What Has Age Got to Do with It

I am so tired of all the conversation about the younger generation verse the older generation. Boomers thinking Millennials just can’t do it and Millennials thinking Boomers are out of touch. There is no rule that I know of which states, good ideas can ONLY come from senior management. We need to get over this generation battle and start pulling together.

The "USE" of Knowledge is POWER

The phrase "scientia potentia est” is a Latin aphorism meaning "knowledge is power". I believe you need to expand that phrase with three additional words to make it universally correct: The “USE” of knowledge is POWER. There are a lot of smart people in this world, with incredible “knowledge”, but they fail to fully reach their potential because they are unable to “USE” that knowledge to their advantage. Knowing what to do and having the courage to do it are entirely two different things. Novelist, statesman and scientist von Goethe said it this way: “Knowing is not enough. We must apply. Willing is not enough. We must do.”

 Focus Matters Most

The great film director George Lucas once said, “Your focus determines your reality.” Psychologists have estimated that we have between 50,000 - 70,000 thoughts a day. With all that going on in our heads, no wonder it is no small task to get ourselves to focus on key issues. But, in order to achieve success, we need to learn how to focus these thoughts on WHAT MATTERS MOST. If we let our attention jump from one thing to another, we will have a busy, but most likely, an unproductive day. Simple example: If you chase two rabbits, both will escape; when your focus is scattered, your effectiveness is diminished.

Leadership is Lacking

James O'Toole, a professor and leadership expert once said, "95% of American managers today say the right thing … 5% actually do it." On every front, poor LEADERSHIP is destroying companies. Unnecessary turnover of employees and disengaged employees, costs companies billions of dollars each year. People don’t leave companies, they leave bosses. 46% of employees leave their job because they did not feel appreciated. 75% of employees listed their immediate boss as the most stressful part of their job. But, the reverse of this … smart, shrewd, wise, astute, GREAT LEADERS have found that happy employees are 31% more productive and 56% better at sales.

See Them as an Invited Guest

Your customers are invited guests to your party and everyone they encounter in your company needs to assume the position of being “their host.” Customer service excellence has always been and will always be the most critical competitive advantage for any business. Your competitor can copy your store, warehouse, or facility design, your product mix and even your pricing … but you can make it where they will never be able to copy your incredible customer service.

Never Discount the Power of MOTIVATION

Recently, I heard a prominent speaker declare: “I think motivation is garbage.” She went on to say, “Motivation is never there when you need it. Ever, Ever, Ever!” She even said that we have all bought into this big lie that motivation really works. The speaker went on to explain her statement, but nothing she said changed my opinion of how TOTALLY wrong I think she is.