This week’s article is a guest post by Emily Sirkel, my writing partner and the COO of the Dan Nielsen Company. The late Zig Ziglar once said, “You never know when one kind act, or one word of encouragement, can change a life forever.” What beautiful truth is wrapped up in that …
Having just survived another hectic holiday season, I have been thinking about the commercial nature of Christmas—or really every holiday. Of course it’s understandable and inevitable, after all, businesses need to make a profit. But it’s amazing how ingrained that kind of materialism has become in our culture. It’s not just little kids who are …
Regardless of who you are, where you are, what you are or what you may become, this principle is indisputable, universal and eternal: you become what you think about! Absolutely, categorically, without question or exception, you become what you think about! During this holiday season, and throughout all of 2015 and beyond, why …
I have written about it several times over the years, but it’s a topic I keep coming back to because I believe in it so strongly. This time of year, especially with Thanksgiving just gone by, I am reminded more than ever how very important it is to be grateful. The incredible positive effects …
This week I celebrate my birthday. No, I won’t tell you which one. Let’s just say I stopped counting a long time ago! While occasionally a creaky knee or glance in the mirror reminds me of my age, most of the time I feel decades younger than I really am. You could say I’m young …
This morning when you got out of bed, did you ask yourself, “What really matters today? On this day, the only day I have for sure, what really matters?” That is one of the most crucial questions—maybe the most crucial and impactful question—you could ask yourself each and every day as you get out …
Most of us have dozens of conversations every day. Conversations with coworkers or customers, classmates at school, colleagues over lunch, friends on the golf course, our family around the dinner table, a casual acquaintance at the gym, or even the occasional stranger in line at the coffee shop. Ranging from mundane to fascinating and everything …
As I’ve been working on writing my latest book, Be An Inspirational Leader: Engage, Inspire, Empower, I have (obviously) been thinking a lot about great leadership. In one of the chapters in the book I explore the topic of being accountable as a leader and what that looks like. There are many facets to being …
It was my honor to serve as an on-site health industry consultant for the registrants—particularly first time registrants—at the Healthcare Supply Chain Association/Healthcare Industry Supply Chain Institute Expo held last week in Washington DC. Curtis Rooney, President of HSCA, and Mike Copps, Executive Director of HISCI, and their teams did an outstanding job planning, executing, and …
Most of us have some degree of “people-pleaser” in our personality. Even if you don’t worry too much about making everyone happy, it’s likely—at least subconsciously—that you care about how others perceive you. It may be a bit backwards, but if we are honest with ourselves, sometimes as much as we desire to be …
What did you daydream about when you were a kid? Did you dream of adventure? Did you ever want to be a superhero or a princess? Did you pretend to be Elvis or Audrey Hepburn or Indiana Jones or Princess Leia? Did you ever declare that when you grew up you were going to be …
When you were in high school, did you know what you wanted to be when you grew up? Did you think you knew what you wanted to be when you grew up? How about now—wherever you ended up, whatever career you’re currently pursuing, have you ever thought about how differently things might have been had …
This week’s Tips for Greater Success is a guest article by Emily Sirkel, COO of the Dan Nielsen Company. I love moving. I also hate moving. Part of me is always eager for an adventure, for something new and different and hopefully better. But then there’s the part of me that realizes I …
No matter what job you have, most likely your position doesn’t require all of your talents. There are certain skills, hobbies, and unique abilities that you could bring to the table, but there just doesn’t seem to be a need for them in your current position. It might be singing, dancing, painting, writing, photography, …
We all have opinions. Some more thought-out than others, some more strongly-held than others. Some grounded in facts, others grounded in tradition or emotion. But at the end of the day, we each have unique opinions, perspectives, and ways of seeing the world. Differences in opinion lead to conflict. There’s no arena that better …
Cumulatively, every year, I spend months traveling all across America the Beautiful in my motorhome—which I call my ‘Inspirational Vehicle.’ While many people call motorhomes Recreational Vehicles (RVs), I prefer the term Inspirational, because with it I enjoy so many activities that I find inspiring. I am inspired by travel, photography, reading, writing, memorizing, …
Years ago, when I was working for VHA, there was a small family-owned and operated deli on the first floor of the building where our national offices were located. The deli was a convenient place to have coffee or a soda with a colleague, or to have lunch. I ate there frequently, as did …
Have you ever run a marathon? I personally have not, but I know people who have. But of those I know who have run a marathon, not one of them has ever won a marathon. However, if you know anything about marathons and race culture, then you probably know that you don’t have to win …
As nice as it is to receive a gift or be the recipient of a favor, I really think there is no greater joy than being the one serving others. And the benefits of serving others go far beyond receiving a heartfelt ‘Thank you.’ Simply knowing I’ve helped someone or surprised them with something special …
I have always considered every person to be a leader. Not in the sense of a senior leader of a company, with direct reports and senior leadership responsibility, but in the sense of influencing others. For me, leadership is all about influence. We all influence others at home, in our family, in our …