Entrepreneurial diarrhea can leave leaders and their teams exhausted, sapping their energy and consuming valuable resources
“I need your help!” were the first words out of John’s mouth when I walked into his office recently. “We’re starting a new business and I want you to help us figure this out.” As I looked at John, my first thought was: “Oh my god, he hasn’t got this business running properly yet, and…
Experiencing a life beyond our limited imaginations
Early last year, I received a call from Sergey Shchepotkin asking if I would be his assistant coach for the University of Northern British Columbia’s women’s basketball team. I met Sergey when he coached my daughter’s basketball club over a couple of summers and I helped him out at a couple of tournaments. I was…
The list of expenses for business owners sometimes feels never-ending
Profit is one of the most misunderstood and misconstrued words in the English language. Customers often think that profit is anything between a company’s cost for a product or service and the customer’s purchase price. Employees think profit is the difference between the selling price and the cost, less their wages. In reality, profit is…
Managers are worried about accountability and employees are wondering if they will have a job next year
Life seems very serious at the moment. Everywhere we turn, people are challenged with discouraging news about health, the economy, job losses, rising home prices and inflation. Add in mental illness and a raft of other concerns that sometimes seem contrived to keep us worried, scared and paralyzed. This seriousness has pervaded our workplaces, homes…
Whether it’s a manager having trust in a staff member, employees having trust in their leader or leaders having trust in their decisions
As a child, I had a tremendous fear of falling. I would climb a tree and couldn’t trust that the branch wouldn’t break. I climbed cranes, cliffs and buildings, and was always afraid that my footing would slip and I would fall. Perhaps that fear was grounded in the fact that I had already fallen…
Be clear about what you will need to sacrifice to achieve your plans
One of my biggest regrets is that I didn’t stop home for a quick visit more often when my kids were young and my wife was stuck at home minding them. Because I was so tied up in managing and growing my business, I missed family meals, vacations and days off. If you’re a leader…
Unfortunately, organizations regularly set goals for their employees and rarely celebrate when they are achieved
How often do you celebrate your successes? When was the last time you took the time to reflect on an achievement or treated yourself because you accomplished something that didn’t seem possible before? If you’re like most people, you’re so caught up in the daily routine that you probably don’t stop and celebrate. We work…
You have to believe in yourself
Believe it or not, your performance is limited. However, the limitations on what you can with your life, your job or your sport are primarily defined by you and not by outside factors. Take for example Roger Bannister, who ran the first sub-four-minute mile in 1954. He had been told – as had all athletes…
Numerous studies have shown that regular daily exercise can reduce stress, improve mental health and increase immunity
My brother Rob – a 50-something entrepreneur living in Ireland – annoyed me the other day when he told me he’s on track to be the same weight and almost as strong as he was when he was in his 20s. Rob and I have had ongoing competitions since the day Rob was born, which…
Business leaders should help build up capacity through mentorship and coaching, then start looking to spend at Indigenous suppliers
Jeff and William approached me in the fall of 2019 about helping with their ecotourism business. They started the business in 2014 and wanted help growing it and getting more clients. They felt if they could share their traditions and culture with the world, they could provide meaningful jobs for the youth of their community.…