Dr. Fred Epstein is a gifted and visionary pediatric neurosurgeon in New York City. In his wonderful book “If I Get to Five,” Dr. Epstein vividly describes the lessons he learned about courage from his patients — children who are facing life-threatening illness. “The title of this book was inspired by a child who helped me…
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…
How do you respond when someone disagrees with you? Do you have intellectual curiosity? Are you open to other perspectives and ideas? Are you willing to have your point of view and assumptions challenged? Do you engage in respectful discussion and debate about issues? Wise people aren’t afraid of different opinions and perspectives. They welcome…
It’s no surprise that leading teams to produce exceptional results and endure through challenges consistently over time requires mental toughness. Here are some basic principles about mental toughness and the role that leaders play in building mentally tough people and teams. Read the brief descriptions below, then ask yourself: “Am I a mentally tough leader? Is…
In June of last year I was a guest on the “Good Stuff” program, hosted by Kevin Bille. At the end of the episode the discussion turned to a final question: “What is the biggest hardship you have had to overcome?” The program wasn’t scripted, so Kevin didn’t have any idea what I was going…
Courage is an essential attribute in The R Factor tool box. The word “courage” derives from the Latin word for heart, and means “strength of heart.” Courage is the result of being clear about the values you want at the heart of your life and then living your values. It is when your commitment to…
I’m in New York this week, staying right next to the World Trade Center. Walking the streets surrounding the 9/11 Memorial site arouses conflicting emotions — equal parts pride & anger. Any American, any human being, who has been to this place knows the feeling, and it isn’t easy to put into words. But it…
I hate the phrase because soft skills, there is absolutely nothing soft about the skills of mindset, discipline, trust, courage, or communication. No, they don’t show up on a spreadsheet, but they are the intangible and tangible difference between discipline and default and average and elite performance.