Leadership

We all experience conflict throughout our lives. Conflict with colleagues. Conflict with friends. Conflict with family. And that conflict really affects us, it gets inside our heads and gnaws away at us when we would rather be focused on other things. Simply put, when conflict isn’t properly addressed, we aren’t able to give the best…

No matter where you live or what team you root for, you’ve heard the buzz surrounding the World Series playoffs between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros. For the Dodgers especially, it has been 29 years since they won, or even made it into, the World Series. Six intense games between both teams later,…

We all want to be happy. But we don’t always know how to get there. Ultimately, there are two paths: We can let life happen and hope that all the circumstances of our lives come together in just the right way. The other option is to take active steps to pursue happiness, in whatever situation…

You might be looking at your business’s team and wondering where to invest your time—how to identify the people you should be spending the most time on. As a head football coach managing a wide range of personalities, talents, and people, Ohio State’s Urban Meyer developed what he calls the 10-80-10 Principle, described in his…

I didn’t make the cut. During my junior year in high school, I tried out for the varsity basketball team. Now don’t get me wrong—I put on a respectable showing during tryouts. But you know what? It wasn’t enough. I was the last cut made. I fell one spot short of making the team. And…

“You don’t listen!” “You don’t have to pretend like you know all the answer.” “One day your mouth is going to get you in a lot of trouble.” “When I talk to you, you act disinterested.” “You need to learn more about your audience before you start making suggestions on their behalf.” “Put a smile…

I have been blessed to have some really incredible experiences in my life. I got to play college football at the University of Georgia, and I got to play in the NFL for 18 years with the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants, including 3 Super Bowls. That was a lot of fun. But business…

“Leadership is a skill, and like all skills, it takes time and effort to develop. The time-worn quotes that have been hanging in your locker rooms for years are not nearly enough. Now I understand: average leaders have quotes; good leaders have a plan; exceptional leaders have a system.” That comes from the book Above…

Every organization has to watch out for the complacency trap. Whether it’s government, big business, or even small business, we all have to beware of getting stuck doing the same old thing, and really getting nothing done at all. Our natural tendency is to get comfortable doing things one particular way. In business, we sell…