With all the talk about jobs, the economy and the need for a good education, some people have stepped back to ask, is college worth the cost? They make their case by citing numerous billionaires (see infographic below) who have done just fine without a college degree. Looking at it through this lens, the evidence is compelling. These are living examples of people who have had plenty of success without the benefit of a college degree. Sure it makes sense some people will be wildly successful no matter what level of formal education they have. Malcolm Gladwell calls them outliers. [...]
Success
One of my favorite movies is Coach Carter. It’s based on the true story of a high school star basketball player who comes back to coach at his old school. The team was on a losing streak with few prospects for improvement. Coach Carter steps in and makes some radical changes to help the players become successful both on the court and in their personal lives. While the movie focuses heavily on the coach and his unusual methods, it’s also offers lessons for any organization wanting to improve. The story line includes powerful themes of teamwork, leadership, hope, hard work, [...]
A while ago I wrote about a book called: “Choosing Civility”. One thing I like about the book is that it puts the responsibility for change on us, not on others, Even the title says it well. It reminds us we have the ability to choose how we act. Since my job is to help companies increase customer loyalty, this thrills me. Because the best way to increase customer loyalty is to treat your customers well every time with no exceptions. You need to deliver what I call “Amazing Service”. And to do this means you and your employees need [...]
When I was growing up, we had a different kind of athletic club than what exist today. They were often named for a city, like the “The Minneapolis Athletic Club” and they were usually downtown. But living in the south suburbs of Minneapolis, we were lucky. We had our own suburban equivalent called the “Decathlon Athletic Club”. As a kid, I spent plenty of time there. They had a lot of things for families to do, from racquetball and tennis to swimming, fitness classes and, of course, several good restaurants. But, the real purpose of these clubs was not family [...]
Over the past few years I’ve been lucky. I have been reminded of the most important thing we can all do to be more successful in our businesses, our careers and our personal lives. Treat everyone well. It’s a simple lesson but easily forgotten. Or maybe, for some, it was never learned. I admit to neglecting this rule more than once in my career. Maybe because it’s so simple, we disregard its value and its power. I have been fortunate to witness this rule in its full glory. The best examples have been given by my parents and my wife. [...]
By now we all know President-elect Barack Obama has stormed the American political scene like a hurricane, a tornado, a typhoon and a tsunami all rolled into one. In a few short years, he has gone from “Obama who?” to the President-elect of the USA and a hugely popular man both in the US and abroad. For many, this begs the question “How does he do it?” I won’t try to answer every aspect of this question. But I will offer one explanation. My answer comes with a little help from Nicole Bacharan, a political scientist in Paris who focuses [...]
“Great work is done by people who are not afraid to be great.” – Fernando Flores I use to be envious of great people. By “great”, I mean people who have achieved things so noteworthy they become famous for it. Some do it early in life, like athletes. Tiger Woods is a great example. Others take more time reach their success through business. Warren Buffet and Bill Gates have both risen to the top with their business achievements. Still others achieve their prominence through service to others. The Reverend Billy Graham and Mother Teresa are legendary for their service to [...]
For the past 30 years, Memorial Day weekend always found me, my brother, my dad, my nephew and several cousins enjoying our annual fishing get-away in Ontario. We’d drive about 8 hours to a beautiful lodge. We would fish for three days, we’d eat a lot and we would share some fellowship that we didn’t often get in the hectic “real-world”. It’s a weekend that all of us looked forward to all year. And after 30 years of staying at the same lodge, we got to know the owners and staff there too. They’re old friends with whom we share [...]
I have never met someone who didn’t want to be successful at something. It’s fair to say we all want to be successful. Here are some tips I’ve learned over the years that have helped me stay on track and move toward my dreams. 1. Do the Right Things Every Day. The best way to accomplish anything is to put the power of action and time to work for you. Just like interest accruing on an investment, when you invest the right actions on a daily basis, you accomplish your goal much faster. So, whatever you’re doing, figure out the [...]
