What separates the best managers from the rest? Many would say goal attainment. Others would say customer service. Some would say fiscal performance. Unfortunately, all are wrong. What separates the best managers from the rest is their ability to build and coach a team. Yes, the most important managerial activities include: employee training and development, coaching, and workplace empowerment. And to most people, these activities are generally considered "soft skills". Let's take a look at today's managers. [...]

Can We Actually Change The World? It's been said, "Change yourself, change the world." It's a fascinating statement, but can it really be done? After a lot of thought, I think so. But how? How do we begin to actually change ourselves - so we can go forth and change the world? For me, the pathway towards change begins by helping people develop acute self-awareness and understanding. And, as you become fully aware [...]

Is Once A Year Really Enough? In America, Labor Day is celebrated just once a year. And as most people know, it falls on the first Monday in September. The Labor Day weekend is considered by many to be the "last chance" time period for those end of season extended vacations; family trips that happen right before the summer ends and the new school year begins. As a bit of history, the first Labor [...]

The date was August 18th, 1978 and a famous English rock band released an important album. The title song asked a simple question: "Who are you? Who? Who? Who? Who?" Unfortunately, allot of us would be hard pressed to give an accurate answer. Sure, we know who we are - by name. But our names are given to us by others... at birth. Over the years I've searched for the answer and I've come to [...]

It's an age-old question - "What comes first - investing time to develop people or working hard to get the results you're looking for?" For many, leadership is first and foremost - to-do lists, action steps, project completion, and getting results - basic GTD stuff. For others, leadership strength is all about helping people grow and develop - with the expectation that talented leaders will actively build strength in others - and will sooner [...]

Time is truly our most valuable resource. And how we invest it can change our world. And improve our health. So, after work we head over to the gym and jump on the treadmill or head home and go for a long walk. But are you also investing the time and effort needed to build your individual talents into performance strengths? If we define a talent as a natural way of thinking, feeling, [...]

Somewhere around five years old, we learn an important life lesson. "Learning begins when we get on the bike and ride." Sure, we can transfer knowledge in a classroom. We can watch videos, discuss theory, and debate pros and cons - all in an effort to better understand the "how-to-do". But as a kid, we learned an important lesson - sooner or later, we've got to get on the bike and ride. Well, [...]

Ex·plo·ra·tion ekspləˈrāSH(ə)n/ noun 1. The action of traveling in or through an unfamiliar area in order to learn about it. I love the word - exploration, it's definition and all it represents... First, one has to take take action. Second, there is the requirement of traveling in or through an unfamiliar area. Third, there is a predetermined objective; I'm doing this in an effort "to learn about it." Hmm, is success really that [...]

There was a time in your life when you knew how to fly...  And then one day... you grew up. At a young age, most of us know what comes naturally, what feels right, what fills our hearts with joy... like flying our own airplane. Then as we grow up, we begin to put a veneer over all that joy and do what others want us to do... hoping to become more like [...]

The concept of "learning by doing" is deceptively simple, and is often confused with the more simple process of knowledge transfer. And truth be told, many corporate trainers still utilize classroom, lecture-style programs as their primary training vehicle, hoping students learn and remember something, when in most cases the training program's design provides topic information only - much like watching television. The problem though isn't in the teaching format or even in the teacher, [...]