But This is How it Works in America!
How an employee resigning led to a positive change in my perspective. “Damn….. So, where are you going?” This was my first question after getting the resignation of one of my employees as a new Sales Manager in Dubai. I was interested in where he was going, but I really wanted to know WHY he […]
Brackets and Business Plans: Only One Can Be Put Back Together!
March Madness and the Art of Strategic Business Planning March Madness is arguably my favorite thing in the world, right after my wife and kids, of course. There’s something about diving into those brackets, analyzing data, and making your picks that just fills you with optimism. Your completed bracket is a work of art. It’s […]
Holy Smokes….My Boss Actually Has My Back!
I was an inside sales rep at a respected steel distribution company in Houston, Texas. It honestly took me a year to figure out how I was “selling” rather than simply quoting and filling orders, but that’s for another article. The purpose of this one, is to highlight the benefit of working under or with […]
Chic Fil-A Eats McDonalds for Breakfast
“Please pull up and park at one of our Drive Thru parking spots. We’ll bring your food out when it’s ready.” Hold on…. I just waited in this line and now it’s my turn at the window and you’re asking me to wait even longer somewhere else? My body is a temple, so I’m not […]
Clarity Rolls Downhill: Cultivate a Vision-Driven Culture in Your Business
It sounds so obvious when you say it out loud, yet this situation exists every day for so many companies. If the owner isn’t clear on where they want to go as a business, how can they expect their employees and team members to know? For a first-time business owner, establishing a clear and consistent […]
Do the Safety Dance
Creating a Culture of Security, Innovation, and Teamwork In the oil and gas industry, every meeting or presentation started with a safety moment. This was a slide that called out a company’s safety record, number of days without a lost-time accident, or simply a reference to something safety related. When I worked at Energy Alloys, […]
“Do You Think the Lions Will Fire Campbell?”
I overheard someone ask this question about the Detroit Lions’ Head Coach the morning after the NFC Championship game. My first thought was, ” are you freaking crazy!?!?” I am not a Lions fan, nor do I claim a specific NFL team but I felt the need to dig a little into why it evoked […]
Coaching My Kids or Running My Business: Evolution is Critical for Both
I’ve had the opportunity and privilege to coach all three of my kids in various sports over the past 7+ years. It was something that I knew I wanted to do and had planned on ever since they were babies. My wife and I both grew up playing multiple sports and in addition to the […]
“You Can’t Get That Data….Only One Person Can Run That Report”
When employees hoard information and knowledge for their own benefit and control, they negatively affect the team and business. When I left Houston and moved to the Eastern Hemisphere, I had to learn a new inventory and ERP software system. Getting acclimated to the new program wasn’t overly difficult, but I quickly found out the […]
I just made a $20,000 mistake and I’m totally getting fired!
Customer: “YOU SENT US THE WRONG MATERIAL! WE NEED A REPLACEMENT ASAP!” Me: “Eff Me… This is a $20,000 mistake…..I’m totally getting fired.” When I was in my first 6 months as a Sales Rep in the Steel Industry, I was learning and growing at a pretty solid pace. I was returning quotes quickly and […]
