Joe Contrera is the Founder and President of ALIVE @ WORK LLC, a leadership development company dedicated to helping Extraordinary Leaders Achieve Extraordinary Results. He is the author of three books. His latest, Extraordinary Results: Mastering the Art of Leading, Coaching, & Influencing Others, is quickly becoming a must-have resource for leaders in organizations across the country. It will not only change what you believe about leading, it will help you build your leadership skills so that you can successfully influence others.
“We train animals, we need to make sure we are educating our leaders.” ~Joe Contrera Yesterday, I was attempting to read an article on my phone to catch up on an event. Once I clicked on the article, in less than a nanosecond my screen was filled so many ads that I could not…
“The oxymoron of freedom is that it must submit to rules of morality or it will succumb to the rot of tyranny.” ~ Craig D. Lounsbrough So-cial – late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin socialis from socius meaning ‘friend. Me-di-a – the means of communication that reaches large numbers of people.…
“Force, no matter how concealed, begets resistance.” ~ Lakota Proverb Your ability to lead others is directly tied to your ability to influence them. One of the tools you can use to more powerfully influence others is the use of story in your interactions. Stories can magnify a point or grab an audiences attention during a…
“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.” ~Moliere Recently, I attended an HOA meeting to discuss increasing the monthly fee by 10% for 3 years to make up for a shortfall in the Capital Reserve Funds. I was struck by the boards…
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” ~Alice Walker Just when you thought things couldn’t get worse…they did! Why? Because where you focus your thoughts determines what unfolds in your life. Yes, you can call it The Law of Attraction, Quantum Physics, Karma, or some other woo-woo…
“Money cannot buy peace of mind. It cannot heal ruptured relationships, or build meaning into a life that has none.” ~Richard M. DeVos I have been doing a little reflecting on money. It seems as though you cannot flinch without seeing some commercial for Bet365, Sportsbook, or DraftKings promising fast, easy money and enticing…
“Success is all about what we do for ourselves, significance is all about what we do for others.” ~ Cole A. Randall There is a story about a man who spent his life chasing success. He ran as hard and as fast as he could and surpassed every milestone that he had set for himself. And…
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” ~ Oprah Winfrey It’s January and the pinnacle of the college and professional football season is upon us! Folks will either begin gathering to watch the College Football Playoffs or the beginning of the NFL Playoffs. They will…
“We must protect ourselves and our children from the unwanted, addictive, and deceptive influence that is being driven by the Social Media Industrial Complex. ~Joe Contrera 122 years ago, one of the milestones in the history of filmmaking was surpassed when Edwin S. Porter directed and photographed the very first narrative film, The Great…
“Looking back, you realize that everything would have explained itself if you had only stopped interrupting.” ~ Robert Breault Regardless of how you analyze the numbers, interruptions are one of the biggest drains on our ability to effectively communicate with others in the workplace. Unfortunately, I have found that this is an area…