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Be Aware of Premature Judgement in Innovation

by Dr. Evans Baiya and Ron Price

Every idea has potential, so if right now you have a single idea, that is a start. In many cases, the full potential of an idea is not evident and may not be fund in the original problem it was intended to solve. This means you cannot put restrictions on the ideas; understand and acknowledge each idea and its potential without limiting its application.

A common mistake that kills potentially great innovations is the abandonment of ideas or projects if the desired outcomes are not met the first time after implementation. In other cases, innovative ideas are prematurely judged to be abandoned based on past experiences. Past experiences do not always guarantee current or future failures since the times, circumstances, team compositions, market conditions, etc., keep changing. Read More

Why Communication is the Key to All Successful Business Interaction

Communication is the key to all successful business interaction. And, it’s not always everyone’s strong suit. Sometimes a leader may identify their communication shortfalls while other times they may not even be aware these shortfalls exist. Identifying, then improving communication can improve the overall productivity within an organization.

Houston, We Have A Problem

Three business partners that owned a physical therapy company were having a hard time communicating with each other since Tyler made the challenging transition from worker to partner. For many reasons and on many levels, communication was one of the biggest obstacles they faced as partners. And it was starting to become a real disruptor for their business. Read More

How to Start a Conversation with Anyone

By Whit Mitchell

I was recently traveling for business, and grabbed a bite to eat at a pub in the airport terminal. The woman sitting next to me at the bar was very engaged in the hockey game playing on TV, to the point where she jumped in her seat when a goal was scored. I asked her if she knew much about hockey, and she told me that she did know quite a bit about the game because she was from Minnesota. I then mentioned to her that I had just flown into Chicago in the fog and that her flight might be delayed if she was due to depart soon. Soon we were having a natural conversation about family and work that had started with sports and the weather—both fairly neutral topics that can apply to most people and ultimately lead to a meaningful conversation.Read More

How to be Successful by Giving up These Eight Habits

It is inevitable that often times we can feel stuck in life, leading us to wonder how we can become successful. Knowing where to start often presents the biggest challenge. Maybe it is not necessarily what you can do to reach success, but rather what habits you can give up.

With spring approaching, it may be appropriate to do a little “spring cleaning.” Providing a deep cleanse of what no longer serves you well can be very beneficial to your mental well-being. This applies not only in the place you call home, but with your work and personal goals, as well.

Focusing on your emotional intelligence can enhance the skills needed to reach success. Emotional intelligence speaks to your self awareness, awareness of others and ability to regulate behaviors. Read More

Change is as Good as Rest

Using Transition and Flexibility to Improve Performance

By Dr. Francis Eberle

As an avid cyclist, I’ve learned how to rest while riding on long routes. In fact, a common cycling axiom is, “Change is as good as a rest.” When riding, your leg muscles get tired with the same motion, particularly with the same effort. However, if you change the gear and cadence (the number of times your feet complete a pedal cycle), you will use a different set of muscles. This gives a break to the original muscles. When riders are going 100 miles for days, such as the 21 days and 2,000 miles in the Tour de France, they need to rest their muscles whenever they can.

This technique applies to the weekend warriors too. The idea of resting while moving has a corollary in leadership. Read More

What Really Motivates Employees

(Hint: It’s Not Money)

By Lori McNeill

Are employees at your organization disengaged? Do you find it challenging to get buy-in regarding initiatives or tasks that are critical to your success? Maybe you need to re-think your approach …

Employees Crave Autonomy
As adolescents, we were told what to do on a regular basis: what time to get up, what time to go to bed, what to wear, what to eat, and on and on. That approach is not necessarily motivating for kids, but it is necessary to teach them discipline and routine, and is necessary for their health and safety.Read More

It’s OK to Fail: 5 Ways to Face Your Fears

Eat the frog; a strange but oft-used mantra a family friend lived by. Essentially, “eat the frog” is another way of saying “just do it” or “face your fears.” If there’s something you need to do, and you have to do it whether you want to or not, you are better off to just get it done and get it off your plate. Eat the frog.

No matter where we are in life, we all face some sort of fear. A recent grad has fear starting a new job. An established sales executive fears not hitting a sales quota. A company president fears lower revenues or losing control of his staff. A person fears losing a friend’s respect. These fears impact the decisions we make. Many times these fears are so strong, they hold us back from achieving our true potential. Read More

6 Reasons You Need a Coach

by Whit Mitchell

Ask any top athlete—or a top performer in any field for that matter—and they will tell you that they couldn’t have reached their peak without a coach. Whether the relationship is formal or casual, people who accomplish great things typically have someone in their corner who helped them get there.

Having a coach gives you a different perspective that you can’t get on your own. They can see you and your goals from the lens of their experience, and the tools they give you can help you reach your goals more effectively.

Here are six benefits of having a coach: Read More

How to stay committed to your goals in 2018

By Dave Clark

The start of a new year is usually a time of reflection for many people. Backed with tons of positive energy, they make big plans to improve themselves. These plans are created with optimism and the best of intentions.

But, the reality is most of these plans usually wither away in about two weeks. Some weren’t well thought out, others were born out of reactionary thinking or were responses to guilt from overindulgence just before the new year started.

What if you could systematically reimagine your life and improve it, one piece at a time? You can do this and it all starts with becoming committed to your goals. Read More

Is It Really Lonely at The Top?

By Dr. Francis Eberle

I know you have heard or read more than once that it is lonely at the top. If you believe this then it is likely you will be a lonely leader. Results of decisions do ultimately lie with the leader alone, but why does it have to be lonely?

It can start with small things. One day as a new Executive Director, I was in rush and needed to get a few copies for a meeting. I went to the copier and was interrupted by an assistant who said, “Oh don’t do that. I will do it for you from now on.” It was very nice of her and her intention was in line with her job. However, the idea that I couldn’t make my own copies was foreign and led me to wonder if I had changed. Read More

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Using Transition and Flexibility to Improve Performance

(Hint: It’s Not Money)

OUR THINKING