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

Today is a milestone.  For many of us it is the end of first quarter.

If you are going all in to make your 2011 performance plan today is an important day.  We are 25% of the way home.  We have established a trend line.  Now is the time to accelerate or alter course.  The next 90 days are pivotal.  They will further solidify the trajectory.   Today is a good day for some results inventory.

I am doing my own review and reflection.  Talked to the the coach this week.  Evaluating progress toward my plan.  The challenge in planning is we always can’t predict the inevitable, unexpected challenges that come our way.  In business and in life.  It is just a pretty good idea to realize they are coming.  Some big.  Others small.  Our ability to push through the setbacks rests heavily on our ability to respond and recover when things take a sharp left hand turn. I am starting to understand the role “recoverablity” plays in hitting the outcome objective.

It is likely we have all bumped into some unanticipated barriers since the ball dropped.  My Q1 experience included:

-The end of a personal relationship.
-The loss of my dad.
-Going down with the flu for 3 weeks.
-Getting a year older (I am hoping wiser).
-Evaluating a significant evolution to the consulting side of our business.

Business.  Life.  What happened.

Clearly, we started the year a little slow and distracted.   I didn’t forecast any of these events with much accuracy. They all required time and attention.  They all had significant impact on the plan and in some cases, me as a person.

I suppose the better question isn’t, what happened?  But rather, what I am (or you) going to do about it?

Good to understand the past.  Important to think forward.

In a time where change is simply the new normal, the business (and personal) ability to respond, recover and recognize the next move is critical to success.

There are times when it is hard.  There are times when you need a little help.  There are times when you need to take a break.  There are times when you need to push through.

I know those times.

I also know tomorrow is the start of something new.  Q2.  The start of something new brings the hope of something great.

I have a calendar full of great days planned in April, May and June and wish the same for you.

You are here. What are you going to do about it?

Posted in Employee Engagement, Leadership, News, Sales, Uncategorized

It was a wonderful time for me to spend the last few days in New York.  I know I will be working in a New York state of mind all week.

I love New York.  As a serial visitor I am always inspired by the scale and pace of the city.  One of my favorite New York moves is to throw on a good playlist and just head out for a city walk to soak up the energy. New York evokes feelings of inspiration, opportunity and a reminder of the fragile nature of our lives in the world around us. There is nothing quite like it.  The city makes you come alive.

Hands down the best part of the New York experience is the people.   So many of whom come to New York with a purpose.  To do something special.  I always enjoy conversation with people who are constantly stepping outside of their comfort zone.  Passing tests.  Leaning in to what is next and new.   Going somewhere to do something about a big idea.  There is real learning in those stories.   They do inspire.

When I am stuck in rut.  Challenged by choices.  Or generally feel like I am just going through the motions in my same old routine, two things that help put me back in the groove are:

Travel: It opens you up.  Shifts your perspective.  Teaches you about people.  Offers meaningful and memorable experiences.  Helps you appreciate home.  A change of scenery can be a very good thing.

Meeting new people: The people around us have enormous impact on our being.  How we think, act and experience the world around us.  New people bring forward new ideas, insights and perhaps the best opportunity to share, give, learn and grow.

Being somewhere new and being open and proactive about putting new people into our lives can be hard.  And well worth the effort.

Over the next two months I will be working in Arkansas, California, Maine, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Arizona and Chicago, Illinois.  I will be up in the air and there will be very little routine about this stretch.

When I am done I will be different.  Because those places and especially the people will impact me and help me evolve if I let them. I intend to fully embrace that opportunity.

What a gift!

New places and people wake us up.  Challenge us.  Provide a sense of adventure and renewed spirit.  A new set of experiences.

Inspired experiences can translate into inspired thinking and action.

Ever feel stuck?

Go somewhere!  Meet someone!  I hope we connect along the way!

Posted in Employee Engagement, News, Uncategorized

Tags: New York, Personal Development, Travel

Today is my birthday.   What a difference a year makes.

I have encountered some pretty significant change over the last 12 months.

Work.  Family.  Relationships.  Life.

A few weeks ago I celebrated another Birthday.  My company turned two.

Two years ago I walked away from a great job.  With a great agency.  Filled with great people.

I didn’t have every detail of the game plan mapped out.  The timing couldn’t have been worse.  The economy was in a free fall.  But a little window opened up and I decided it was time to jump.    After 17 years of preparation it was time to see if I could find the intersection between my passion and the paycheck.

Around that time, friend and mentor Dr. Jack Phillips shared with me that the two year milestone was a critical benchmark.  He commented that most people don’t make it two years.  Most people who try fail.  That was a conversation and harsh reality I wouldn’t soon forget. I appreciated Dr. Jack’s candor.  I made the mental note.  Two years.

Still going strong.  I have failed forward every step of the way.  Mistakes.  Missed opportunities.  Starts.  Stops.  The occasional do over.  The constant reinvention.  I didn’t know it two years or even 12 months ago, but I was simply Poking the Box (hint: if you want to do something new, make a change, have an impact…the new Seth Godin book is very much worth the read).  Figuring it out along the way.  Eliminating what didn’t work and focusing a bit more on the good stuff.

In taking inventory today it feels like a pretty special time.  Different than I could have imagined.  Better.  A little more fun.  I suppose that is part of the two year experience.  A little less worry about what is next and where it’s all going.  A little more appreciation for the moment that is here and now. For the opportunity to do this work. That opportunity is the gift.

Today, that here and now means North Carolina vs Duke in the ACC Championship and a large pizza.

Hey, it’s my birthday!

Tomorrow, it’s off to Chicago for a speaking engagement with CDW.  Maybe I should hold off on that large pizza until tomorrow night?

Looking forward to a great week!  Planning on a great year!  Thank you for being a part of it!

Posted in Leadership, News, Uncategorized

Tags: Birthday, Poke the Box, Seth Godin

Ironically my last post was called Throw Up Nervous.

I have spent the last week with a rather intense case of the flu.  I was just getting back into the groove and boom…on my back, 103 degrees.  No sudden movements.  Not so much fun.

Time on the sidelines usually serves to offer a healthy dose of perspective.  I have had more than my share of that lately.  I am ready to be back in the game at full speed.

One thing I know for certain, if you don’t have your health, you don’t have much of anything.  It is the foundation and is certainly gong to get more of my focus.  What does that mean?  For me, it goes something like this:

-Eat Right:  Organic, high protein/nutrient rich, lots of water
-Exercise:  Yoga/resistance/basketball/running 4-5 times a week
-Sleep More: 6-8 hours a night
-Manage Stress:  Balance work/fun; spend time with family & friends; meditate; express gratitude and appreciation

Having a plan helps.  Achieving a plan takes hard work.  Seems worth it.

Good to he back up and running.  Wishing you good health.

I suppose a flu shot never hurts either.

Posted in News

Tags: Fitness, Health

We are excited about the opportunity to work with new customers Agstar Financial Services, Farm Credit Services of America, AT&T and CDW.

Thank you for the trust and vote of confidence.  Welcome…

We have also added the closing keynote for the 2011 North Carolina State SHRM Convention and the opening keynote for the 2011 Work Life Expo to our 2011 Tour!

We were excited about last week being our best week ever.

Funny, the difference a week can make.

Momentum matters.  In fact it makes all the difference in the world during the hard parts.  That is why when it gets hard you have to keep going.  One step at a time.

Put in the work.

A lesson a wise man shared with me a long time ago.

Posted in News, Sales, Uncategorized

This is my best week ever.

At the close of business yesterday we surpassed our single one week revenue record on the speaking/training side of our business.  In two days.

Today we received a call for a potential corporate speaking contract for 20 events.  It is still only Wednesday.

While we will certainly cross the close of business finish line this Friday with a new performance benchmark, in all honesty, it just doesn’t feel like a “best” week ever.  In fact, what I once measured best by is clearly changing.

If it isn’t the best week ever it certainly has been a significant few days.

I had breakfast with a very important friend and his unconditional support and counsel provided both comfort and confidence.

I helped  a friend going through a difficult period with some phone support and listening.

I made plans to visit my brother and his family.

I spoke to a client who I realize is actually a more important friend.

I practiced yoga.

I talked to my mom everyday.

I worked hard doing what I love.

I prepared for the future with very little worry about what was next and new.

I spent time considering how I want to work, live and what actually constitutes “best” for me.

When it comes to work I realize that how I do things and who I do them with is every bit as important as what I do and even more important than how much.

When it comes to life there is simply nothing more important than spending quality time with the people that matter most.

Those are valuable lessons and in learning them, who knows?  Perhaps I’ll look back and consider this a pretty good week for whole different set of reasons.

Posted in News, Sales, Uncategorized

We will honor my father today in a memorial service that will celebrate his life.

For more than three hours last night our family received hundreds of visitors who wanted to pay their respect, honor my dad and support our family. The handshakes, hugs and stories shared provided us all an opportunity to reflect on a life lived to the fullest.  In the saddest of moments there was also plenty of joy.  My dad simply knew no stranger.

The cards, calls, comments, food, flowers and love from near and far have provided so much strength.

Saying thank you doesn’t seem like enough, but it shouldn’t go without saying that the kindness, care, consideration and compassion is deeply appreciated.

Today I am going to honor my father by attempting to say a few words during this service.  Preparing a few thoughts with my brother and sister has produced more tears and laughter than I could have ever imagined.  I know the sharing of those thoughts won’t be much different and I will be asking for the strength.  Several people have mentioned to my brother and I that it might be too difficult to talk under these circumstances and we could feel free to prepare something for the Minister to read.  They are probably right.  Funny thing is that isn’t something we even considered.  We both know exactly what our dad would have said about that and true to form we are definitely our father’s sons.

I also know that today is about celebrating a special man who lived a rather extraordinary life.  That will definitely mean having a a few laughs and telling a good story.  My dad would have liked that.

I am so very proud to be his son.

The following tribute was published in yesterday’s Record Courier: 

Recalling former Flashes basketball standout Hal Estis.

Posted in News

Tags: Hal Estis

My father passed away this weekend after a hard-fought battle with cancer.  Our family was inspired by his strength and is grateful for the continued generosity of so many who have reached out to provide support.  We take solace and comfort knowing he is in a better place.

My father was a strong and confident man.  A storyteller at heart, he embraced living and provided those he touched with energy, enthusiasm and entertainment that is truly unforgettable.

My father was simply one of a kind.

In living he served others as a teacher, coach, father, husband and friend.  In leaving he provided those he loved with a shining example of courage and comfort in knowing that he lived a complete and fulfilling life.  Those are special gifts.

We will honor his life and legacy this week.

Tabone Komoroski Funeral Home
33650 Solon Rd. Solon, Ohio
Calling hours: Wednesday 4-7pm
Memorial service: Thursday 11am

We love you dad.

Posted in News, Uncategorized

Tags: Hal Estis