“In order to burnout a person needs to have been on fire…at one time!” ~ Ayala Pines The path to becoming fully “alive” as a leader begins when you are aligned with your purpose – your reason for living. And as you get clarity and awareness of your own path, you are then able to…
“The tragedy of life is often not in our failure, but rather in our complacency; not in our doing too much, but rather in our doing too little; not in our living above our ability, but rather in our living below our capacities.” ~ Benjamin E. Mays A few years ago, I wrote a…
“Communication is a skill that you can learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life.” ~ Brian Tracy In almost every conversation I have with clients when I ask them the biggest challenge facing their…
“If you are not consistently looking for ways to bring more value to your work, you are simply taking up space!” ~ Joe Contrera What is the first thought that comes to mind when you hear the word – quality? Is it something that you look for when buying goods or services? Or is…
“Be curious, not judgmental.” ~Walt Whitman Curiosity may have killed the cat, but a lack of curiosity could be killing your ability to lead your people. Why? Because in order to be a great leader you must have a general curiosity about the people you lead. You have to understand what makes them tick,…
“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” ~ Bryant H. McGill The most important skill you can build on in your life is your listening skills. And yet…the single biggest issue negatively impacting most work environments and relationships is poor listening skills. Which begs…
“Knowing when to leave may be the smartest thing anyone can learn.” ~ Burt Bacharach Over the years I have had the opportunity to work with or present in front of 1000’s of leaders. On occasion, I have been asked, What makes a great leader? What are the traits of a great leader? Can…
“Without the why, the how and the what don’t matter!” ~ Dr. Nido Qubein More than 20 years ago, before anyone started talking about the importance of having a “Why,” an incredibly wise mentor of mine, Dr Nido Qubein of High Point University, told me, “Joe if you don’t have a why, the how…
“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” ~Willie Nelson You’ve heard the saying, “garbage in…garbage out.” When it comes to your thoughts and your words, the same principle applies. What you think determines not only what you say but more importantly, what you do. You’ve probably heard these…
“We do well to unplug regularly. Quiet time restores focus and composure.” ~Daniel Goleman At certain times in the career of a leader, you may find yourself feeling exhausted, a bit lost, a little confused, or simply stressed out. With the holidays upon us, it can either be a great time to continue to…