Okay, this is unthinkable, brazenly un-American and oh, so very not twenty-first century of me, but I am dedicating this blog to less. Yes, you read correctly—LESS. While the notion of “less” goes against everything we grew up learning and wanting, I think it’s a concept worth considering. Over the last half of a century, life and work have become really busy. You notice that? So busy, in fact, that people are losing their ability to “not be busy.” The idea of even the briefest moment of quietude, inaction, genuine relaxation or anything else that smacks of stillness is becoming a lost art. For some, even more than that—it is something to be avoided at all cost. An equally distressing realization is that a fair amount of this “busy-ness” is not in true service to much of anything. It’s time filler. It’s the antidote to quiet—to letting the body and mind rest for a moment. In business, the percentage of time dedicated to busy-ness can be startling. Most of us have become so addicted to constant movement and activity, that we avoid taking a moment to consider the value of that which we do or the way in which we do it. Is it serving us? Is it serving the work and intended outcome? Or, is it just filler? To a large degree, various technology and electronic forms of communication have devolved into a time-consuming craving. Email, text, social media and the internet are remarkable tools, but they can stealthily turn into our master—the classic tail wagging the dog. This transition is, for many of us, an imperceptible one. To begin to notice the state of the dog, requires awareness. With awareness, comes the possibility of choice. So, I leave it here. For those interested in exploring how “busy-ness” shows up and choosing to let go of that which does not serve, be aware of a probable side effect…the ease and well-being of a more relaxed body and mind. How about giving yourself the gift of a little peace and quiet? Download 6 Ways to Create A Calming Moment…at...

  Take a look at this list of words…. satisfying enjoyable interesting gratifying fulfilling enriching fun What if those were the words that best described your experience of being at work? Sound crazy? For some, this may already be happening. They like what they do. They like the people with whom they work. They feel good about being there. For others, the idea of those words being used to describe their job feels almost unfathomable. Like work? Are you kidding? No. I’m definitely not kidding. And yes, it’s possible to work for a company where good stuff happens. Where people receive more than a paycheck and benefits. Where they enjoy supportive relationships, an environment that invites and strengthens integrity. Work that expands their skills: a place where people actually get to grow as human beings. What a concept. If you are leading a company, working for a company or interviewing at a company, I want you to really take this in…over the course of your life, you are going to spend around 110,000 hours at work. ONE HUNDRED AND TEN THOUSAND hours. I’m guessing that this is not an amount of time you want to suffer or sleepwalk through. This is living time you will dedicate to some sort of enterprise or endeavor. If the only thing you are getting out of it is money and benefits, I suggest you may be selling your life short. For those of you who exclaim, “That’s Pollyanna nonsense!,” I get it. We are so conditioned to accept work as a struggle that many of us tend to defend it as such. But, that’s simply a conditioned mindset calling the shots—it’s not our natural affinity. We can shape and create business to be anything we choose it to be. But, choice is the differentiating factor here. Default, legacy and inurement are generally not choices made consciously, but rather the result of unquestioned programming. To bring it into consciousness, simply take a moment and think about it…how do you really want to spend that 110,000 hours of your life? If you could change 3 things in your business right now, what would they be? Join me for a Needs Discovery Conversation to find out how to move forward with these changes in your...

  You remember those days…back in junior high and high school, when most of us had an ever-open eye out for what was cool or interesting or compelling. During that time we were actively scanning people, behavior, clothing, activities, interests, attitudes—looking for what lined up with out mostly unconscious objectives, be they social, physical or vocational. How those around us acted and appeared, mattered. That environment was a powerful sculptor of behavior and mindset. In those years, we referred to it as “peer pressure.” More persuasive oftentimes than parents, teachers, media or even our own good sense. This particular field of energy possessed an enormous ability to direct action and thought. Like the wind, invisible to the eye, but no less real and profound. This amazing energetic resource lives on and with constructive intention, can catalyze remarkable results. Today, as grown ups in the world of business, we refer to it as peer accountability. The difference between the “pressure” and “accountability” factor is a product of awareness and elevated consciousness. Whereas in school, we were more less unconscious about the influence and implications of peer pressure, in business we are conscious about both. Peer accountability is invited in as an instrument of support, ownership, co-creation, expanding potential, deeper fulfillment and responsibility. Whole Foods knows it, Costco knows it, Trader Joes knows it…and so do Google, Facebook and Southwest Airlines. Plus many, many more companies that have broken free and moved beyond the limitations imposed by less evolved methods. A well-designed, implemented and communicated peer accountability format is a game changer. Moreover it can free managers up to pay greater attention to coaching/facilitating their team members as well as addressing any organizational or process related obstacles to their team’s performance. Those that participate in healthy, constructive peer accountability groups get to determine group ethics, set goals, establish and measure action, contribute value, support one another and stand for both their own excellence as well as the needs of the group. The unique attributes inherent in the peer accountability instrument form a tour de force unmatched by the influence of most existing management methods. Implemented well, it’s the secret sauce—perfectly blended to stimulate vitality and enrich performance. Stimulate engagement and accountability through the unique process of Peer Accountability. Learn how...

  Money is one form of energy. It’s the form of energy that most businesses tend to focus in on. Financial reports, profitability statements, quarterly earnings—all are valid and important. But the focus is almost exclusively on this one form. The truth is, businesses are comprised of multiple energy sources and the most potent of these is the human being. This proposition can be easily proven…humans created money. We are the energy that created money. No business has ever sprung up from the earth untouched by human beings, and simply generated money. We humans, as the creators of money, are the more powerful energy source. But, business paradigms oftentimes reverse the pecking order and place financial value squarely ahead of human value. That’s a big mistake. It’s “the cart in front of the horse” kind of mistake. And, while it is largely unrecognized and unrevised, is proving untenable. When energy is tamped down and controlled, it first causes stagnation, and decay. From there it can move into disorder and chaos. We’re talking universal law here. Energy is not something you want to dominate, it’s something you want to invite in and let flourish and flow. Ebenezer Scrooge well illustrates how keeping a closed fist on money can backfire. But, how does keeping a tight fist on human energy show up? It shows up in plummeting worker engagement, deteriorating health and chronic illness, eroding relationships, diminishing enjoyment of life and the negative attitudes many people hold regarding their job. When companies recognize and welcome the remarkable energy that people are and bring forward, they become energized and expansive. The potential of any human being is inexhaustible. The potential of many is unparalleled. It is exactly the great energy source that is available for the forward thinking organization. We have the tools, the knowledge and the ability to unleash human potential like never before. This awareness moves us to the brink of the greatest business opportunity in our history. Now is the time to bid farewell to the tired, cramped paradigm born of the Industrial Revolution and open up to the bountiful, extraordinary possibility of the Human Evolution. Are you ready to seize the opportunity? Your company’s number one asset and energy source are your people. Download “8 Powerful Ways to Energize Your People” to learn how to turn your company into a people and potential...

  It’s easy to be yanked forward and backward in business. Let’s face it, the areas that demand a leader’s attention are vast and ever changing. Technology, forever promising greater efficiencies, has largely added to the already impressive heap. Communicating used to be straightforward, demanding very few choices. You simply built a fire, grabbed a wet blanket, and sent your message. Now, there are so many various channels of communication, it becomes a question of which channel, for what reason and for who. Added complexity. Now, I’d like to be clear… I have nothing against complexity. Complexity is amazing and fascinating—it’s naturally tied to evolution and I’m all for it. However, as a business leader navigating multi-faceted efforts and relationships as well as energetically guiding the company forward, added complexity is not always helpful. In fact, it can seductively rob attention, hijack energy and eventually wear a good leader down. Getting clear on the complexity that actually serves your performance as a leader and releasing that which doesn’t, can be profoundly valuable. Part of this “complexity awareness” includes exploring your relationship with the past and the future. In business, we have both learned and inherited this notion of placing enormous value on the past and the future via voluminous reports and forecasts. Unfortunately, this can prevent us from taking a good long gaze upon what’s actually happening right now. “Now,” is the playground of life and business. The rest are either stories or dreams. Both the story of what we’ve done and who we’ve been, along with the dream of what we are becoming and where we are going, are vital to the healthy operation and growth of a business. But, a reticence to clearly observe and act in the “now,” is a liability. The truth is, the only place things get to happen is now. Being present to what is going on right now in the company, can become a leader’s most valuable “action.” Observing, listening, interacting—becoming aware—have the power to reveal insights greater than any story or dream ever could. When leaders expand their ability to be present-minded at work, they are opening up a huge opportunity for themselves and the company. Practicing mindfulness in concert with a keen awareness of past and future, can be a powerful trinity for business building and business leadership. Interested in getting clear on where your company is right now? Discover the New MBA and sign up for a Needs Discovery...

  Aha! There it was, staring me straight in the face. For months I had been on the look out for a word to replace “Manager.” I had Thesaurus-ed it like crazy, finding all sorts of possibilities, but nothing new ever hit the mark. Meanwhile, I had been reading study after study lamenting the critical rise of disengagement in the workplace—52%, 68%, and, Gallup’s most recent number, a whopping 87%! The creep towards greater disengagement was in full swing, and I had no replacement word for Manager. If you’re wondering why I was so keen on replacing the word manager, the reason is this: When it comes to people and their performance, “managing” is not the best tool for the job. If you’re interested in boosting performance and fortifying the company culture, a lot of time and energy will be expended trying to tighten a bolt with a screwdriver. Here’s why—if you ask a hundred people if they believe traditional business management brings out their best, you will hear a resounding NO. People, by in large, don’t respond positively to being managed. One of the key reasons is that management itself tends to establish the parameters of what needs to be done and how to do it. A sort of “jump this high” mindset. It leaves little room for creativity, authenticity and aspiration—the juice of higher-level action and performance. Secondly, it is oftentimes steeped in a “command/control” legacy-based marinade that people naturally resist. Nobody likes to be commanded or controlled. They may put up with it, they may inure themselves to it, they may grit their teeth and soldier on… but they’ll likely never move into their potential. Managing is simply the wrong tool for the job. On the other hand, management is an ideal instrument for the non-living aspects of business. Numbers, metrics, technology, automation and process are perfectly suited for management. But for living things like people, a different approach is needed. Something in better alignment to humans and our potential for remarkable action and performance. It’s important to remember, that remarkable performance is an inside job born of trust, support, commitment and inspiration. It’s fostered, not exacted. Which brings us back to my search of a new word for manager. Strangely enough, it had been staring up at me all along, partly contained in all those studies regarding workplace (dis)engagement. If engagement is what’s missing in business, isn’t that what’s needed? Eureka! Behold the Engager—people dedicated to engaging others to shine. Helping others to create powerful ways to move into their potential—to excel, to innovate, to exceed. The Engager is connected to the people in their charge and intentional about bringing out the best in each...