we feel like we’ve failed. Game over.

The secret to successful change, I believe, lies in small moves. It requires taking a long-term view as opposed to our typical “I want it now” expectations of instant gratification. It means taking things slow and focusing our energy on the first small step – the first small chunk. That allows us to more easily get back up if we stumble. It also allows us to achieve victory, however small, a lot sooner. And each small victory provides the boost you need to tackle the next step.

Chinese philosopher Laozi once said “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” That makes more and more sense to me. Taking the first step is always the hardest, so why not make it a small one – a downhill step if you will. That makes step two easier. Step three becomes easier still. Pretty soon you look back and gaze in wonder at how far you’ve traveled.

I didn’t set out to become a runner. All I did was take the first step. And then last week… I bought a pair of running shoes.

The Keys to Peak Performance

Posted on by Scott

basketball

The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there. -Vince Lombardi

If you’ve never been a professional basketball fan, now is a good time to tune in. The Cleveland Cavaliers are locked in a tough battle with the Golden State Warriors for the NBA championship. The first two games went into overtime, a first for a finals series, and both teams are bringing their best in a bid for the title.

On display are two of the game’s elite players. The marquee player for the Warriors is Stephen Curry, the regular season MVP. The Cavaliers are led by Lebron James – arguably the best player on the planet. These two men bring their best game after game and, as a result, raise the level of play from their teammates.

Whether you’re talking about athletes, craftsmen, salespeople, or service providers; there are certain traits that set the best apart. I’m not talking about natural ability or physical characteristics. What puts top performers on the top is the way they approach the game.

Top performers constantly look to improve. The best of the best are never satisfied with their performance. They know there’s always something more they can do to get better. There’s always something else they can do to elevate their game. And knowing there’s something they can do to improve, they can’t sit still. They feel compelled to pursue the next level.

Top performers seek out feedback. There’s only so far you can improve on your own. Those who seek excellence understand that assistance is necessary for them to move on. So they reach out to the best resources they can find – their coach, other experts, more experienced players – and ask them for help. You don’t achieve elite status without inviting others to evaluate your performance. Assessment isn’t viewed as an inconvenience; it’s considered a necessity.

Top performers respond to constructive criticism. Superstars welcome criticism more than accolades. It’s not that they don’t appreciate praise and validation; but “atta-boys” alone don’t help you improve. To achieve greatness, you have to understand what’s keeping you from it. You need someone who will point out your weaknesses and then help you tackle them. The elite need to hear the bad news; but they need to hear it from someone who cares about their success. In the end, they stand on top; but they don’t stand alone.

As of this writing the Warriors have the advantage, having gone up three games to two in the best-of-seven series. Regardless of which team winds up on top, I’m enjoying the show. Seeing top performers do what they do best is always a treat.

Runnin’ With the Devil (In the Details)

Posted on by Scott

van halen 1984

In just a few weeks rock legends Van Halen kick off their North American tour. This is their first round of shows in several years and features original lead singer David Lee Roth. As you can imagine, fans of the original lineup are exited (even though bassist Michael Anthony has been replaced with Eddie Van Halen’s son Wolfgang). Tickets are selling fast and the band has already had to add additional dates to the tour.

As a child of the seventies and a fan of rock & roll, I grew up with Van Halen playing on the radio. It’s with only a small amount of embarrassment that I admit I was part of the band’s official fan club back in the day (I think I may actually still have my membership card somewhere). So I was pretty well versed in all things Van Halen.

Like many music celebrities, the band was known for their extravagant shows and eccentric behaviors. Stories abounded about the odd demands found within their appearance contracts. One of the more notorious involved their choice of snacks. Hidden within the detailed instructions regarding stage setup and light rigging was often a requirement that a bowl of M&Ms be placed in the dressing room – with all of the brown M&Ms removed. If a single brown piece of candy was found in the bowl, the band would demand a step by step review of every aspect of the show’s set and equipment. Rumor has it that Roth once trashed a dressing room, causing thousands of dollars in damage, after brown M&Ms were discovered.

It sounds like just another example of diva-like behavior from self-absorbed musicians, right? Or was it?

As Roth explains in his autobiography, this specific contract rider served an important purpose. Van Halen put on a complex show that involved lots of heavy equipment with very specific setup parameters. Sloppy work by venues at some early shows had led to several accidents, some of them nearly fatal. The M&M request became the band’s way of verifying crews had followed the necessary specifications. If the bowl of M&Ms was missing, or included brown candies, then something more critical was likely to have been overlooked as well.

How you handle the little things determines how you handle the big things. Indeed, the little things often are the big things. But unless you have some way of measuring attention to these details, problems may not surface until it’s too late. Attention to detail only makes sense if the details are taken care of. So you have to inspect what you expect.

What are the small things your team needs to execute well? What are the seemingly insignificant details that make a big difference in providing superior experience or achieving growth goals? And most importantly, how will you inspect what you expect?

 

The Music of Mastery

Posted on by Scott

guitar

My son Alex and I recently started taking guitar lessons. We’ve made attempts at it in the past; but online videos, DVDs, and instruction manuals just didn’t do the trick. We’ve only had two or three lessons to this point and we’re both excited about our progress. Even though we’re just at the beginning of this journey, I’ve already made a few observations that I believe apply to mastering any new skill.

Getting started is the hardest part. The first time you pick up a guitar, it feels awkward. Everything is new. You really have to think about where your fingers should go – and it hurts. In the beginning, your finger tips are sensitive. They aren’t used to the pressure it takes to properly play the notes. But with time, your fingers develop calluses. With regular practice, the movements that felt so foreign start becoming second nature. The thing is though, you have to fight through that initial phase. Mastery is the result of practicing until new becomes normal.

Focus on mastering the fundamentals. There are hundreds of different chords, strumming patterns, and combinations of each that one can play on the guitar. Looking at the volume of techniques that are possible is overwhelming. But most popular songs can be played with four to seven basic chords. It makes sense then to spend time practicing these basics before moving on to more complex skills. Use the 80/20 rule to your advantage. Mastery is the result of perfecting a few key behaviors.

Personal instruction trumps going it alone. Alex and I struggled during our attempts to learn guitar on our own. He didn’t have the discipline to stick to a regular practice schedule and I wasn’t sure if I was using the right technique. Now that we attend lessons with a personal instructor, things are different. We have someone who suggests a course of action, models proper technique, and holds us accountable for sticking to the plan. Mastery is the result of partnership with someone invested in your success.

Mastering a new skill set can be intimidating, frustrating, and exhausting. It can also be very rewarding. I don’t expect to be playing Carnegie Hall any time soon; but that’s ok. Strumming with my son around a campfire is more my style anyway.

What new skill would you like to master?

The Price of Apathy

Posted on by Scott

meh[1]

Every day, managers struggle with problems caused by employee turnover. Finding and keeping good people is hard. Vacant positions put a strain on the rest of the team as they work to pick up the slack. Of course the problem isn’t solved once a hire is made. Getting a new member of the team up to speed takes time. They have to learn not only the mechanics of the job, but related policies and procedures – not to mention the culture of the team. In some cases, turnover is so high that it feels like you can never get caught up.

It hurts when good people quit and leave. It hurts worse when they quit and stay.

Apathy is a silent killer lurking inside just about every organization. It’s deadly because it drains the life out of anything and anyone it touches. Projects and presentations fall flat. Communication stops. Customers and coworkers languish in a sea of confusion and frustration. Forward momentum halts and business suffers.

I’m not talking about the occasional case of burnout. We all have experienced burnout from time to time. The disengagement I’m referring to goes deeper. Author Kristi Hedges reports that almost half of all US workers say they don’t even like their job, and 18% of leaders are actively disengaged.

Recently, this last statistic was hammered home with me. I was involved in a conversation with a manager whose business is losing customers like crazy. Through the first four months of the year, his territory has lost millions of dollars in revenue. When presented with the suggestion to seek out assistance with developing a strategic plan, his response was “I don’t care.”

So what causes good people to check out? Hedges offers these eight common workplace demotivators.

  1. Micromanagement
  2. Lack of progress
  3. Job insecurity
  4. No confidence in leadership
  5. Lack of accountability
  6. Poor communication
  7. Unpleasant coworkers
  8. Boredom

As today is Memorial Day, the day set aside to honor those who gave their life while serving our country, I can’t help but think about the men and women this day commemorates. Talk about engaged. Talk about the opposite of apathy.

How petty of me to mentally check out from my work when they bought my freedom by going “all in.” What better way to honor their sacrifice by giving my all to the work I have chosen.

Will you join me? Will you shrug off whatever negative feelings are keeping you from doing your best? Will you instead commit to fully engaging in making the world around you a better place?

Your organization needs you. Your team members need you. Your customers need you. They need you to wake up and plug in. They need you to care.

I hope you enjoyed your holiday weekend. I also hope you returned to work refreshed, refocused, and recommitted to do your best.