Mark shares the story of a very successful, $1 billion business that has experienced consecutive years of growth since its founding 25 years ago – after the leaders actually had met at a coffee shop for 20 years beforehand to often talk about their individual failures and help one another!  They have [Read more...]

It is important to put your business first and not let your individual style or potential limiting beliefs limit success.  Whether you are a solopreneur, member of a team in a more conventional organization, or in your personal life working on relationships with [Read more...]

Being accountable is a process, not an event, so it is a challenge while in the process to not get distracted or look for an easy way out.  Common missteps occur when we get in a hurry to get results, overlooking the difficult consequences on others, or falling into group think supporting one another in the wrong direction.  Empower someone to play devil’s advocate.  It is very important to take breaks when doing this work to avoid burnout, keeping an eye on the desired outcome at all times to not get bogged down in the tasks.

Being on this planet is about learning, not about changing the rules of the planet.  We need to make the best of every situation and learn to walk a very fine line to do whatever we can to in a sense take control even though we maybe do not have it.  Once across the line, however, it is best to accept the circumstances, learn from them, consider what to do differently next time, and go to a higher altitude to gain perspective.  The end result is building stronger muscles to be purposeful, deliberate, and conscious of our impact on others – here, now, present.

When we are in the midst of an argument or debate, or any situation that warrants peak performance, we are not in the best place to see through the situation because we are in it.  In order to get unstuck from competition and set a clear direction, we need to become bigger than any one individual – go up in altitude and tap into the invisible, a consciousness towards a much bigger calling for the greater good.  Participate in your experience and impact on others and yourself, and experience your participation, course correcting as necessary for the best outcome.

The recent television coverage of the Oscars Award Ceremony included sarcastic humor and an opening skit like a self-fulfilling prophecy predicting the show would be one of the worst recorded – which on many accounts it was.  Leadership is not restricted to skills or abilities.  It includes a consciousness, an invisible and carefully maintained ability, to bring people together and put positive things out that reflect back magnified, uplifting both the leader and the organization during times of challenge.

Can you provide too much service?  Yes, for if not done within the context of those wanting to be served, you can overstep your bounds.  Paying attention to the actual need as opposed to satisfying your need to be needed is the catch, along with first being in service to yourself (and handling imbalances along the way), having clear boundaries, and being truly attuned to caring for others with no expectations in return.  True customer service comes as a result of being in a partnership of shared accountability, not just relationship.

Organizational culture is not truly defined by values and beliefs (what we want them to be), but rather is a result of people’s behaviors when in relationship to execute desired results.  In the context of what needs to be accomplished, what are the necessary roles and habits that set up how people work and function together?  How do they address proactive recovery and learning?  Far too often leaders focus merely on the metrics and action plans, going into gridlock when faced with upsets and difficult decisions.  High Performance is a function of Execution + Relationships = Culture.

With the business world demanding more and more of us, how do we become more kind, nurturing, forgiving and supportive of ourselves, so we can be more of who we really want to be?  This requires a mindset change to not necessarily do what we like to do all the time, but mindfully choose what will serve us the best.  We need to be prepared to sacrifice old habits to make room for new habits that sustain us, a cumulative process that manifests through a series of small steps with recovery plans in place in the event of setbacks, resulting in building our muscles of self-care.

When we are unsure of what to do next, wondering is so much less stressful than worrying and cranking ourselves into a potentially directionless doing mode.  If business slows down or projects do not meet our expectations and a break in the action unfolds, be wary of your safety mechanism of worrying kicking in.  Instead, view this not as a derailment or slump, but a time to prepare and get ready for something new launching – a signpost to you are headed in a new direction. Wait, sit and be silent, and mentally open to what is reaching towards us.  Ask a wonder question each night, and how will “it” show up?