Category Archives: Relationships

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Your Career Success Is Not Worth This

Imagine this… You’ve risen to the top of your field. You’re admired by your peers. The bank account is flush with cash. You’re successful.

To those around you, it appears you’ve reached the pinnacle of success. There’s not much more you can do or higher you can go.

You’re a success.

But your coworkers, employer, and those around you don’t see what success has cost you. 

As you leave the office, you hang your head in shame. You know you’re going home to a once vibrant house that is now silent. There’s no one to greet you when you arrive home.

The pitter-patter of feet you crave to hear is now at another house with your ex. They’ve moved out and moved on. They even took the dog.

This may sound like a bad country song, but this is the reality for far too many high-achieving professionals.   Read more...

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Can You Accept That People Are Different?

In general, people like to be around those who are like them. We even find this in hiring biases, where hiring managers choose people with similar appearances, beliefs, and ideas. 

We believe these similarities mean they’re a match for our corporate culture. If we find enough people who are alike, our organizations will thrive.

Plus, as a bonus, it means people will get along.

What if we’re wrong? What if we’re hurting ourselves and our organizations by hiring those who are like us or trying to make people more like us?

You know where I’m going with this. The truth is that we are hurting our organizations by trying to find people who are too similar to us. Whether this be in the way they dress, their college education, or their culture.  Read more...

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Common Experiences Create Extraordinary Connections

Great leaders know they should have great relationships with their employees. Too many are never able to form those relationships that create great employees.

Why?

I believe it’s because they don’t have common experiences with their team. 

 

What Are Common Experiences?

You may be scratching your head, wondering what common experiences are… You wouldn’t be wrong for doing so. The term can be slightly confusing. Yet, once you understand the meaning, it’ll click.

Common experiences could also be expressed as shared experiences. These are experiences you and your team/family/friends have together. 

When you do life together, you create these common experiences. For me, some of the most impactful common experiences have been:  Read more...

  • Annual ice climbing trips with other business owners/explorers
  • Hosting the Catalyst Conference Blogger Meetup with Paul Sohn
  • Running full and half marathons with other church leaders
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The Power Of Thankfulness

Do you know there’s power in thankfulness? When you thank someone, you extend more than mere words. You extend a lifeline at times.

While I love writing leadership blogs for you and others to read, writing them can be a challenge. There’s a widening chasm when it comes to hearing feedback from readers. I feel like I’m in a void.

Talking to other bloggers, they feel the same way. The two-way communication between blogger and reader has declined to almost nothing. 

However, two readers recently encouraged me on the same day. They reached out about a recent article, shared their thoughts, and thanked me for my writing. 

I about jumped for joy. People are still reading what I write (I know they do because of Google Analytics but it can be lonely out here)!  Read more...

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More Important Than Business

While business and results are important, they’re not the most important things in life. Maybe even in business.

Back in 2012, singer Fiona Apple realized this. She was booked for 12 dates in South America, but Apple postponed those tour dates because of something extremely important to her.

What was more important than touring? More important than pleasing customers? More important than making money?

Her ailing 13-year-old pitbull Janet.

Apple had rescued the pup 10 years prior in Echo Park, Los Angeles. She took in the dog, and the two quickly became best friends. Over the years, they had their good days, and then, in 2010, Janet began to show signs of a tumor. 

As Apple saw the health of her constant companion wane, she gave up what many people think is all-important: Business, customers, and making money.  Read more...