Category Archives: inspiration

No More Excuses

“People are always blaming circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and if they can’t find them, make them.”  –  George Bernard Shaw

Ever met one of those people who blame all of their misfortunes on others?  Who are quick to point a finger toward their workload demands?  Or difficult customers?  Or a challenging economy?  Or perhaps a management team whose decisions have challenging consequences?  Maybe it’s fact that these individuals don’t have the tools they need to succeed.  “It’s not my fault,” they often say or “What do you expect since I don’t have what I need to be successful?”

To be fair, it’s easy to fall in to this trap.  In today’s world – and certainly in the business environment – we are often asked to do the impossible if not the improbable.  Whether it’s bigger workloads or increased production quotas, additional management responsibilities or a budget that feels unrealistic, or even the customer that demands you deliver more for less, there are plenty of reasons to contribute challenge to current circumstances.  I have been guilty of throwing my arms up a time or two myself. Continue reading →

Letting Go

“I have gratitude for everything that has brought me to this moment.” – Jonathan Lockwood Huie

I stand today at a crossroads in my evolution as a leader.  One filled with overwhelming joy and excitement of the next role, but also with sadness at the one I leave behind.  I’ve been asked to take the reins of Manpower North America, the signature brand of our company.  A business that represents the core of what our company was built around – making a difference by bringing meaningful work to so many.  The opportunity is tremendous, and the team I will be working for couldn’t be more talented. 

As leaders, we all strive for growth in our professional career.  To be given new responsibilities.  To be entrusted with a new role.  To leverage our past learnings as we address new challenges and opportunities.  To want more – not -for the sake of greed, but to know what you are capable of; to have the chance to prove your worth, your value, and your contribution.  Continue reading →

Focusing on the Right Things

“I don’t care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don’t harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there you’re never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants.” – Zig Ziglar

Have you ever had that feeling of just being overwhelmed? Not knowing where to start, or what to do? Paralyzed at all that is in front of you and seemingly helpless to get it all done? Or perhaps you know what’s important and what needs to be done, but you can’t get past the frustrations created for you by others. You rail about others who ‘haven’t done their job’ or maybe you criticize the decisions that were made above or beside you.

I know I’ve been in this situation before – many times. In fact, I deal with both perspectives on almost a daily basis. We are human. And these reactions are human nature. I could easily spend the better part of my days complaining about all I have on my plate. Like so many of us, I wear multiple hats. And while your situation may differ, I am certain it is no less demanding. Screaming clients, difficult candidates, the frequent requests from your management, a proposal that needs to be written, a dozen phone calls to be returned, and at least a hundred emails a day to be answered. Continue reading →

Resist?

“I can learn to resist
anything but temptation…
I can learn to compromise
anything but my desires…”

[Lyrics from “Resist” by the rock band Rush, written by Neil Peart]

Yes, I am a closet Rush fan, a holdover from my high school days.  A Canadian trio that wrote so many songs from my past – songs like “Tom Sawyer”, “Red Barchetta”, and “Subdivisions”.  If you grew up in the 80s you know exactly what I mean.  If you didn’t, bear with me – it’s the lyrics not the music that defined this rock band.  And this one packs a punch.

At any rate, I was on my morning run the other day when this song came across my iTunes playlist.  I often use my morning runs as an opportunity to reflect on things (that is, when I can get a run in – which isn’t nearly as much these days).  Some runs consume my thoughts with my personal life; others with work.  But they all carry a theme – allowing me the time to focus on what’s important, and what I can impact.  Continue reading →

Be the Better Person

“Or, I could be the better person…”  –  My daughter, Amanda Wright

These were the seven words my daughter said to me, words that immediately stopped the conversation and left all of the adults in the car in a shameful silence – literally!!!  Not a single one of us had a good response to these prophetic words.

My daughter’s comments came following advice we parents had given her about ‘getting even’ and ‘setting things straight’.  You see, my daughter had been the victim of hurtful behavior from one of her friends.  The type of behavior and comments you know aren’t true.  Meant only to make someone else look better or to manipulate the situation.  It was the behavior that so often occurs with teenagers.

As parents, it’s easy to get caught up in the motion of a situation like this.  Your first reaction is to come to the side of your child – to defend them – to set things straight.  “Do the same thing to her,” we suggested.  “Let her know how it feels.”

“Or, I could be the better person…”, she replied.

If only we had the wisdom of a child.  The perspective they can bring to such a situation.  The ability to put aside our feelings and draw upon the principles and values we were taught at such a young age.  I marvel at the clarity in which they can often bring to such events. Continue reading →

Development is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

performance review“Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.” – Chinese Proverb

“The man who moved a mountain was the one who began carrying away small stones.” – Chinese Proverb

It’s that time of the year again, the time in which managers sit down with their team members and provide feedback on their respective performance over the prior year.  And while these reviews should merely be a confirmation of performance feedback that management provides throughout the year, they are an opportunity for a deeper discussion on the impact of that performance and the trajectory it foretells for us as individual contributors.

Understanding one’s performance in the recent past is always helpful.  But what I’ve found to be more important in these reviews are the discussions around professional development – the opportunity it provides for each individual to establish a formal development plan and improve their performance as a member of the team while positioning them for future growth as an individual.  Continue reading →

Change Your Reality

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge…” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

NOTE:  In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., on the anniversary of his birthday, I wanted to use his quotes to set up this leadership message.  The equal rights movement lead by Dr. King will forever shape the world.  But his teachings and the wisdom he shared through them are just as impactful.

Several of you have asked about the status and progress of my father’s recovery, so I thought I would provide an update while offering the lessons I have gained through this progress.  For reference sake, my father was involved in an accident in October of 2013 – one in which the prognosis was grim.  He suffered a cranial hemorrhage, the type that requires surgeon’s to remove part of your skull to relieve the pressure.  This type of injury is similar to a massive stroke in that your brain sits in a pool of blood for a period of time before the pressure can be relieved.  It can literally drown parts of the brain.

The result of the accident and the cranial hemorrhage left him initially paralyzed on the left side of his body.  That was the reality we faced once he came out of his coma.  Frankly, just the fact that he survived the ordeal was enough for us.  Paralysis or not, I still had my father and I was beyond grateful.

But this isn’t a message about accepting a new reality.  It’s a message about strength.  About courage.  About commitment.  And about recognizing the new reality, but the determination to change it. Continue reading →

What is Your New Year’s Resolution?

“Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; and on our character we build our destiny.” – [Henry Hancock]

“The common denominator of success – the secret of success of every man who has ever been successful – lies in the fact that he formed the habit of doing things that failures don’t like to do.” – [Albert Grey]

“Successful people form habits that feed their success, instead of habits that feed their failure.” – [Jeff Olson]

It’s that time of the year.  Time to leave the past behind and look ahead to the future.  With the New Year come new opportunities.  A chance to set new goals.  A chance to change bad habits.  A chance to do something different. Continue reading →