“All of life is but a mass of small choices — practical, emotional, and intellectual — systematically organized for our greatness or grief. We must never forget that it’s not only our big dreams that shape reality. The small choices also bear us irresistibly toward our destiny.” – William James Every day we think and…
Thinking is one of the primary ways we plan and pursue objectives in life and at work, and it is one of the primary ways we look at, evaluate, and respond to the events and situations we experience. Effective thinking produces successful responses and action. Ineffective thinking produces less-than-successful responses. There are 3 basic kinds…
Who in your office needs a word of encouragement? Who at home needs your support? Who among your friends needs a boost? Encouragement is a powerful thing. The word actually means “to strengthen the heart,” and therein lies its power. When you encourage someone, you give them strength. You give them support. You give them…
Don’t lose to yourself. Don’t let you defeat you. Many people are held back by their own mindset. They sabotage themselves through doubt, fear, and limiting beliefs. They often sabotage their quest for achievement. When they begin to push themselves beyond their comfort zone, they give in to the voice that tells them to stop….
People seek popularity and praise, and there are some who attempt to gain it by any means possible. They are fixated on how they are perceived by others. They want to be liked and admired. They want to gain approval, and they want to avoid criticism. If they perform in a way that gains approval…
At the heart of personal and professional success is this core principle: Your habits are perfectly designed to get the results they’re getting. Thus, we should continually ask ourselves, “Are the habits I have producing the results I want?” The answer, of course, is that we all have a mixture of habits: some good, some average,…
When a conversation is difficult and full of emotion, wise people don’t react, they respond. They are thoughtful and intentional. They are discerning and disciplined. They seek to bring clarity and perspective to the conversation. Unwise people get caught up in their emotions and react with heat rather than light. The result is escalated anger,…
A key discipline in E+R=O A focus frame is the lens through which you see the situations that you experience. Understanding focus frames is essential because the way you see determines how you respond. Clarity of vision drives quality of response. Perception drives action. Managing your response often requires that you expand your frame in…
The highest levels of performance require the deepest levels of trust. Trust is the driving force of exceptional teamwork and high performance. Trust takes an organization to a level of performance that cannot be achieved without it. Why? Because trust creates a personal and professional connection that allows an organization to operate with a speed…
Great teams understand that level of connection determines level of commitment. They actively care and listen. They respectfully address issues. They talk to each other, not about each other. They tap into each other’s experience and expertise. They make trust a priority. A team without trust isn’t really a team: it’s just a group of…