My grandmother used to say, “Just because you’re moving doesn’t mean that you’re going anywhere.” She then remarked, as she was sitting in a rocking chair, “You see, I’m in motion, but my position isn’t changing.” That is often the case for most individuals who find themselves dissatisfied in the workplace or their home lives. They are “doing things” but not accomplishing goals that enable them to move forward. Do you wonder why it is that our lives rarely change, even when we’re miserable?
Four Reasons Why Emotional Intelligence Is the "Secret Sauce" to Transformational Leadership by Jennifer Janechek
In his new book The Solutions-Oriented Leader: Your Comprehensive Guide to Achieve World-Class Results, Dr. Rick Goodman defines emotional intelligence (EQ) as the “ability to perceive and identify emotions in the workplace and in your relationships with others…being attuned to the emotions of the people around you, but also to your own emotions—and making your decisions accordingly.”
If you’ve ever wondered what that certain je ne sais quoi is that distinguishes truly great leaders from mediocre ones—that quality that makes them dynamic, engaging, motivating, and that enables them to deliver results—very likely it is emotional intelligence.
Stalking the Elephant by Jim Stovall
Many people would claim to believe that anything is possible, but when it comes to their own life, career, and success, they don’t believe everything is possible.
The concept of anything being possible is random and ethereal. It includes ideas such as “I might win the lottery,” “We might get hit by a meteor,” or “If I’m lucky, I could get the perfect job and meet Mr. or Miss Right.” In these examples, believing in anything being possible assumes that the outcome is not within our control but it’s possible. On the other hand, when we believe that we control our destiny and our fate is in our own hands, we understand that everything is open to us based on the choices we make and how hard we want to work.
Spring Training for Organizational Success by Sam Silverstein
While visiting and working in Florida, I had the opportunity to attend the St. Louis Cardinals’ home opener spring training baseball game. Spring training is a great time both for the players and the fans. Everything starts new in spring training. Fans have renewed hopes of their team winning the World Series. Young players have renewed aspirations of moving up in the organization and possibly even making the Major League team.
But a lot has to be accomplished before decisions are made on who will make the Major League team and who will continue to play in the Minor Leagues.
8 Ways to Improve Your Leadership Skills by Adrean Turner
Today’s organizations are struggling to recruit and retain valuable employees. Employee engagement is less than 30 percent in most industries.
A leader is NOT born. A leader is created, and the whole process starts inside the most dangerous place you’ll ever encounter—your own mind. How can you become a strong leader who inspires others, drives people toward excellence, holds people accountable, and instills a sense of trust? Learning what makes a great leader is your first step.
Unleash the Power of Your Humor Being by Jennifer Janechek
In his new book Motivate THIS!: How to Start Each Day with an Unstoppable Attitude to Succeed Regardless of Your Circumstances, professional stand-up comedian and Speaker Hall of Fame inductee Steve Rizzo shares strategies for overcoming the negativity bias that’s programmed into us in childhood and retraining our brains to think more positively in order to reach our goals. One of the methods he endorses is “unleashing the power of your Humor Being.” According to Rizzo, your Humor Being is that part of yourself that enables you to access your sense of humor in order to thrive during life’s ups and downs. Rizzo defines “sense of humor” in a unique way, one that helps readers view it as an actual mental tool for reshaping their outlook: “a sense of humor means to be aware that you have a mental quality to turn your mind in an unusual way, or a need to produce joyful or absurd ideas that can soothe your being.”
Do You Believe in the Power of Love After Sixty? by Darlene Corbett
Two Out of Three by Jim Stovall
Living the Lottery Life by Shawn Doyle
I saw a news story the other night where a reporter on the street was interviewing people and asking them what they would do if they won the lottery. Many people said that they would travel or that they would buy exotic cars, a new house, or some other luxury extravagance. What I found most interesting is that when asked, “Would you stay at your job?” every single person said, “No, I would leave my job immediately.” That was every single person.
How to Find Balance as a Work-at-Home Mom by Jennifer Janechek
These days there are a plethora of opportunities that enable mothers to stay in the workforce while remaining at home, which is fantastic. However, working from home as a mother of small children is no small feat. While I certainly would not dare say that one mom role is harder than another, being a WAHM can be a very trying position: in many ways, the WAHM is, in addition to being a working mom, a stay-at-home mom (SAHM), someone who is responsible for childcare and/or household duties at some point in the day. And in my experience, because you’re juggling these two positions as a WAHM, it is easy to feel like you’re failing at both. Below are some tips for managing the stress and challenges that come with being a WAHM.
I Spy a Sale by Jennifer Gluckow
During a sales call, the hard-to-find details in the room can often be the secret passageways that lead to an order. What do you look at and what do you look for when you’re in a conference room or someone’s office? Are you so busy “pitching and showing slides” that you forget to look around? Are you staring at your phone in anticipation of the next e-mail or text? No! This is the precise time to be in the moment, look up, and put your “I Spy” skills to work.
How to Find the Work You Love by Simon T. Bailey
I am astounded at how many people roll out of bed every day, every week, every month, and every year to work for a company that is subpar in its treatment of its most important asset—people. There is no spark of enthusiasm when the alarm goes off on Monday morning. Why not? Perhaps it’s time for a career audit. You may discover that your job is a liability instead of an asset.
Achieving a Better Work-Life Blend in 2019 by Jennifer Janechek
In his forthcoming book, Motivate THIS!: How to Start Each Day with an Unstoppable Attitude to Succeed Regardless of Your Circumstances, Steve Rizzo writes: “If you put most of your time and energy into one area, you run the risk of leaving the other unfulfilled. This is especially common among high achievers.” According to Rizzo, it’s important that we dedicate quality time to our work, but a problem arises when this work interferes with what he terms our “cherished values.” Examples he gives of such core values include spending more time with family, establishing technology (and work)-free personal times, and engaging in activities that satisfy our spiritual and emotional needs.
Holiday Happiness by Jim Stovall
Everyone wants to have happiness for themselves and their loved ones around the holidays. We wish people “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” and “Happy New Year,” but rarely do we consider what really makes us happy during the holiday season and throughout the year. If you think back on past holiday seasons when you were particularly happy, you will likely discover it had more to do with gifts you gave, people you were with, and activities you enjoyed rather than something you received.
How to Stop Making Excuses and Excel by Adrean Turner
It’s the time of the year when you’ve most likely created a list of resolutions. You are determined that this time will be different. You won’t quit. You won’t get distracted. You’re going to stick with your plan for a new start. However, sadly enough the odds aren’t in your favor. According to U.S. News, approximately 80 percent of resolutions fail by the second week of February. What’s the common denominator? Excuses.
Accountability Creates Sanctuary by Sam Silverstein
I run into a lot of leaders who mislead themselves—without realizing that’s what’s happening. Here’s how they do it. They say things like “My people aren’t creative—we need to get a creativity expert in here to talk to them.” Or: “My people aren’t great problem-solvers—they need to get better at problem-solving. Go find me a program that will help them improve their problem-solving.”
“Lead the Field Literally Changed My Viewpoint on Life”: An Interview with Dr. Sarbari Gupta, CEO of Electrosoft by Jennifer Janechek
A month or so ago, I came across an article in the WashingtonExec about Dr. Sarbari Gupta, CEO of the technology company Electrosoft. In it, she says that Earl Nightingale’s Lead the Field audio program “literally changed [her] viewpoint on life when [she] first heard it in 1995 and motivated [her] to take bolder steps toward [her] goals in life.” Sound Wisdom recently published a beautiful print edition of Lead the Field, so I reached out to Dr. Gupta to learn more about how Nightingale’s work shaped her life and career. She was kind enough to chat with me over the phone, sharing many of her own success strategies as well as those that she gleaned from Nightingale’s audio program.
The Art of Influence by Jim Stovall
This week, I am—once again—enjoying the privilege of having one of my books being released into the marketplace around the world. I have written well over forty books, and all of them are special in some way. This title, The Art of Influence, is certainly no exception. This is the first book I have written since receiving the Napoleon Hill award for literary achievement. When you accept an award that bears the name of the greatest writer in your field, the only way you can put it into perspective is to consider it as a challenge to be lived up to in the future as opposed to deserved recognition for something you may have done in the past.
Employer Generosity: Sound Wisdom Readers Share Their Experiences by Jennifer Janechek
Recently someone shared a story about how a new employer gifted her daughter with a coveted Peloton bike as a “welcome aboard” present—something to energize her daughter’s new work-at-home routine. I was stunned by this extravagant act of generosity on the part of a small business owner. Immediately, I wanted to know what other employers were similarly using gifts and incentives as a way to make their employees feel valued and motivated. Below are some experiences shared by Sound Wisdom readers.
Why Training Fails: The Shocking Truth That Most Leaders Don’t Even Know by Shawn Doyle, CSP
I have been involved in training, speaking, and consulting for 28 years, and the same issues have been present all along. In this article, I want to share with you the 11 main reasons why training fails. The shocking truth is there is a lot of money spent but tons wasted because of the barriers organizations have in place around training.