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I just returned home from an incredible experience in southern Africa over the last week and a half.

I had the opportunity to visit and review several of our facilities in South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Angola. Seeing current conditions, learning more about current processes, and observing alternative facility solutions for high growth areas was educational to me and inspiring. It's amazing what our local teams are doing to address immediate facility needs in the short-term while working to keep up with the growth needs in the area all while continuing to provide excellent maintenence service delivery in existing facilities under very high use conditions.

Thank you, Melanie, Anton, and Never and likewise the area team for such a great experience and especially for your leadership throughout a very challenging area! 

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter 

Life is Loud.

What are you doing to reduce or block out the nose?

Today's work environment is overflowing with virtual meetings and communications. Emails and 5 new messaging applications are constantly pinging you for a response. Your to-do lists at work and at home are getting longer by the day. And every app today is clamoring for your constant attention with notification after notification. How do you think with all that noise constantly around you?

Here are some suggestions:

1️⃣ Eliminate clutter. Leave yourself a clean working space daily.

2️⃣ Get rid of what you aren't using! If you haven't touched it in the last 12 months, you're probably not going to. Get rid of it!

3️⃣ Silence and turn off all the notifications! You don't really need them anyway.

4️⃣ Ask to be removed from all the emails you're being copied on and message chains you're a part of that you don't really need to be in.

5️⃣ Set time aside to deal with your gathering place (if you don't know what this is, go take Time Management from Dave Crenshaw - game changer!) and your inbox.

6️⃣ Give yourself time in between meetings - seriously, intentionally scheduling meetings to end 5 or 10 minutes before the hour makes a huge difference in your mental capacity to internalize and process information.

7️⃣ Get outside and get away for a minute. Fresh air and not looking at all you have to do helps you feel, see, and think better in the short AND long run.

8️⃣ Turn off the music. It's OK to just let your mind wander for a bit.

There are so many more actions you can take to block out the noise. Give yourself space between your ears - because when you do. you'll hear, think, and see more clearly.

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter 

Do you say thank you enough?

My wife and I started a gratitude jar this year. Each week on Sunday, we write down something we grateful for from the previous week and stick it in the jar. We don't look at what the other one writes. At the end of the year, we're going to go through that jar and read back each of those gratitude notes.

The practice of focusing on gratitude and being sure to find something to be thankful for each week shouldn't be that hard. But, sometimes it has been. And that has been eye opening. It helps me recognize where my focus is and if my mind is in the right place each week.

Gratitude is an amazing feeling, mindset and perspective. It replaces emotions of frustration, anger and sadness and often pushes negativity out of the mind. It instigates changes of mind and perspective and fosters positivity and optimism.

The practice of gratitude is empowering. Gratitude changes attitude.

No, it's not Thanksgiving this week or any other special holiday. No, nothing terrible has happened to drive me to extending more gratitude than usual this week. It's just a great day and practice to be grateful.

What are you grateful for today?

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter 

You can't fix months or years of poor financial decisions in a day.

You can't fix weeks or months or years of poor health choices in a day.

You can't fix poor, long standing habits of many kinds in just a day.

BUT -

You can have a good day today.

And that's all it takes to change your life forever.

One day.

One hour.

One second.

One moment.

One decision.

Just One.

There is amazing power and potential in just 1️⃣. You've heard it said that a journey of 10,000 miles begins with just 1 step. It's true.

The road to growth and success of any kind starts with a single step. Making the decision to take the step is just as important as the 10,000th step or the 1,000,000th step. What's important is that you decide to take the step - and then you do it.

Just 1 step.

Just 1 choice.

Just 1 action.

Walk for just 1 minute today if you haven't in years. Eat just 1 apple today if you haven't eaten fruit at lunch for months. Save just $1 today if you don't have any savings.

It doesn't matter if yesterday was a bad day or last week a bad week or last year a bad year. Just make 1 day good - today.

Then try again tomorrow... Just 1 day, just 1 moment at a time.

****************************

If you're looking to learn more about topics like this to improve yourself or your organization, reach out! I'm available to speak and coach and would love to get to know you and your organization's needs.

Cornerstone Leadership

"Building You Better"

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter 

Non-negotiables.

Meaning - the decisions you've already made in life that are too important to leave to chance or to in-the-moment weakness or influence. They are built on your values and occupy the top spots on your list of priorities every day. You say "no" to just about everything so you don't miss out on these almost ever.

What are your

hashtag

#nonnegotiables?

Like the rocky mountains in the picture that are impossible to move without massive intervention, your non-negotiables almost never move without massive, careful and intentional planning.

These are your early morning wake-up alarms to go exercise before going to work; or your decisions to have a notepad with you to write down every idea that comes to your mind; or your refrigerator drawer full of fruits and vegetables that you've decided to reach for over the cookie or candy bar when appetite strikes; or your routine to read first every night for 15 minutes before you go to bed or to journal and express gratitude today and every day first thing in the morning.

Non-negotiables are the

hashtag

#decisions you've made to live intentionally - or to act intentionally - aligned with your values. You don't compromise on them. When you decide to run 3 miles every other day, you do it. You rarely let a chance go by to do it, and you ignore the move in your head that wants to talk you out of it and take the easier road.

Am I perfect with my non-negotiables? No! But that word gets me through when my head tells me to quit but my heart wants me to push through.

They don't have to be big. They don't have to be hard. But they do have to be intentional and solid as rock.

If you haven't decided what is a non-negotiable for you yet, do it today.

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter 

The last few weeks have been crazy.

Kids have been at a youth conference; I went with one of my sons to a basketball camp in St George for a week; my one son was in the ER for a couple of days and then had his kidney biopsy that same week; then we traveled to visit family for a few days before coming home to the regular, busy summer schedule of our family and work.

In those 3 weeks, my time to focus on my fitness disappeared. I could barely keep up with our schedule, especially with the unplanned hospital visits, let alone getting time to exercise and follow my routine. And it set me back.

Getting back home finally, I couldn't find the motivation to get started again - even though it had been constantly on my mind. I just couldn't get back into it.

Then, my oldest son asked me if I was coming to his early morning basketball practice at 6am the next morning. I looked at my calendar and had time...so I said yes.

And that's all it took. I went for a run while he practiced and picked back up where I left off.

That single invitation was the spark I needed to get reset and to get going again. He probably doesn't realize how impactful his simple invitation was, but it was enough to get me back on track.

We all need that spark every once in a while to get the fire of progress and growth going again. My son happened to be that spark for me last week.

What or who will your spark be to get going again if you're stuck or unmotivated today? Sometimes you don't have to look too hard or far too find it.

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter

I had a tough weekend with basketball. The team I'm coaching lost both our games on Saturday. We haven't won a game yet this season, and on Saturday with the loss securely in hand and about 90 seconds to go, I let it get the best of me.

My boys fought hard but just couldn't get things going the right way. And we only got 1 foul called against the other team the entire game while my team had 10 or 12 called against us. I didn't argue a single call the entire game, and I didn't ask for any calls up until that point.

Why did I need to start calling for fouls with 90 seconds to go when losing by 20? I have no idea. But I laid into the referees for a moment in that last minute of the game and let it carry over for a minute after the game.

And what good did it do?

It didn't. It didn't show my team how to handle loss and struggles. It was out of character for me. And it sure didn't make me feel any better. In fact, I felt cruddy all weekend because of it and wasn't able to get out of my funk from it - until today.

As I drove to work I asked myself why I was so upset over that game and that experience. I couldn't pin point why no matter how hard I tried. I just didn't want to feel that way any more. So my next question that I asked myself was how could I get past it and move on.

My first thought was I need to apologize to those referees next time I see them and ask for their forgiveness and patience with me.

My second thought was to reach out to the parents and boys on my team and to thank each of them for their regular contributions to the team. And I did that this morning while sitting in the parking lot before going into the office. I thanked each parent and boy for their support, continued effort, and heart, and I complimented each one individually for the strength they bring to the team.

Some responded.. Some didn't. I wasn't doing it for a reaction. I was doing it because I recognized that I could let go of anger and frustration by demonstrating gratitude. I recognize just how blessed and fortunate I am in so many ways and that I get to teach these boys a game I love while helping them learn life lessons through the game of basketball. I get to learn from them as much as they learn from me, and for that today I am grateful.

A heart and mind full of gratitude can make a big difference if you're feeling frustrated or upset. So take a moment and tell someone thank you for who they are and what they do for you and those around them. If doing that one time doesn't work, then do it 5 times or 10 times or enough times until you feel better - because in the end, you will feel better.

Be grateful today. 

On my run yesterday morning, my undergarments ripped slightly on the seam in my inner thigh. I didn't really notice until near the end of my 4 mile run because my thigh had been rubbed raw. It hurts today.

Running is hard for me. It's a mental and physical challenge, and it often pushes me to my limits.

The feeling I had, though, when completing my run and often when I finish any run - aside from being glad it is done - was accomplished. I'm not a fan of running most days, but I find some joy in doing it and enjoy the health benefits I get from doing it. I find some mental space when I run and sometimes find some really good places while passing through my challenge.

Often times, some of our most beautiful destinations require we travel the toughest roads.

Don't be afraid of the difficult road ahead or the challenge that you know will push you to your limits. It's those experiences, like metal in the hands of a skilled blacksmith, that we shape who we become.

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter 

I was doing my leg day workout this morning, and my youngest son came down like he usually does.

He loves to workout with me when he can. I wasn't feeling it this morning and must have shown it on my face after my second set of squats because he looked at me and asked, "Did that hurt your body?"

I answered, "No. Today it hurt my mind."

Without skipping a beat he replied, "That's OK. Luckily I'm here to help you."

Nothing better and more powerful than that! My partner in everything was right by my side to workout with me, encourage me, and to be my cheerleader. No reservations, no hesitancy.... he was just ready to work and give me the push I needed today.

We all need someone like that by our sides, especially in the tough moments when a little push from someone else is what it takes to keep us going and to make the effort. Having an accountability partner like this is an invaluable resource to us!

Who is your accountability partner? Who are you lucky enough to have there ready to help you?

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter

2 oil changes.

Company 1 was really fast. It's close to home (only 10 minutes away). The staff is professional and kind. I didn't have to wait to get in or even leave my car. The price was fair, and I got exactly what I paid for.

Company 2 was a touch slower, but only by 2 or 3 minutes. I likewise didn't have to wait, but it's twice the distance from my home. They were also professional and kind. They checked all my vehicle lights to make sure they were working. They checked all my car's fluids and topped them off if they were low. They asked me if my wipers were functioning well and checked my air filter. They showed it to me and explained why it didn't need to be replaced yet. One employee chatted me up while capturing my personal information for my profile. They checked my tire pressure and then, as they finished the oil change and pressure tested it, they showed me the dipstick to show me the new oil level in my car. They asked me if everything was to my satisfaction and if there was anything more than could do for me that day. And they did all of that for the same price as the other company.

Where would you go for your oil changes?

Both companies offer the same services, but the value Company 2 provides clearly out-shines Company 1. They engage with the customer throughout the service to ensure it is a positive experience. And they provide significantly more service to their customer while creating opportunities for additional business for themselves by making the small services that need to be done periodically easy for the customer to get done.

They find a way to add value to the customer at every step of their process and all for the same price as Company 1.

Where can you add value to your customers in your business processes today? Finding a way to do so will be the difference in who chooses you over your competition. And, on the long run, it will create loyalty to your brand that's hard to beat.

And to answer my earlier question, I'll be staying with Company 2 for my oil changes.

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter 

We lost 48 to 41 on Saturday. It was close most of the game, but we lost. It was another failure.... or was it?

Truth be told, we've only won one game with this team during this winter season - last weekend. It's been pretty tough. In fact, we lost the game right before this one on Saturday as well.

But, this is what the boys were telling me after losing the 2nd game of the day.

"That was awesome!"

"I loved losing like that!"

"I'm sad we lost but that was such a great game!"

"If we're going to lose, that's the way to do it!"

I'm not sure about you, but I don't normally celebrate a loss like that. But, I couldn't help myself in feeling the exact same way and saying as much as well.

What you don't know is that 3 months ago, these boys struggled to get 10 points in a game and even struggled to get 10 shots up in a game. They were averaging well over 20 turnovers a game. They almost never out-rebounded the other team and were rarely even competitive, often losing by 20 or more.

Not this time, though. Not the past 2 weeks. They changed, and they've improved week over week. And on Saturday, when they normally would fall way behind after getting down by 12, they battled back into the game and closed the gap to within 4. They matched the other team rebound for rebound and scored the most points they've scored all season, putting up nearly 50 shots in the game.

Every kid contributed. Everyone scored, rebounded, blocked shots, and hustled. It was amazing and the best basketball I've seen them play yet. It just took us time to get there. It didn't happen overnight. Little changes and improvements over time got us to this point, and it is awesome to see and experience.

I'm excited to see where these boys go in the coming weeks as they continue to improve little by little. Their ceiling hasn't been reached yet.

Take away from their success? Trust the system and the process of improvement. Small, incrimental adjustments yield massive improvements over time.

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter 

Just over 27,000 miles flown, 2 countries half a world apart, and I'm back home. It was an amazing 2 weeks in Brazil and the Philippines.

I had the privilege of speaking with an incredible team in Brazil about what the future of leadership in Operations and Maintenance looks like. I talked about the qualities and skills necessary to be a leader in the coming years, and I was impressed by the team's commitment to learning and dedication to improvement over the course of their seminar.

I also was reminded of a beautiful concept in communication. As I prepared and talked with the team lead in Brazil, I jokingly expressed concern over getting my words right - especially since this would be my first time speaking with a large group in Portuguese. The lead, without skipping a beat, looked at me and said, "It doesn't matter what you say. What matters is that you connect." ......Powerful truth.

Connection brings meaning and impact to the message you communicate, and that's what is most important.

In the Philippines, as we workshoppped our way through the week, I was reminded of the importance and power of culture, teamwork, and kindness. We observed multiple buildings together, reviewing results from their business model and evaluating its effectiveness. I was impressed with their skill and overall professionalism. What hit home, though, was the evening playing basketball with the team. It didn't matter what job you had, what role you filled, or what skill level you played at, playing basketball together unified the team and makes them what they are. They love to play and play often, and inviting me to be a part of that again opened my eyes to the power of a team.

That experience they have regularly builds trust amongst one another, allows different people to lead at different times, serves as a mechanism to relieve stress as a team, and lets them laugh together and support one another. And all of those things are critical elements of building a high performance team, which we observed all week long through our workshop together.

Thank you to both areas and teams for incredible experiences and opportunities to be with you. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with you, Américo, André, Leo, Dennis and Sir Chris!

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter 

Do you want to be in the top 10% of performers, no matter what your profession or personal position?

Focus on the basics: Set goals.

Goals for:

-Your body and mind

-Getting enough rest

-Setting and keeping a budget

-Improving yourself in some way

-Your continued learning

-Whatever you want to achieve

Research suggests that less than 30% of people set goals today at the start of the year. And even less than that - less than 10% - actually stick with and reach their goals.

If you want to be exceptional, then do what the research tells us most don't - set and keep goals for yourself! That is what the top 10% of performers do.

It's that simple. I know many don't believe in goal setting or in resolutions. The research tells the story, though. The most successful people are goal-oriented and consistently set and work toward goals.

So if you want to be in the top 10% around the world, then do what most don't - set goals and get to work on them.

What goals are you working on this year?

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter

#goalyourlife 

To pivot is to change the way one does or is doing something.

Last week, I helped facilitate a technology seminar with 12 of our international Salesforce Field Service administrators. Our intent was to align business needs, strategy, and roadmap while identifying issues and roadblocks. Our agenda had been worked on and carefully planned for the last couple of months. It was exciting to see it come together.

As we welcomed everyone and dove in, it quickly became apparent that our agenda would need to change. We needed to pivot.

In basketball, you can pivot. This move keeps one foot on the ground while the other is free to move so that you can turn your body and position in order to set yourself up for the best possible next move. It's a tool every player learns how to do early in their playing experiences.

And so we pivoted. We allocated significantly more time to basic discovery, alignment, issue sizing, and priortization. Over the next couple of days, we successfully built a roadmap for the next 11 months through the end of this year that focused on the highest priorities of the team while also aligning the team to the realities of software engineering and business needs and strategy. Had we stuck with our original plan, I'm confident each member of the team would have returned to their home countries unengaged and unmotivated to move ahead with the system implementation and would not have championed its adoption going forward.

A big kudos goes to our team for recognizing and being willing to pivot when we needed to and to all our administrators who stuck with us all week. You were instrumental in making this seminar a success, especially as you helped us recognize where we needed to pivot. I'm excited for our next steps and for the ability to pivot when needed.

When was the last time you had to pivot, and what happened as a result?

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter 

Ability. Commitment. Effort. (ACE)

What does that really look like?

Ability is your skill. It's something you can improve and practice regularly. It's what you "do" to get better.

Commitment is your mindset. It's your mental focus and is demonstrated by things like your schedule and your habits (eg you read daily, you follow a nutrition plan, you meet with a mental coach weekly, etc.).

Effort is your heart. It's how hard your really try when practicing your habits.

Each one impacts the other. The greater your commitment, the better and potentiality more consistent the effort. The better your effort, the more likely your ability improves. The better your ability, the better your commitment... and so on.

This young man (not my son in the picture) understands that. His commitment is top tier. After several hours of practice, he's here - alone - working on improving his shot. And because he's committed, he's giving really good, consistent effort. And likewise, because his effort is there, his ability is improving day by day such that he has a big impact on his team's performance and outcomes in games consistently.

We all control our own ACE. And just like in a game of cards where an ACE is powerful and game changing, your ACE is powerful when played right.

What are you working towards, and what does your ACE look like?

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter

#ace

#ability

#commitment

#effort 

He walked through the gate onto the platform, hugged me and started crying and shaking. Adrenaline had worn off, and the full spectrum of emotions the past hour hit.

My son had just completed a high ropes course. It was inside but was between 3 to 4 stories high throughout. What's impressive about this is that he is terrified of heights.

I give him major kudos for doing this yesterday. We didn't force him to. His mom and I didn't go up with him nor did any other adult. He just did it

He didn't hesitate and got right into it with his brother, sisters, and cousins.

He gets to notch that in his belt of life accomplishments now and look back and say, "I can do hard things. I can do things that terrify me and succeed."

It takes a lot of courage to do something that terrifies you. Honestly, to overcome your nerves and both the physical and mental barriers that exist in those moments takes some incredible strength. But doing so provides a great foundation for growth - in this case, physically, mentally, and even emotionally.

He learned he has the potential and the strength to overcome obstacles.

He learned how to manage his fears toward a productive end.

He learned it's OK to be afraid but to try anyway.

He learned there is strength in numbers and in family.

He learned that taking small steps is enough to succeed.

And he learned it's OK to feel his own emotions and to experience them fully.

And I learned just how amazing he is for doing something that terrifies him.

I think we all should do something that terrifies us every now and again. It's in those experiences that we refine who we are and plant the seeds of our future growth.

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter 

The grinding sound showed up just recently and then went away for a couple of days. Then it came back, and of course, all of my kids made a big deal out of it.

"What is that?"

"That sounds terrible!"

"It's hurting my ears!"

Once I drove it, it was pretty clear what needed to be done. My wife's car needed some new brake pads.

Simple enough, and although I didn't want to do the work, I did the job. My wife picked up the brake pads, and I changed them. It didn't take long... a little under 2 hours because one of my younger sons wanted to help (which of course is challenging and awesome ask at the same time). And it didn't cost much either.

Had we not changed them, though, we would have had bigger problems down the road. My family wouldn't have been safe and could have had a serious accident.

Taking care of little problems and doing routine maintenance on ourselves is important for the same reasons. If we don't do those things (eating healthy, getting sufficient rest, going to see the doctor occasionally, spending time reflecting, and getting outside, just to name a few), we'll experience our own problems in the long run. I'm not saying they will be detrimental necessarily, but our attitude, our effort, and our overall health physically, mentally, and emotionally can all be affected negatively.

So during this holiday season and into the new year - like you would your car (and definitely something I can do better myself) - make sure you're changing your oil, checking your tire air levels, changing your wipers, and replacing your brakes every once in a while. Some things need to be done on a set schedule while others have key indicators that prompt you to know when to do the work. Either way, do the work.

It'll help you run better, longer in life.

#everydayleadership

#buildingyoubetter 

My 6-foot 3-inch fifteen year old son is playing high school basketball this year. He's worked hard to get here, and I couldn't be more proud of him - and yet, he gives me reasons to be every day.

Last week after practice when I picked him up, we started talking about practice. He said his legs felt like rubber. They had run really hard and done several high intensity drills that day. One of those drills required the team to make 25 layups in a row while running a specific routine on the court and while passing a couple of basketballs through a designed pattern.

They got to 23 and missed one.

The drill started over.

8 months ago, my son would have told me who it was. He would have likely even complained about the drill or possibly even a teammate who he didn't feel was doing their best that day. He would have shown frustration and been down on himself and on his team. He would have struggled through a head game with himself more than with the basketball game in front of him.

But this time was different. In fact, since he made the team over a month ago and in the weeks before that, it's been different. He's been different.

Not thinking about how my question positioned him to easily start down the road with a negative mindset, I asked, "Who missed the layup?"

His response was good - really good. He said, "It doesn't matter. We missed."

He then told me they got back to work on the drill and made it though the next time immediately after missing that shot.

That right there is a team mindset. If one of them loses, they all lose. If one of them wins, they all win. If one of them works, they all work. There is no "I" in team, as the saying goes.

I love how he teaches me perspective, models effort and the "next play" mentality, and helps me understand what being part of a team really means and looks like.

What are you doing to develop a team mindset?

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #teammindset 

My time in Guatemala recently helped me see the influence of quiet leadership in action.

As I visited with the team in the area and visited with staff and local Church leaders, it was impressive to see the level of understanding between the two groups. It was also interesting to observe the different approaches of individual leaders on the team. I loved watching one of the Managers identify maintenance work that needed to be done or issues with the quality of work that was done. He could have called it out in front of the team of the 5 of us to show his expertise and skill, but he instead would pull back quietly from the group to talk with his staff responsible for the work. He would point out what he was seeing and coach his team up to the expected level of performance expected.

Quiet leadership. It was inspiring and so fun to observe.

We worked long hours during our week there. We regularly wouldn't sit down to dinner until 8 or 9 at night before finally going to our hotel. But, all that said, they also taught me the value of stopping to enjoy the moments and the scenery along the way. The work will always be there, but if you don't stop and look around every once in a while, you'll miss the view and the feeling from experiencing the view. And the pictures don't do it justice... or capture the feeling of the experience of being there.

Thank you Josué and Pablo and team for a great week in your beautiful country of Guatemala!

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter

She didn't say a word. I didn't even know her, but she made me feel so special in that single moment because she cared.

I visited western Africa last week for the first time in my life. I spent part of the week in Ghana and the other part in Sierra Leone. I was there for work, meeting our facility teams, working with our leadership, and inspecting several of our buildings around the area.

While we were visiting buildings in Bo in Sierra Leone, we came to a building where there happened to be a few people in it and some activity going on. We walked around outside for a few minutes before finally going inside. The doors were already open, and I happened to be the last one to walk in.

Just as I walked in, I turned to my left and immediately this little 4 year old girl came running toward me. She ran right past my colleagues statewide to me. And then, with a smile on her face, she just hugged me. She held onto me for several seconds before letting go and looking up at me with a big smile on her face.

I'd never met her before in my life, but in that moment, I felt cared for. Not a single word was spoken. Her actions did all the talking.

Maybe she mistook me for someone else or maybe she sensed that I missed my 7 kids who were at home. Or maybe, and more likely, she just loves people and likes to show people she cares.

We can say a lot of things to help and let people know we care. We live in a world that loves words, and we've become a people of incredible artistry in writing and saying words in a way that is moving and beautiful. But, nothing compares to the simple actions we can take to hashtag#show others you really do care.

Actions speak louder than words. They amplify the message that you care. What can you do today to show your teams, your family, or your friends that you care?

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter

My 11 year old son is my hero today.

He is playing football this year and started at quarterback the last 2 games. This past Saturday was tough. He threw 7 interceptions, a few of which were not his fault. 1 was tipped in the air by his own receiver and another one happened because his receiver decided to tackle his defender instead of run his route. It was an ugly game. They lost 50 to 0.

My son cried during the game. He was frustrated. He got hit again and again while throwing the ball and was running for his life most of the game as his offensive line struggled to block anyone.

He could have quit, but he didn't. He could have blamed his teammates, but he didn't. He could have played it safe and asked coach to stop calling pass plays, but he didn't. He went back in again and again. He ran the offense just like coach wanted him to. He never quit on Saturday.

It hurt so much to watch him hurt and struggle, but it was equaling inspiring to watch for a different reason. He displayed exemplary courage in adversity. He didn't quit just because it was hard.

Some of our greatest growth comes from passing through struggles and difficult situations. Some of our greatest learning about ourselves comes at the times we may want to quit the most. Watching my son go through that showed me another glimpse of who he is and who he has the potential to be. And he reminded me that I can have courage in the face of my adversity and do hard things, too.

Don't quit today just because it's hard. Don't give up. Take courage and keep going. You'll find a better you on the other side of whatever challenge you're facing.

#takecourage #everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter  

What do you do when you don't have everything you need?

You get creative and you get simple.

On Saturday afternoon, we arrived at my son's football game ready to go. A few minutes after getting there, we realized that no one brought a folding table for the water and Gatorade jugs and cups. We checked around to see if anyone had an extra but no luck.

Not wanting to have to lift up these 2 large jugs for the boys all game long, I saw an open trailer near the concessions with several large, empty trash cans inside and asked the concessions staff if we could borrow a couple of them. They weren't being used, so they gladly obliged.

Very gratefully, I walked over to our sideline with these 2 trash cans in hand. I got a few looks of confusion from our team parents, but as I walked up, I flipped them upside down and set up a make-shift table for our team for the game.

It didn't look great, but it did its job.

Sometimes that just happens. Sometimes someone doesn't show up prepared or something is missing that you needed for that meeting or presentation. Sometimes you go out with your kids and forget to pack the one thing you needed while you were out. That's life.

But, how you respond matters. When you run into situations like this, get creative and get simple. Then do what you can with what you have. That's what matters most. Use what you have. Do what you can. Don't let little hiccups become big stumbling blocks to your progress and success.

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #usewhatyouhave #dowhatyoucan 

One of my sons started playing football this year. It's completely new to him, but he's loving it.

For those who aren't familiar with football life, it can be a tough-love world and experience. While my son's coaches never tell at them, they are extremely direct and pointed when talking to the boys.

My first reaction in watching them practice was to protect my son from the almost ruthless correction and hard-nosed coaching style. They require perfection and don't give much allowance for the learning curve. Game time coaching is even more direct and demanding.

But as I came to pick him up from practice last night and found them running and doing bear crawls to improve their conditioning (primarily because they played poorly on Saturday), what I saw impressed me.

They were exhausted. Coach gave them time to breathe and to get water but he was pushing them hard. One of the boys took off his helmet and nearly in tears from exhaustion was ready to quit. Coach called him out to get back on the line. He did. My son stood out to me in that moment.

While several of the boys had their hands on their heads or hips to catch a breath, my son got into his 3-point stance and was waiting for coach to blow the whistle again. When he did, my son sprinted to the other line, turned around, and got into his stance again - ready and waiting for the whistle.

He loved it. He was thriving with someone was pushing him to find his limits. And he responded with more grit and determination than I've seen in him before.

That's when I realized just how good it feels to be pushed to do hard things.... to be pushed to be better than we are. And I recognized the value of this coach with these young men who recognized their potential and knew how hard he could push them.

Is someone pushing you to be better?

It feels good to be pushed. Find someone who will push you to be better today and tomorrow and the next day. You will realize and even exceed your potential so much faster when you do.

#pushyourself #everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter 

"Many people aim at nothing and hit it with amazing accuracy."

That's a saying that has stuck out to me a lot recently. What am I working toward every day? Every week? Every month? Every year?

What am I focused on?

Often, when I find myself in a lull or seemingly distracted or feeling a little lost, it's because I've lost focus on what I'm working toward. I don't keep my vision in my foresight but instead find myself glancing in my rear view mirror or looking at something that's distracted me on the side.

Life is meant to be enjoyed, and there are plenty of times that reflection and distraction are a necessary part of life and growth. But if I'm constantly looking at nothing but my past or allowing myself to constable be distracted without a clear vision for my future, I'll go nowhere really well and really fast.

How do I combat the ease of doing nothing or not moving forward?

First, I have to have a vision that inspires me to be better and to achieve. I have to know where I'm really willing to go and what price I'm willing to pay to get there. A vision for myself that is strong enough to make me want to sacrifice for it is essential.

Then, do 1️⃣ thing - just one - every day that gets me closer to where I want to go and who I want to be. It doesn't matter how small that thing is. It matters only that I do it every day and continue to build on that one thing.

That alone will keep me from being an expert shot at aiming and hitting nothing with amazing accuracy. Besides, I'd rather aim at something I want and miss it because now I know where to aim and can fix my shot. It's then that I'm making progress and growing.

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #aim 

Last week, I was in a meeting with one of our project teams. We were discussing next steps to take and how to approach each step.

In that discussion, I provided some guidance of things to avoid so as to not waste their time. One of the team thanked me for keeping them from going down that rabbit hole. Jokingly, I responded that sometimes when you go down a rabbit hole, you'll find a rabbit's foot and that's lucky.

Without hesitation, one of the project team said, "It's not lucky for the rabbit." 😄 Spot on!

Seeing it from that perspective definitely made me think differently for a minute.

As I visited Tokyo recently, I visited the Sky Tree, which is one of the tallest towers in the world. I went up to their observation decks - one at 350 meters high and the other at 450 meters high. The views were amazing. Seeing the city come to life at sunset was amazing. The perspective I gained from seeing the city from that different viewpoint helped me grasp just how huge the city really is.

I knew it was big - one of the biggest cities in the world! But fully understanding that and being able to visualize that only really came from experiencing a different perspective from up in the Sky Tree tower where I could see so much of the city at one time. It was amazing and beautiful. And again, it helped me gain better understanding and think differently about my original assumptions and beliefs.

Often, we take our belief system and experiences and project them onto those around us. We believe and champion our way of thinking and doing things as normal, acceptable, and even right, if not the only way to see and do things. But when we are aware enough and willing enough to change our perspective and see things from different angles, our thinking can be expanded and our decisions can improve.

And when that happens, our experiences change, which can help us be better people. And when we're better people individually, then we have the capacity to be better leaders.

How has a different perspective helped you be a better person and leader?

#perspective #everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter 

We played 14 games in the last 2 weeks! That was on top of a basketball camp and regular practices during that same 2 weeks.

It's been an emotional roller coaster of highs and lows. And it culminated in losing the tournament championship game by just 4 points in the last few seconds of the game.

Over the last 2 weeks, we lost a couple of games, some of them badly. Then we won one by over 40 points. Then we lost again with poor play but followed that up with a really close game but lost again on a last second shot. Then we won the next one in overtime on our own last second shot. We nearly repeated the same scenario in the next game but won in regulation with a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of that game. Then we lost another close game.

Then the tournament began. We won 4 in a row, most of them very close right to the end. We were feeling great and riding high on our emotional roller coaster by Saturday afternoon with all those wins. And then the championship game was like a combination of the last 2 weeks all at once. We played poorly at the start - the other team took a 15-point lead by half time. We battled back into it and took the lead with about 2 minutes to go. And then it was back and forth. Tied with less than 30 seconds to go, we got our perfect shot at taking the lead but missed it.

They scored after a foul to take the lead. We couldn't recover with such little time left on the clock and had to resort to fouling and hoping a miss or two would give us a chance with only a few seconds remaining. We lost the championship and by just 4 points.

Our team was exhausted and upset. And rightfully so. They fought hard and earned the right to play in that game. The mood was almost angry and ungrateful for a few minutes.

That's when we, as coaches, called them out and told them to hold their heads high. Their memories were short-term at the moment and forgetting how we played as a team just a month ago when we started playing in our league and joining tournaments.

We started only winning 2 of our first 10 games and regularly lost by 10 or more in every game. Since then, we've closed the performance gap and have won 7 of our last 14 games, and had 4 in a row to get into this last tournament championship.

We are making progress - significant progress. Our ceiling is much higher than these boys realize right now, and it took them a minute to realize that after Saturday's loss.

While they might consider not winning the championship a failure, we, as coaches, see it as a step in the right direction and making real progress toward much bigger opportunities in their future.

"Failure is success in progress."

-Albert Einstein

No matter what the circumstances or the outcomes, stay focused on learning and moving forward. Every "failure is success in progress."

#success #future #everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter 

I did everything right.

I submitted my application with an updated and tailored resume and cover letter. I spoke with an individual that I've known for more than 10 years currently in the role for an hour on my own to learn more about the role. I got another individual currently in the role with whom I had worked closely over the last year to provide a recommendation for me to the hiring manager. I got a division director, someone with some influence, to likewise provide a recommendation. And I had a highly positioned manager endorse my application.

I knew all of these individuals and did everything I knew how to position myself the best way possible for the job.

Then, I got the call. It wasn't that I wasn't qualified for the position or that the team didn't think I could do the job well. It was just a feeling that they needed to go with a different individual.

I requested specific feedback that differentiated the other candidates from me and for suggestions on what I could improve for future opportunities. The response was empty. They instead referred back to the feeling to go a different direction.

It was disheartening, to be honest, especially without having a clear understanding for why I wasn't selected. But it's just a speed bump on my road to success.

It's not a dead end or a road block on my path. It's instead a learning opportunity for me....a brick I can add to my foundation for future growth and success.

Don't let temporary let-downs become long-term road blocks. Use those experiences to learn and grow and to refine you. Success will come. All of these experiences are part of that journey. Just stay consistent and keep living forward, day by day, enjoying the process of your growth and success. It will come with time.

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #growth 

Saturday night just after I laid a few of my kids down, one of my sons called out to me. He said, "Dad, I have a bloody nose."

Exhausted from the day, I turned back around and went into his room. We walked into the bathroom together to start getting him cleaned up, but we couldn't. Within a minute his nose started bleeding significantly. It became a big mess very quickly.

I called for my wife to come up and help because he was bleeding so much.

After about 10 minutes, it hadn't stopped or even slowed down. I called my sister, who is a nurse practitioner, to talk about it and while we were on the phone, my son started bleeding from his eyes. We immediately headed for the hospital.

My son was visibly shaken. His breathing rapidly increased while his ability to stand up and stay balanced decreased. He was bleeding through every wad of tissue we put on his nose, and his vision was going blurry. It was unnerving to see.

I got the car ready, and my wife kept our son balanced and helped him try to keep his nose plugged to stop the bleeding. The nearest hospital was over 30 minutes away.

My wife during all of that experience never flinched. She remained calm and encouraging to our son. She jumped in and got right to work without a doubt everything would be fine. And in that moment she recalled there is a duct between your nose and eyes that was likely the reason our son's nose bleed was also showing up in his eyes as the blood - because there was enough of it - was traveling through that duct as we tried to plug his nose.

After bleeding for over an hour and within a few hours at the hospital, we learned an artery in his nose burst, causing the significant bleeding. They fixed it, and we were on our way home at midnight.

It got my heart beating quickly to see my son like that and not know what was happening. My wife, on the other hand, responded to the emergency with a calm confidence that was reassuring to all of us. She fell back to her training as an EMT earlier in life. She knew what to do and did it.

How do you respond to emergencies? To adversity? While the answer may differ and may depend for everyone, the answer is simple: #Training.

We all fall back to our level of training and preparation. It's important then that we train well so when the moment comes, you're prepared for it. Whatever your field of study or career path you're on, just train well. The opportunities and moments will come when your preparation will be needed.

"We don't rise to the level of our expectations; we fall to the level of our training."

-Archilochus

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #training 

Did you know that Kangaroos can't go backwards?

Most animals are capable of moving backwards, but kangaroos can't. Neither can emus. Their physical characteristics make it impossible to do so. Forward motion is their only option - their only direction.

If you haven't noticed yet, a lot of the world around us is designed for forward motion. Planes take off and fly in forward motion. Signs are in front of you so you know where to go. You only have eyes in the front of your head. And while parental "eyes in the back of our heads" are really a thing, sadly, they don't really exist. Your car has a large front windshield (and only small rear view mirrors). It, like a bike, is designed to drive forward.

The world is all but forcing us to move forward.

While it is important to know where we've been and to even glance back every now and again, like we do when driving a car, our focus should always be forward. We'll never get to where we're going - or could go - if we're stuck focusing on where we've been.

Don't live looking or going backwards. The world is willing you to look ahead and to move forward because that's what you were designed to do.

#lookforward #everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter 

Control what you can control.

Life throws a lot at us every day. Sometimes it helps us, sometimes it distracts us, and sometimes it stresses us out.

The weather ruins plans to be outside all the time. Traffic jams come and go and are just as predictable as the weather. Deadlines shift and complicate schedules regularly. Flights get delayed and canceled routinely, creating a domino effect of changes for individuals, companies, and families.

And in every one of these situations, I have little control over the circumstances. However, I have significant influence over my experience in each situation - because I control my Attitude and Effort.

My kids regularly do chores in our house, and cleaning their bathrooms is one of them. None of them like to do it, especially when it comes to cleaning the toilet. But my 4 year old is a glowing example of controlling what he can control. He is smiling and working hard doing a chore no one wants to do. He figures he might as well enjoy it and get it done if he has to do it anyway.

Attitude and Effort.

My oldest son's basketball team has been in a few tough spots in their last 3 games. We lost all of them, but the coach we are working with has maintained an awesome cool and collected approach with these boys. During Monday night's game we fell behind by nearly 20 points. We called timeout and in the huddle, coach said, "Don't look at the scoreboard. Just focus on doing what we've worked on. I don't care if we win. It's not you that will get fired if we lose. So just play the game and do your best."

5 minutes later as we closed out the first half, the team was energized and had closed the gap to single digits. They played some of the best basketball they've played so far this season.

Attitude and Effort.

Lots of things in life are out of your control. Focus on what you can control, and your experience in this life will be much better.

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #attitude #effort 

What does a heart for Service look like? What does servant leadership look like? Like this.

"Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth." -Muhammad Ali

My dad, at 11pm last night, got on a video call with my daughter to help work through some school work that was really challenging... until 1:30am! Neither her mother nor I could help her as the subject was beyond our capability and memory from school so many years ago. So I called my dad for help, knowing he likely knew the material and is a night person and would still be up.

And from him came no judgements. No criticisms. No questions. No bravado to show how smart he is. Just love and a willingness to jump in and help immediately. His desire was for nothing but the best for his granddaughter. He focused on her and worked through the assignment with her in a way that helped her understand it so she could succeed. His sole focus was her understanding and success. He never once made it about him.

It was good of my daughter to ask for help when she needed it. This experience wouldn't have happened had she not. And it just goes to show that there is value in asking for help because there are many, many people out there ready and willing to share, help, and serve.

Don't wait when you need help. Just ask. It's OK to do so. People are good and willing to serve and help given the chance.

I'm so lucky to have a dad like this. He continually lives as a great example of love and Service through his actions and has a heart of gold. Thanks, Dad!

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #servantleader #help #love 

Don't Burn Bridges. Build them.

Several years ago, I worked in property management taking care of rental property. We regularly filled our contracts and were growing a waiting list year over year. We had great momentum and a great reputation.

I met one of our main competitors not too long after I started working there. He met with my boss, the owner, and I soon learned he would come by regularly. He toured our units, I met with him and showed him how we managed our maintenance program, and even shared our marketing practices with him.

Each time we did this I was a little dumb founded that we would be so open with him about everything. This became especially surprising as I learned more and more about his rental property. Our marketing brochures started to look the same. Our furniture began to look the same. It was like he was just copying us in everything we did and yet was not equally open and willing to collaborate when it came to visiting his property. In fact, I would say the relationship was much more focused on what we could do for him than what he could do for us. It was very one-sided and very cold. It was definitely not a love-filled relationship by any means.

This was the norm for us the entire time I worked there. Then one day, the owner (my boss) and I pursued expanding our property management services to a large, new property in the area. We developed our proposal and did our homework and finally got the chance to visit with the new property ownership team to present our proposal.

And to my surprise, in the ownership team of this new property was this owner who copy-catted everything we did at our current property.

Had my boss soured that relationship years ago, I'm very confident we never would have been invited to share our proposal.

While I worked for this owner, he would regularly say to me, "Don't burn any bridges." He lived that every day. I learned very clearly that day why. You just never know when that relationship may impact what you do in your future.

Your network is invaluable. Every person in your network is or may be invaluable at some point, regardless of how warm or cold that relationship is. Don't burn those bridges - ever. Build them and maintain them. You just never know when you'll need them to cross over to get to a new destination.

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #buildbridges 

Several weeks ago, my 6 year old told me, "Uncle Trevor is cooler than you."

He was standing with him outside while our good friend showed him his Tesla and all its bells and whistles (which were impressive, I might add). My son was enamored and loving every minute of it. Then, as we walked into our house, that's when he said it.

I couldn't agree more with him 😀, but it did get my mind thinking about value and how we associate value to people and to things and ideas but to people, in particular. My son, at the great age of just 6, finds value in a person's tangible things - like a Tesla. That, combined with the good heart, great natured kindness of Uncle Trevor (who actually isn't even related) is the basis for how my son identifies value.

For me, value in people comes from a different angle. Value comes from more than what a person has. It comes from who they are, what they believe, how they live, and what they do for others.

Uncle Trevor is definitely a person of value - but it's not because he owns a Tesla. It comes from his belief system, from how he treats everyone around him, and how he lives each day. And one day, I think my son will (and hope) that he begins to recognize that.

Let's value people for the right reasons.

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter 

Where is one of the best places to learn leadership and what it takes to succeed?

The list is long what it comes to what you can learn, and in many cases, should learn about leadership and the path to success:

-Having a vision

-Making a plan

-Managing expectations

-Conflict resolution

-The value of teamwork

-Work ethic

-Personal growth and development

-Finding and exceeding your limits

-Overcoming fear

-Patience with the process

-Continuous learning

-Taking action

-Empowering others

-The true value of trust

-Accountability

-Delegation

-Imperfection and what is good enough

-Forgiveness

-The power of identity

-Motivation and inspiration

And everything else not on the list. Where have I learned and continue to learn my most valuable lessons on these subjects?

In my home - in partnership with my spouse and raising my 7 children.

My home isn't perfect. It's loud. It's messy. It's fun. One of these days I won't have to hound my kids to always pick up after themselves or brush their teeth regularly. It's hilarious and gut wrenching all at the same time. It hurts (especially when you step on a lego without shoes on!). It's exhausting. It's stressful. It's exciting. It's loud. It's the single most challenging thing I've ever done and the single most rewarding. Did I mention that's it's loud?

I'm no perfect parent. I'm learning every day and recognize just how much room I have to grow through every experience I have.

But I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. It's the best university I could ever attend. Every lesson I learn is directly applicable to what I have to do at work and in life every day. It's the greatest teacher I could ask for.

As a father of 7 and married for almost 20 years to the same, most amazing spouse, my home is the foundation of all that I am, all that I believe, and all I have learned about leadership and success.

Where would you say your best learning has come from? I would bet if you take a few minutes to honestly reflect, regardless of what your home life and experience have been, you'll find that your home really has been one of your most, if not the, most influential teacher of leadership and success.

#leadership #success #everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #homelife 

Brownie points!

That's what my 2 youngest boys wanted yesterday. They figured it out pretty quickly. Doing extra chores around the house and helping mom and dad would earn them Brownie points.

They cleaned all the windows they could reach. They emptied the dishwasher. They vacuumed the floors, and they cleaned up the living room. And they did it all voluntarily and with smiles on their faces.

After each chore they finished, they asked if they earned a brownie point. The answer was yes each time. Why the drive to earn brownie points?

They wanted to play the xbox.

The cost came in the form of some work around the house. Now, they rarely get to play on a school day and almost never during the day itself. But, they had a goal and worked for it almost all on their own. How could we say no to that?

It's a pretty simple actually. If you want something, work for it. And sometimes you have to do a little extra to get what you want - just like my boys, cleaning windows and doing other chores on their own so they could play the xbox.

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #workforit 

Turn on your sound for this video!

This is my oldest daughter and her best friend performing a duet on vibraphone and marimba. You will notice that each one of them has 2 mallets in each hand, which if you're unfamiliar with percussion instruments and playing this is very challenging as each hand is controlling 2 mallets that play different notes and rhythms throughout the song. It is incredible.

I am so proud of my daughter for finding something she LOVES and putting in the work on it. Her dedication and consistency have paid off as they scored well enough at the district level to make it to regionals.

This level of performance requires significant preparation, and preparation comes from practice, consistency, and dedication. She clearly understands that and has preformed at a high level because of it. On her solo selection (not shown here), she is one of only 3 that received all superior ratings - the highest ratings possible - and qualified her for the state competition.

No matter what you do, preparation is a must. Preparation precedes performance. It is the secret sauce to excellence in all you do.

I'm proud to see my daughter excel and to get these incredible results when she knows she's paid the price in preparing for excellence.

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #preparation 

What's the positive side of having covid?

Well, I got home from New Zealand over the weekend and had about 2 days before my body signaled something was off. We already had a kid with pink eye and one with the flu through the weekend. Sunday night when I went to bed, I noticed my body was achy. By 3am, I couldn't sleep. By 7am, I was heading downhill fast. By Tuesday agreeing, I had tested positive for covid and into isolation at home I went, much to the dismay of my family (with 7 kids, we always isolate for things like pink eye, the flu, covid, etc... if we don't, we just do a round Robin of passing the same sickness from one person to the next until we've all had it at least twice... it cab go on for months! And if we're really lucky, then we get stuck with something new and start all over again. 😄).

I had just come home and was more or less gone again for a few days - my wife juggling the demands of our family of 7 kids on her own again like a champ.

Then my 4 year old, who desperately wants to be by my side all the time, started to get a little runny nose and to complain about a soar throat. So, we tested him here at home for covid and sure enough, he tested positive.

His reaction was priceless. After being told he had covid, he immediately smiled and shouted, "Yeah!! Now I can snuggle daddy!" .... and with that he ran to me and gave me a big hug.

There is always a brighter side to life if we'll look for it. Thank you, little man, for being so happy to be sick because now we get to hang out together instead of going through this alone.

#perspective #attitudematters #everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter 

No one can do it for you.

To be the best in the world, Usain Bolt had to beat the best of the best - again and again. He did just that in the Olympics in Beijing, in London, and in Rio de Janeiro. He spent hours training every day for years just to prepare to compete.

There were times he said he felt alone and that he didn't feel much purpose in doing it anymore. He'd already won so much that it was difficult to stay motivated to train to compete again from one race to the next. The training was repetitive. It required long hours and discipline in everything he did. He had to sacrifice what he wanted that would temporarily satisfy for that which was hard but would provide a much deeper gratification.

Bolt did it, though. He overcame himself to be the best version of himself that he could be. When asked about his career and being the best, he put it simply:

"You want to be a winner, you 'av to work hard to be a winner."

That's it. There is no shortcut or fast-track to being a winner. It requires accountability, commitment and effort (ACE). Just like Bolt said, it requires hard work. And only those willing to put in the work will get the result.

Put in the work. Hold yourself accountable. Commit and put in the effort. Be a winner today.

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #beawinner 

Does 1 person really make a difference?

Over the last month, my oldest son's basketball team has won some tough games. We've managed to play well enough and with enough heart to win in the last minute of each of those games - until this last Saturday.

Our game was off. We were winning at half time, but we started the 2nd half with a series of turnovers, similar to how we started the game. We scored and kept it close at first. Then we missed several defensive assignments. That was followed by more turnovers, and that was followed by some poor decision making offensively, missing our positions and spacing on several plays.

We just had an off game. But what really was the difference on Saturday?

We were missing 2 key players.

We had a substitute player from another team, but the hole to fill was too big. We were missing the hustle, the aggression, the size, and the leadership these 2 players provide to this team. They regularly contribute by rebounding and playing great defense in the paint.

Not having that, even though we had enough players and good enough players to win that game, had a huge impact on our chemistry and ability to execute well as a team.

Does 1 person really make a difference?

Take a look at professional sports teams. The round Robin of trading players to get one marquee player in hopes they can change a franchise for years to come should tell you YES - 1 person really DOES make a difference.

The same holds true for any team. Whether that be an office or administrative team or a manufacturing team or a project team. 1 person can make the difference in your success. My team's experience this past weekend highlighted that same learning for me. Does the same hold true for you?

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #leadership #success 

Success this weekend!

Saturday morning, in the snow, I ran my first race of the year. I'm not fast. I'm not a top competitor by any means. But I did it. I finished 1 minute 20 seconds faster than my Thanksgiving Day race.... and I did it while running on a snow covered and icy trail.

And to finish out, I jumped into a frozen lake.... water at roughly 28 degrees. I had a moment where I thought I shouldn't do it, but it passed quickly. When the time came, I jumped and just did it.

Exhilarating!

Then, the rest of the day was coaching my 2 sons on their basketball games.

Both games were some of the most physical games we've played yet. My one son looks like he sprained his thumb while my oldest son likely broke his nose near the end of his game. Both gutted it out, and both won.

Both games were close right to the end.

My one son's team went back and forth the whole game. With a few minutes to go, they were tied but finally broke free and went ahead by a basket. They held on for the win with a minute to go.

My older son's team was down by 2 with 30 seconds left. The other team had the ball and were ready to stall and hold on for the win.

They were inbounding under our basket. We pressured them heavily, and as they made their pass, we stole it right under the basket and scored to tie it up. A quick transition and missed shots between the 2 teams turned into a foul on one of our players on a shot. He made 1 of 2 free throws to put us up by 1 with 3 seconds to go. They passed the ball in quickly and heaved a desparation shot nearly 3/4 the length of the court that fell far short of its target. We won by 1.

What was the difference maker in both games, and how is that related to me running and jumping in a frozen lake?

Mindset.

While both teams fully contributed to their wins, each team had an X-factor.

Guage, on my younger son's team, relentlessly attacked the basket. And he defended the other team's best player. During a timeout, we encouraged him to continue to attack and to not let their best player score. He looked at me and with a determined smile that showed his grit, he patted his chest and said, "He won't get away from me, Coach. He's not scoring on me."

My older son's team also had a player who tirelessly attacked the basket. He went full speed the whole game both offensively and defensively. He ended up on the floor more than any other player during the game, going after loose balls and getting knocked down and hit by guys easily a foot taller and well heavier than him. But, his mind was made up. He made the steal at the end of the game, made the basket to tie the game, and made the free throw to win it.

And me? I'm no hero like these boys, but I decided months ago I was running and jumping in that frozen water. I didn't hesitate when it was time because my mind was made up.

Lesson learned: There's nothing more powerful than when you make up your mind. That's always the difference.

#buildingyoubetter 

Have you ever played the game Build Up?

The object of the game is to strategically place uniquely shaped blocks in a balanced position so the tower can be built as high as possible. Each block can only touch the last 2 blocks on the tower, and the blocks you use are determined by selecting 1 of 3 cards randomly dealt to you that indicate which blocks you can use. Everyone takes turns, one block at a time, and each block has a different point value. Don't be the one to topple the tower or the person who went just before you gets the points!

My sister-in-law and her family have been here the last few days, and one of our favorite things to do together is play games. And we played Build Up last night.

After several rounds, we got to the round shown in the pictures. We started building, and of course, everyone was competing, trying to make the next person's turn more difficult so they could get the points. Funny enough, though, about half way up, the attitude in the family changed. We saw a tower that seemed improbable and that definitely could not take another block - or could it?

We moved from competition to collaboration. Everyone was helping everyone else to see how high we could build it. We talked through which cards to select together, even when it wasn't our turn, and coached each other on how to place the blocks.

And the tower grew to the highest tower I've ever seen playing the game...until finally, it fell.

I observed 2 key lessons from this experience last night:

First, a common vision of what can be - the potential in the situation - unifies a team. It drives out competition and self-preservation in the pursuit of a common goal.

Second, balance can be achieved in everything, but it comes at a cost. Balance is delicate and only takes one thing being ever so slightly out of balance to topple the whole structure. Balance is not the ideal. Building up strategically and in a way that compliments each piece's strengths and characteristics allows more to be achieved in a way that can withstand adversity better in the long run (ie the table shaking or a slight bump while placing the next piece).

And so it is with life and leadership. Vision unifies. Find one that inspires you, your organization, and your family. And instead of seeking for balance, pursue a more strategic approach in life, recognizing that there is no one right way to build up your life. Each part of your life has unique characteristics and strengths that can compliment one another and make you stronger in the long-run.

And if you're looking for a fun game that everyone can play, give Build Up a shot!

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #leadership 

I have several nephews who wrestle. One of them is particularly inspiring when you read about his recent experience told by his dad, my brother-in-law Peter Schmidt;

"I have 2 sons that wrestle. One

places at national tournaments and is 27-0 on the season. My other is a 95 lbs freshman with cerebral palsy.

We have to modify how he wrestles because of this and it's a tough task. He is 2-12 on the year for JV, and those [wins] are his first 2 wins in 3 years.

Every day he shows up and grinds for 2 hours. We have frequent talks about goals where he vents his frustrations with his condition. But he keeps showing up and grinding.

Our starting 103 lbs [wrestler] was injured [so tonight my son] wrestled Varsity. We knew it would be a close duel and

told everyone we couldn't give up [any] pins.

We won the duel 36-34 where

they won 7 matches and we won 6.

He lost 9-0 but fought off his back every time and didn't get pinned. All of his other losses this year have been by pin.

When he came off he

was disappointed but said, "he didn't pin me."

It won us [the team] the duel. If he would have been pinned, we would have lost 36-36 on criteria. Never been anything but proud of this kid. He felt like the champion he is tonight when I explained to him what

that effort meant to the team.

Love this kid and it has nothing to do with his win loss record!"

This story represents so many good lessons.

1️⃣ Every member of the team adds value

2️⃣ When you understand how you add value and contribute, your self-value increases

3️⃣ Great coaching, like his dad exhibited, helps connect effort to contribution and outcomes

4️⃣ Leadership is painting a vision and giving clear expected outcomes so the team knows what is necessary to succeed, just like the coaches did for these boys

5️⃣ Leadership is gratitude and love and showing that to the team

6️⃣ Growth comes from small successes built upon one another over time

7️⃣ True effort is invaluable

8️⃣ Losses are a part of winning and sometimes the most important part

9️⃣ Great leaders see the champion in everyone and set them up to reach their potential

🔟 Inspiration is all around us if we'll pay attention a little more

Hopefully you are as inspired by this story as I am to be better, to lead better, to understand your role and contribution better, and to give all you've got a little bit better today and going forward. Happy Monday to you!

#everydayleadership #buildingyoubetter #learn #grow #success 

2 years ago on New Year's Eve, I asked everyone in my family to share what they're 2 or 3 big accomplishments were for the year. It was amazing to listen to each of my kids and my wife share!

I did the same thing again this New Year's Eve, and again, it was amazing. From stretching themselves to try new things to excelling in school and sports to making good friends, my family inspires me.

Then, yesterday, I decided to take this activity one step further. I bought everyone a journal, and every Sunday we're going to sit together and answer 1 question a week and then share with each other our answers and thoughts. My oldest daughter inspired our first question this year:

⭐️What do you want to become this year?

Asked another way, who do you want to become? What type of person do you want to work on becoming this year? What kind of growth are you looking for?

The answers were again amazing... and funny.

From my 4 year old - a bunny... a good boy, too, but mostly a bunny (his favorite animal).

From my 6 year old - a doctor or a janitor.

From my other kids and myself and my wife:

-A better brother