1. I’ve finally realized… I alone am responsible for my actions, regardless of how I feel. 2. I’ve finally realized… That trust takes years to build, and only a few seconds to destroy. 3. I’ve finally realized… Regardless of how long you’ve been friends with a person, they are going to hurt you at one point or another, so you might as well forgive them. 4. I’ve finally realized… People count more than things. 5. I’ve finally realized… The importance of never substituting

Influential leadership skills include the Law of Reciprocity or… if you do a favor for someone they feel obligated to do something back for you. Almost like the “Golden Rule”, reciprocity is giving something and getting something back in kind. The leadership application of this law is the understanding that if you invest yourself in helping others become successful, they will in turn help you become successful. One of my mentors Zig Ziglar once said “You can have everything i

Pesonal courage is necessary for a good leader. “It is the ability to act on the tough but necessary decisions guided by a moral compass that serves to benefit the team or stated goals.” – David Stricklin. Courage, both physically and mentally, is necessary for a leader to be successful. You must stand up for what is right. You must look for accountability and demand it from your employees and yourself. Do what is right; don’t just go through the motions. A successful and co

As a consultant, I constantly hear business leaders and entrepreneurs complain about the communication they have with their employees. “How can I get them to understand what I am saying? Why don’t they get it, Rick?” I can’t tell you how often I hear that. But what my clients fail to understand is, that the key to effective communication goes far beyond what we say in a meeting or type out in an email. It is both verbal and physical. If you want people to “see” what you are s

Ever felt that the world was against you and everyone in it? Well, at some point we have all been in that stage and what separates people is those who have got the winning mentality and those who don’t. Having a winning mentality does not just happen overnight. I had to be psychologically and mentally set and in addition to that, be positive and believe in myself. This usually does not come easy and I had to possess the will and strength so as to eventually be a winner and ha

Influential leadership skills include the Law of Reciprocity or… if you do a favor for someone they feel obligated to do something back for you. Almost like the “Golden Rule”, reciprocity is giving something and getting something back in kind. The leadership application of this law is the understanding that if you invest yourself in helping others become successful, they will in turn help you become successful. One of my mentors Zig Ziglar once said “You can have everything i

I have come to believe that whether it is in business or in your personal life, accountability plays a very big role. In regards to business, you cannot afford to not be accountable because this will ultimately lead to you losing clients. I actually learned this the hard way and since then I explain myself in advance if a certain service or expectation will not be delivered. Being accountable shows your client that you value them and that losing them is not an option you take

Influential leadership skills include the Law of Reciprocity or… if you do a favor for someone they feel obligated to do something back for you. Almost like the “Golden Rule”, reciprocity is giving something and getting something back in kind. The leadership application of this law is the understanding that if you invest yourself in helping others become successful, they will in turn help you become successful. One of my mentors Zig Ziglar once said “You can have everything i

Joy has everything to do with being a leader. When you lead a team, or an organization does it bring a sense of joy and confidence to you and others around you? If you cannot answer yes, you may need to re-evaluate. Leadership comprises a set of principles and values. How you act determines if you have learned these traits. There should be a joy in your soul when you act in a way that is consistent with your personality. If you are leading your team or company in a way that i

Someone once said to me that to be an effective leader you had to have at least seven distinct abilities. Interesting. How could you pin down the number to seven, but after listening to their thoughts and reading some recommended articles, I found that there were indeed seven basic elements of being a good leader. One leadership skill, in addition to being charismatic and smart was the ability to get and give (transfer) information. I find that if I could not communicate effe