Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” To be honest, I don’t know if he said that. But that’s what the internet told me. But his quote resonated with me because I was forced to confront the notion of simplicity after a recent event. During my time on stage, while explaining how…
Hiring has always been a top priority for any organization, and today’s work environment is no different. What has started to change more recently, though, is the type of workforce available and the expectations they bring into the workplace. More bluntly stated, Gen Z is the newest generation to enter the workforce and how you…
It’s not an outrageous statement to say we’ve become polarized. Whether it’s driven by a 24-hour television cycle, social media, or your next door neighbor’s conspiracy theories, there’s a lot of “either/or” going on. You’re either Republican or Democrat. You’re either too young to understand or too old to know better. You’re either right, or…
In a recent podcast interview, I spoke with Michael Harvey about his journey to Chief Strategy Officer at Corra. The full conversation is worth a listen, but it was his story about traveling the world for four years with his wife and two children on a 40ft. sailboat that has had me rethinking what it…
How quick are you to give someone the benefit of the doubt? To give them grace even before they’ve earned it? In a recent podcast episode, I interviewed Justin Fox, an Army veteran and 20-year operations leader, about the transition from military life to civilian leadership. One of the challenges Justin faced – as do…
There is a lot of overlap between what’s required to be a successful leader and what’s required to be a successful parent. Qualities like patience, determination, empathy and humility all go a long way in both facets of life. It’s for those reasons I often use parenting examples in my keynotes because a majority of…
Hiring a strong sales staff has always been a top priority for sales organizations, regardless of the impacts technology and changing consumer behaviors have brought to the field. What has impacted the hiring process the most recently is the type of candidate you’re looking to hire – Millennials. As I’m sure you already know, trends…
Stay Young, My Friends. Recently between speaking engagements, I found myself with way too many hours to kill at the airport before my flight. Instead of pulling up to the counter and indulging in a few adult beverages, I decided to walk the terminals, do some people watching, and listen to ESPN’s 30 for 30…
As Dave Chappelle taught us, sometimes keeping it real can go wrong. But we don’t all have to be like Vernon Franklin. Keeping it real can pay off, too. When I was 25 years old and three years into my corporate career, I found myself invited to speak with the top brass at the company.…
August is here! For me, that’s a signal summer is getting close to winding down and – because I live in Texas – it means we can finally consider going outside and enjoying summer for the first time. Seriously. It’s been 110 with humidity for what seems like eternity. It’s been a nightmare for my…