ENCOURAGEMENTS Blog

There is common mindset I have discovered amongst many small business owners.  I call it the “Accidental Leader Syndrome”.  It typically occurs when the owner started the business himself, has grown it to a good size, and now finds himself in a leadership role, but he doesn’t see himself as a leader. His goal was never to be a leader.  …

Are you aware of your “Leadership Credit Rating”? You are probably aware of the standard definition of a “credit rating”:  it’s an evaluation of the “credit worthiness of a debtor” – typically a business, or a government.  It’s an assessment of an organization’s risk of default.  A high credit rating indicates a low risk of default, and, therefore, an organization …

How much time have you wasted in bad meetings?  And, how much of other people’s time have you wasted because you led bad meetings? We’ve all been in those meetings that drag on and on, endlessly beating around bushes, all-the-while making no decisions and taking no action.  You leave thinking, “That was a complete waste of time!” Meetings are a …

You have got to be kidding me. I am already running a little behind and now this happens! What am I supposed to do now? I am totally hooped… Those thoughts rushed through my brain in a nanosecond as I landed on the ground utterly bewildered beside my now seemingly destroyed riding mower. The large commercial lawn mower had suddenly …

What is your objective as a leader? Popularity or profitability? Be honest now – what do you really want? Sometimes the decisions needing to be made, the actions needing to be taken, the words needing to be said, the changes needing to occur – those things that are ‘profitable’ for the people and/or the organization you are leading – may …

There are really only two ways to do business:  Fear and Intimidation, or Trust and Relationship.  You have probably had the pain and pleasure of doing business with companies and people who are prime examples of this. Who would you rather work with – those who wield fear and intimidation or build trust and relationship? Leaders can go either way: …

Did you watch the Sochi Winter Olympics? No matter what you may think about the Olympic movement, you have to appreciate the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. The human drama we experience at the Olympics is awesome in many respects. What’s most compelling about the Olympics are the back-stories about the athletes – what they had to …

How much is enough? That’s a question many people never answer. How would you answer? For most people the answer is very simple, “A little more…”  In fact, when John D. Rockefeller was asked that very question his answer was, “Just a little bit more.” What an indictment.   Let me explain… When we do not answer the question of how …

I heard a great quote this week, “Pressure is a privilege.” It just so happens to be the title of the book by tennis legend Billy Jean King.  I haven’t read the book, but the quote/title really got me thinking.  It seems particularly apropos in light of the winter Olympics currently going on in Sochi. Billy Jean King was certainly …

“Sea – Hawks! Sea – Hawks! Sea – Hawks!” And so the cheer gained more and more momentum until it reached a deafening crescendo. Each side of the plane leveraged off of the passion of the other side of the plane to produce one harmonious, synchronous, and united exaltation in support of their beloved Seattle Seahawks – and they hadn’t …