Striving for work-life balance isn’t a zero sum game. Being fully present wherever you are is what matters. Right up there with “win-win” in the office lexicon, you’ll be familiar with the tired term, “work-life balance.” But, in truth, there is no such thing. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that the very idea is an insidious lie. It implies that “work” and “li...

Have you ever seen the reality show Undercover Boss? I highly recommend it. On the show, the CEO of a company, disguised in casual clothes and with a made-up back story, spends time working incognito alongside his or her front-line employees. There are the predictable inter-employee spats, miniature crises, and times when the CEO just doesn’t “get” how to do some simple task. It's all in good fu...

People respect you. But do they trust you—and should they? That’s the question anyone should be asking, but especially those of us who are mentoring others in a quest to build future leaders. So ask yourself this question: What did you do today to deserve the trust of others? In these interesting times, there’s no big surprise that someone–the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer–is surveying Americ...

72 percent say social media is meaningful in business. Here’s my four-point plan to use it to engage employees and show the world what your company values. We’re well past the time when social media is optional. You already know that and are probably looking to improve your reach and influence . . . and you’re right. Training magazine’s 2018 survey of more than 500 learning and development profess...

It’s understandable that a lot of people complain about their commutes to and from work, appointments, or client meetings. I don’t. It’s not that I like being cut off in traffic or sitting at stoplights; it’s just that I have learned to see the time I spend driving as an opportunity. A recent AAA survey says the average American adult drives 17,600 minutes—that’s almost 300 hours&mdash...

The entrepreneur’s brain at times can resemble the grand finale of a million-dollar fireworks show. Music’s blaring and things are blowing up all over the place. And while it’s pretty and entertaining, it’s also out of control, hard to follow, and a bit exhausting. It’s easy during these times for leaders to end up mentally drained and emotionally overwhelmed by the high-speed, explosive cha...

The summit of Denali (formerly known as Mount McKinley) is 20,310 feet above sea level, and Werner Berger was 200 feet from the peak. Just another 20 minutes of climbing and he would cross the tallest mountain in North America off his list. The weather, however, had turned nasty. And rather than risk getting caught in a whiteout, Berger’s group turned back. “Everybody was so disappointed for me and wondered h...

Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers first recorded the song “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive” in 1944, and many stars have covered the tune–Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Paul McCartney, Barry Manilow, and, for you punk fans, The Vindictives, just to name a few. But for David Corbin, it was a version by a dancing bear that stood out. Corbin, a friend I’ve grown to respect as a fellow professional speak...

You’ve heard of the legendary Charles Atlas, right? Big dude. He was born Angelo Siciliano, but he changed his name after going from a skinny weakling to a specimen so ripped he resembled the Greek Titan known for holding up the sky. A century ago, Charles Atlas bulked up to become the most famous bodybuilder of his day. He then created a fitness plan based on “dynamic tension,” and, with the help of a...

Every business leader I know is looking for the same thing: An edge. They all want that elusive something that will get their team and their organization ahead of — or keep them ahead of — their competition. And one place many look for it is by investing in the wisdom of an outsider — the professional business speaker. Yeah, that’s me. But I’m one of many, some good and some, well … c...