Sound Wisdom Blog
The Incredible Gift of Gratitude by Meridith Elliott Powell
Competitive, challenging, and constantly changing—that is today’s marketplace. If the last few years have taught us nothing else, it is that our lives, our health, our businesses, and our customers—things can change in a moment’s notice. To succeed, we must be hypervigilant and prepared for anything.
Inspiration and Implementation by Jim Stovall
Inspiration is important. It may be among the most valuable elements of our human experience, but without implementation, it is useless. I have a friend who I have known for almost 40 years. He has had hundreds of great ideas and lofty plans. Unfortunately, he has never carried any of them out. I’ve another friend who I have known even longer. He has had only one plan for his life that he has been committed to since we were teenagers. He has stayed committed to his single plan and has vigorously implemented it over these many years. It will not surprise you to know that he is far more successful than the friend with overflowing inspiration.
WHY GOLF?: 9 POWERFUL REASONS FOR WOMEN TO TEE UP by Dee M. Robinson
Today, in my role as a trustee of PGA REACH and co-chair of PGA WORKS, my goal is to promote more inclusion in the game and diversify the golf industry’s workforce. I love this role. The more I engage with golf and golfers, the more opportunity for meaningful personal and organizational change I witness. With every drive and every putt, we strengthen the courage muscle, and we shift the paradigm.
Building an Accountable Workplace Culture by Sam Silverstein
To build an accountable workplace culture, you first design it. How do you design your workplace culture? Through your values. Your values are the house rules. Values must be consciously chosen and they must be authentic to your organization. They should not be cut and pasted from some other organization’s values. They should be yours. Your values must say to everyone in the organization, “This is how we do it here.” Everyone in leadership must model the values that leadership chooses to live and evangelize.
Tiny Habits, in Key Areas, for Big Changes by Mary C. Kelly
Tiny habits are actions we take every day, often without thinking about them. Brushing your teeth twice a day is so ingrained that it is instinctive now. We were taught as kids, and that action was reinforced by parents and teachers. These tiny habits are also quick and easy, sometimes less than two minutes, so we do not even notice them taking up any time out of our day.
What Makes You Feel Wealthy? An Exclusive Look at the Think and Grow Rich Guided Journal
Napoleon Hill’s foundational personal development book, Think and Grow Rich, is prefaced with the question “WHAT DO YOU WANT MOST? Is It Money, Fame, Power, Contentment, Personality, Peace of Mind, Happiness?”
The Courage to Fail by Dee M. Robinson
There was a time, years ago, when you got around on your hands and knees. And you were fine with that. It worked. Most of the time, you got where you wanted to go.
But one day, the people around you started doing the strangest thing. They began holding you up in such a way that you had to stand on your own two feet. It seemed impossible at first for you to maintain your balance, even when you held on to someone’s hand.
Quiet Quitting by Jim Stovall
Recently, there’s been a phenomenon arising throughout social media that has come to be known as quiet quitting. As in most things, there are two sides to the story. There are people who simply do the minimum required by their job and will not consider achieving anything above and beyond the role they were hired to do. Then, there are those people who reject the notion of being required to do extra work without extra pay, recognition, or overtime compensation.
What to Think about BEFORE All-Employee Meetings by Alyson Van Hooser
Team building can be significantly impacted during all-employee meetings. Usually, leaders have great intentions and hopes when conducting these team meetings.
They want to make sure everyone feels celebrated, and they want to be transparent in sharing information.
However, sometimes the after-effects of the meeting are less than ideal for team building.
Crack the Code on the Biggest Challenge Facing Business Today by Meridith Elliott Powell
What if I told you that today’s uncertainty can actually lead to opportunity and growth? What if I told you that disruption, even when negative, can be just what you need to take your company and team to the next level? And what if I told you that when you embrace uncertainty, it can positively drive innovation, employee engagement, and bottom-line results?
How to Put Your Next Guilt Trip in Its Proper Place by Karen Allen
Tell me if any of these sound familiar…
You spend an afternoon with a really toxic person in your life and realize you really need to set some boundaries and maybe even cut them out of your life.
But when they call you a week later, you find yourself thinking, They really need me. I can’t just abandon them.
Accountability Is the Answer to the Great Resignation by Sam Silverstein
The Great Resignation is in full swing. People are quitting their jobs. It is rampant. But it is important to understand that people, for the most part, are not retiring. People are resigning from companies where they do not feel like they belong. They are resigning where they do not feel valued. They are resigning where they do not connect to the organization’s mission. They are resigning when they are not connected to a group of peers. They are resigning when they do not feel like they are being developed and grown for future opportunities. People are resigning when they cannot work remotely or build their work life into their lifestyle.
Time Thieves by Jim Stovall
Throughout my 40-year business career, there has been a proliferation of books, videos, and training courses on the subject of time management. Any number of experts will take your attention, effort, and money to fulfill the mission of helping you to manage your time. Managing time is as absurd a concept as managing the weather. You can’t control the weather. At best, you can prepare by equipping yourself with an umbrella, a warm coat, or rain gear. Whether you prepare or not, the weather will do what it’s going to do, and whether or not you and I are organized or productive, there will always be 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, and seven days each week.
Stay Grounded in the Grind by Alyson Van Hooser
I don’t believe anybody’s true purpose in life is to serve themselves. Instead, I think our purpose is rooted in serving others. We begin a life well-lived, full of meaning, contentment, and no regrets when we use our gifts and calling to achieve success through serving others.
But if we’re not careful, we’ll get wrapped up in “achieving” our purpose—or “doing our job”—and completely lose sight of the object of our purpose—other people.
This ONE Life Hack Will Absolutely Make Your Life Better by Karen Allen
I mean, we’re all looking for the easiest, fastest, and the most effective way to approach our tasks and our responsibilities, right? We’re all doing our best to simplify our lives and focus on what really matters.
Well, I’ve got a life hack that will instantly make every single aspect of your life better. You ready for it?
Learn how to handle hard, because if you always expect easy, life will always be hard.
Taking Stock by Jim Stovall
Inevitably, any discussion involving long-term investing touches upon the stock market. Most investors know, and financial experts agree, that long-term, the stock market is an investment worthy of consideration. While I have always believed in and profited from the stock market, please remember that it may not be wise to invest money in equities or common stock if you need those funds within the next five years. The vast majority of five-year periods throughout the stock market’s history have been favorable. However, if you’re investing for a year, a month, or a day, it can be very volatile and risky. Overall, I know that the weather will be generally hot in August, but if I’m betting on one specific day, it’s impossible to predict.
5 Strategies to Create a Structure for Your Sales Calls That Gets Results by Meridith Elliott Powell
A sales call is a privilege that every sales professional needs to take seriously. The most important thing a business owner has is their time, and you need to make the most of it. Remember, a sales call is not something these leaders grant to everyone. So take it seriously, and go into the sales call with a well-structured plan.
Empathy Can Help You Wake Up Wealthier by Alyson Van Hooser
Headlines everywhere are claiming that empathy is an important LEADERSHIP skill. But that’s not quite right. It’s a necessary SUCCESS skill. If we choose to change our mindset regarding empathy, it might just be the catalyst for a more successful future for you!
Delegating Effectively in 6 Steps by Phillip Van Hooser
There is no perfect approach to delegating tasks. However, there are some steps in the delegation process that need to be clearly identified and clearly followed for delegating to be a win-win-win for your employee, the organization, and yourself.
Building an Exceptional Library by Jim Rohn
Having a good library will change your life. I would venture to say that every home worth more than $500,000 has a library. Why do you suppose that is? Wouldn’t that make you curious? Why would every expensive home have a library? Makes a person wonder, right?