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Aug 18

I’m an Executive…and I’m Scared!

By Financial Advisors No Comments
I'm an executive...and I'm scared!  These aren’t words you’re going to hear uttered by executives in the C-Suite, or anyone in leadership for that matter, yet according to Roger Jones, CEO of Vantage Hill Partners, they are common words you would hear if you could peer into the inner thoughts and emotions of those occupying Corporate America’s corner offices.  Jones says, "While few executives talk about them, deep and uncontrolled private fears can spur defensive behaviors that undermine how they and their colleagues set and execute company strategy." Fear is here to stay, deal with it!  The question is, how?  For some help on the subject,…
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Aug 06

Book Brief: “The Secret of Teams”

By Book Briefs, Organizational Development
In my former role as a Director of a wealth management services group for Merrill Lynch, I had the opportunity to help build and work along side financial advisor teams.  This position gave me the unique opportunity to see what made the best teams gel and what made the wannabes come up short.  What I saw in the best advisor teams is what Mark Miller, Vice President of Training and Development at Chick-fil-A, outlines in "The Secret of Teams". Miller started researching top performing teams over twenty years ago and he shares the lessons he learned in this book.  He…
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Jul 28

The Dyslexic Billionaire

By Organizational Development, Personal Development No Comments
Last week Sir Richard Branson, English businessman and investor, turned the ripe old age of sixty-five.  Self-described as adventurous, curious and fun-loving, the terms "ripe" and "old" are not in his vocabulary.  As you'll notice in the picture below, he's still exercising his "brand", the infectious smile of his youth. Is he's smiling because he's worth $4.9 billion?  Prior to yesterday, I would have believed the money had a lot to do with it.  But I've changed my mind since having the opportunity to see him in person this week be interviewed by Soledad O'Brien, former CNN anchor.  I believe he's smiling…
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Jul 23

Book Brief: The Power of Habit

By Book Briefs, Personal Development
Want to change some bad habits and start some good ones?  If so, this is a must read by Pulitzer Prize-winning business reporter Charles Duhigg.  This New York Times Bestseller will give you a very simple formula to tackle those destructive patterns that have been “eating your lunch” for so long. Duhigg outlines scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how you can change them.  The key to losing weight, being more productive, exercising regularly, and being successful starts with understanding how habits work.   The author says that 45% of the activities we do are related to habit. Habits are something we…
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Jul 20

Want to Accomplish More?…Then Do Less!

By Organizational Development, Personal Development
"ODWOYCD"....  No, this is not Swahili nor a typo.  This string of alphabets represents the best advice I've ever received when it comes to playing to my strengths as a leader.  It stands for "Only Do What Only You Can Do." One of my favorite leaders, Andy Stanley, shared this concept in a presentation at the Catalyst West 2010 Conference.  In this 3 minute and 15 second video clip you'll hear about the 2 best kept secrets of leadership that could take you to a whole new level in your career and you're effectiveness: "The 2 Best Kept Secrets Of…
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Jul 15

Book Brief: “Thinking Fast And Slow”

By Book Briefs, Organizational Development, Personal Development
If Malcolm Gladwell’s one word is “blink”, then Daniel Kahneman’s one word is “think”.  In “Thinking Fast and Slow”, Kahneman, a professor emeritus at Princeton University and the only non-economist to win The Nobel Peace Prize in Economics, explains how our mind works “fast and slow,” and how our “two selves” shape our viewpoint.  This book combines psychology and economics and is consistently on the New York Times Bestseller list in the business category, garnishing rave reviews far and wide. Kahneman’s aim for the book?  “To improve the ability to identify and understand error of judgment and choice, in others and eventually in ourselves, by providing a rich and more precise language…
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Jul 13

Eric Schmidt CEO of Google: “The Best Advice I Ever Got”

By Personal Development
Years ago when I was entering the executive ranks with my former company, an experienced executive with the firm pulled me aside and gave me the best professional advice I have ever received - “have a coach”.  I didn’t realize how valuable this advice was initially, but a couple of years later I reached out to him and got the name of his coach, and I hired him. Every executive needs an “Outside-Insider” to partner with them.  According to The Miles Group Report (2013), CEOs and Entrepreneurs are lonely and isolated and have a shortage of advice at the top.  Only 33% of CEOs…
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Jul 02

How To Get a 240% Boost in Performance-Related Business Outcomes

By Organizational Development
Imagine boarding a Boeing 707 in Los Angeles with your final destination being Chicago, when midway into your flight, somewhere over Colorado, you hear music that sounds like a live band coming from the cockpit.  You get up from your seat and walk toward the front of the plane to get a better perspective.  You open the cockpit door only to find the captain engaging his trumpet skills with a jazz ensemble, when he should have been engaged in flying the plane.  Perhaps you remember this absurd scene that’s featured in the 1980, slapstick motion picture, “Airplane”. While this scene…
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Jul 02

How To Get Over The 3 Fears Of Getting Naked

By Book Briefs, Personal Development
How good are you at getting naked?  Hold on.  Its not what you're thinking.  I’m referring to a set of client engagement principles that Patrick Lencioni lays out in his book, “Getting Naked”. In his book, Lencioni drives home his points in a business fable about shedding the three fears that sabotage client loyalty.  For the sake of being  “brief”, we’ll leave out the discussion of the fable and simply outline his principles, specifically what giving “naked service” means: It means being... Vulnerable Humble Selfless Honest Open This is a great read for individuals who make their living in the service industry, particularly for CPAs, Business Consultants…
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Jul 02

Hope For The Overworked And Overwhelmed

By Book Briefs, Personal Development
In his book, “Overworked and Overwhelmed”, Scott Eblin shares the following story, which highlights the current reality for many professionals in today's world: "One workshop participant said that while waiting for his family’s flight to take off for their vacation, his 10-year-old daughter asked, “Daddy, can I see your BlackBerry?” When he gave it to her, she put it in her bag and said, “You can have that when we get back, Daddy.”" Eblin says busy executives must develop “mindfulness" by being intentional and aware if they are ever going to get off the fight-or-flight treadmill.  He states that many executives are burned out due to increased responsibilities and the constant onslaught of technology.…
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