It is a beautiful morning in the Bahamas.  I am here for a speaking engagement and this morning was moving along like most others.  Two conference calls.  A proposal.  E-mail correspondence. Reviewing my notes and content in preparation for tomorrow.

Suddenly none of that seems important.  Suddenly I am stopped with a moment of real perspective.

I received a note about the tragic loss of my client, friend and VP of Sales for Ag Direct Troy Hansen.  Troy was 38 years old and is survived by his wife and two children.

I had the absolute honor of working with Troy in preparation for my recent keynote at the annual Farm Credit Services of America Sales Conference.  In finally getting to meet Troy face to face I felt an instant connection.   Troy was a leader others wanted to follow.  He was a rare blend of confidence, charisma and a real humility that was very special.  He looked you in the eyes with a real handshake.  He instantly made you feel warm and welcome with a personal story where you could relate.  He was so full of energy and enthusiasm for life that it was contagious. In the short time we spent together his priorities of family, community and commitment to his career were so very clear.

I didn’t get to know him well.  I am sorry for that.  I have a strong sense my life would have been enriched volumes if I had that opportunity and I cannot begin to imagine the emptiness those closest to him must feel.

My deepest condolences to the Hansen family and entire Farm Credit community.

While I cannot make sense of this what I also know is that today I have a gift.  My time here is short.  What I do with it is up to me.

“Be glad of life, because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars.” –Henry Van Dyke

Posted in News

Tags: Perspective

I will be back up in the air and on the move!  If you are in the AC or the Bahama’s I hope we connect!

I’ll be speaking:

GSCSHRM
Atlantic City, NJ
Monday, 10/24

United States Marines Corps MCCS
Orlando, FL
Wednesday, 10/26

Bahama’s HRD Association
Nassau, Bahama’s
Friday, 10/28
*it is winter in MN and this is good strategic planning

My friends from the Work/Life Expo were kind enough to Flip and forward the enclosed feedback following my keynote last week.  Muchas Gracias! Yes, I did pick up a little bit of Spanish while speaking in Venezuela this week.  A bit of commentary and perspective on my adventure in Caracas forthcoming.

We also added the annual SHRM Leadership Conference to our event calendar and are excited to start working with  AT&T, Giant Eagle and Wakefield. Welcome.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Posted in News, Uncategorized

Tags: AT&T, Caracas, Giant Eagle, Speaking, Training, Wakefield, Work/Life

I always feel especially good about any opportunity to work in the hometown.

The shots are from my keynote last week at the annual MNSHRM State Conference.

Tomorrow I have the priviledge of opening the 2011 Work/Life & Flexibility Expo.

If you are in the Twin Cities it isn’t too late to join us!

Hope to see you in the morning!

 

Posted in News

Tags: Flexibility, Keynote Speaking, SHRM, Speaking

Sun. Good food. Better stories. Cold drinks. Friends. Family. Moments that matter. Memories that last.

Sounds like a good reunion. I am on my way to our family reunion now. Will be in C Town in a few hours and the festivities will begin. It has been too long.

Last weekend we did our brothers weekend/reunion. Great dinners. Better conversation. A little competition. Our weekend now known simply as ‘The Annual’.

Next week I’ll head to the beach for a few days with my best friend from college. A standing summertime tradition. Beach runs. Bikram Yoga. A little business.

I love a good reunion. They offer the opportunity to reflect, relax, reconnect and rejuvenate. They serve as a very real reminder of what is truly most important. The relationships that matter.

On the journey to where you are going it is always helpful to stop for a moment and remember where you’ve been. And embrace the people who have been with you from the start. That stand with you now. Every single step of the way.

Posted in News

Tags: Family Reunions, Relationships, Reunions

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

It is always good to take a moment to reflect on what we are celebrating.  Happy 4th of July!

Posted in News

Tags: Declaration of Independence, Indpedence Day, July 4th

I’ll spend today like most Sunday’s.

A little coffee.  Kindle.  Acoustic sunrise.  A little work. A run by the river.

But there will be those 15 minutes.

That Father’s Day phone call that for the first time I won’t get to make.

It certainly provides a moment of pause.  Some reflection.

In considering, I am taking some fatherly advice to heart.

“Choose to be happy.”

Simple.

Requires a little effort in certain moments.  But always a choice I get to make.

That is the premise of Choice Theory courtesy of the William Glasser Institute.

Tools to help make good choices.

7 caring habits. 7 deadly habits. 10 axioms.  Here they are:

Seven Caring Habits		Seven Deadly Habits
1.	Supporting	1.	Criticizing
2.	Encouraging	2.	Blaming
3.	Listening	3.	Complaining
4.	Accepting	4.	Nagging
5.	Trusting	5.	Threatening
6.	Respecting	6.	Punishing
7.	Negotiating differences	7.	Bribing, rewarding to control

The Ten Axioms of Choice Theory:

1.  The only person whose behavior we can control is our own.

2. All we can give another person is information.

3. All long-lasting psychological problems are relationship problems.

4. The problem relationship is always part of our present life.

5. What happened in the past has everything to do with what we are today, but we can only satisfy our basic needs right now and plan to continue satisfying them in the future.

6. We can only satisfy our needs by satisfying the pictures in our Quality World.

7. All we do is behave.

8. All behavior is Total Behavior and is made up of four components: acting, thinking, feeling and physiology.

9. All Total Behavior is chosen, but we only have direct control over the acting and thinking components. We can only control our feeling and physiology indirectly through how we choose to act and think.

10. All Total Behavior is designated by verbs and named by the part that is the most recognizable.

Good stuff.

So, how to choose when confronted with those hard 15 minutes?

Think of good times.  Special moments.  Great memories.  Smile.

Choose happiness.

Happy Father’s Day.

Posted in News

Tags: Choice Theory, Father's Day, William Glasser

At least over the last 90 days.  Q2. What a fun ride it has been.  I am reflecting early.

The last two stops of the quarter are South Beach and Vegas.  A little celebration may be in order.

Q1 was a tough stretch. Life.  Lessons.

Q2 was a great stretch.  Life.  Lessons.

A team of people helped me cross that bridge.  I won’t ever forget.  Thank you.

I keep reminding myself to occasionally look back and enjoy the view.

Here is what it look liked in Q2. At least a few highlights anyway.

Almost halftime.  Feeling ready.

Posted in Brand, Communications, News

Tags: Keynote Speaker, Keynote Speaking, Motivational Speaking, Speaking, Training

What a week!  Returning to the Twin Cities from a 10 day trip that included two keynotes and a surprise weekend visit with Mom for Mother’s Day.

In spite of lost luggage (permanently), a sinus infection and miserable Minnesota weather I am grateful.  In spite of what I lost (some gear), what I gained is so much more.  I have received the generous and permanent gift of wisdom.

A weekend with my Mom typically includes red wine and reflection.  She is a talented teacher, artist, gardener, caregiver and conversationalist.  She listens. Careful and contemplative with her advice, it comes in small doses and is customized just for me.  It is a unique gift that I now suspect only she can give.  It had been a while since just the two of us spent this kind of time together.  Talking.  Laughing.  Smiling.  Sharing.  Learning.  It was a weekend I won’t soon forget.

On Wednesday morning I was departing the Samoset in Maine and upon entering my shuttle to the airport Richard reached out his hand and extended a warm welcome.  We had two hours of transition time and I cannot begin to explain why my headset wasn’t where it always is when I am on the move – in my ears.  As we set out Richard dove in and we spent a good bit of time talking about the topic of the keynote address I had just delivered, The Generations at Work.

Richard is a traditionalist.  A local.  A veteran.  A family man.  A man willing to sacrifice for a worthwhile cause.  He lived and learned.  Loved and lost.  We were gaining ground into territory that mattered.  Talking intently about risk and regret.  Where you find the most meaning and what really matters when it’s all said and done.  I was probing and Richard was on roll.  It was a shuttle ride I won’t soon forget.

During our conversation I felt my phone vibrating inside my jacket.  It was the middle of the day and I made the standard move we all make.  I was going for the mutli-task.  Check messages, respond and continue right on with Richard.  Then I stopped.

I thought for a moment about the content of my keynote.  The gaps that naturally exist given our unique life experiences.  I recognized, however briefly, that Richard certainly recalled a time where you didn’t text message when a man was talking to another man about the meaning of life. Where eye contact and undivided attention were signs of respect.  I left the phone alone.

A wise man told me that in life you typically end up regretting the things you don’t do more than you regret the mistakes you make.  He actually told me you learn quite a bit more from those mistakes so you are “ready for the next go around.”  He talked about treating people with respect and putting family first. He talked about the short amount of time we are here and that it was nice to see a young man doing something that mattered.

Thanks Richard.  I was listening.

Right before I left on this trip a close friend sent me the enclosed video on Wisdom.  I fell in love with it’s content and have watched it countless times.  The timing was perfect and I am quite certain it put me in the frame of mind to be aware and pay attention.

The gift of wisdom is all around us.  Sometimes you just have to stop and listen.

Posted in Leadership, News

Tags: Generations, Wisdom

I checked into the Hotel Del Coronado last night.  Exhausted from a wonderful 48 whirlwind that included keynotes for CUPA and SHRM and so many new, meaningful connections.  On my pillow was a placard with the hotel’s daily affirmation (nice touch) that read:  “Somewhere on your journey don’t forget to turn around and enjoy the view.”  How fitting.

Ten years ago (or perhaps a little longer) I made my first trip to San Diego. I was a Sales Manger who just got the big promotion to Vice President attending my first SHRM National event as a vendor/exhibitor (part of my new role and responsibility).

I was awestruck by the SHRM experience. The size and scale. The programming, people and parties.  The speakers.  The keynote speakers.

During the evening we made our way over to Coronado Island for a reception at the very same Hotel Del. Gathering around, watching the sunset, casually initiating new relationships with potential customers over cocktails.  I am not sure if I was inspired by the sunset or the cerveza but among our small group I casually blurted out, “someday I am going to keynote this conference.”  A moment of uncomfortable silence was followed by laughter and another round.  A brazen comment made by a kid buzzing from his new promotion.  Speak?  “Stick to the sales” was the prevailing thought.

Not in my mind.

This week I followed Dan Pink (someone whom I have admired for years) as the Day 2 Keynote Speaker at the SHRM National Talent & Staffing Conference.  After nearly 10 years of National breakout/mega sessions it was nice to step up.  I hope my message resonated.   I hope to check another box on the list very soon.

I suppose I checked in to the Hotel Del to look back and remember that night here 10 years ago.  To reflect.  To write.  To enjoy the view.  The many ups and downs.  Highs and lows.  Wins and losses.  Big dreams.  What I see most prominently are the people.  The people I love.  The people I miss. The people I met this week.  The people that matter.   The good news is there is always room for more of those people.

I have come to realize that how you do something and who you are doing it with are just as important what you are doing.

Looking back to enjoy the view is such sage advice.  It helps you see forward more clearly.  More passionately.  More purposefully.  This time around I am 100% certain it isn’t the cerveza.

Take a moment.  Look back and enjoy the view. Embrace the present.  Think forward.

What a journey!

Posted in Leadership, News, Recruiting, Uncategorized

Tags: CUPA, Keynote Speaker, SHRM, Speaking

Forgiveness is powerful.

It can be a tremendous gift.  It can relieve a tremendous burden.

It is almost always necessary for a relationship to endure.

We are human.  We make mistakes.  We let each other down.

Harboring resentment and holding on to a grudge simply erodes our ability to be the best of who we are.  Angry is no way to work or live.

I can tell you it feels good to let go.  Move forward.  Think ahead.

I can tell you it will prove to be entirely more productive.

Give it generously.  Receive it graciously.

You might just be surprised what happens next.

Posted in Employee Engagement, Leadership, News, Uncategorized

Tags: Forgiveness