Enjoy this excerpt from our new book, Healthy Leadership. A few summers ago, we enjoyed a family trip to Greece. It is a land of boundless beauty with a long history of tremendous thinkers. While touring the Acropolis of Athens, our guide mentioned that when the restoration of this prized structure was being scheduled, time was…
After a recent visit to Washington, D.C., it struck me that all the war memorials were really memorials about courage. Taking a stand, for anything, requires courage. Courage is knowing what’s right and then acting on it. During the Nazi occupation of his country in WWII, King Christian X of Denmark noticed a Nazi flag…
Most great stories of victory are, in actuality, great stories of overcoming adversity. Virtually every team and organization experiences adversity of some type: economic hardships, loss of a major customer, lack of funding, failed partnerships, natural disaster, the death of a team member, etc. To help move through adversity and onto victory, take stock of what…
Only one day a year is officially dedicated to celebrating Moms. However, since it is the hardest everyday job on Earth, it only seems right to show our appreciation every day. I hope all the Mom readers have an awesome day. If you are not a Mom, let your Mom know you appreciate her! Enjoy this rapid-fire tribute…
Excellence is never an accident.It is the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution. It represents the wisest option among many alternatives. Choice, not chance, determines your destiny, dreams, and values.– Aristotle
I am blessed to enjoy this view each day in my office. It is a reminder of generational gifts. My father and my son are both artistically gifted. They never met. Growing up, we used my father’s Dove of Peace painting as our family Christmas card for years. It simply read, “PEACE from the Colans.”…
The Christ the Redeemer statue is one of the new seven wonders of the world and a cultural icon for Rio de Janeiro. A past summer Olympics cemented this image into the minds of millions. What really struck me was this video of workers making repairs from lightning damage. The workers take a real walk of faith on several levels (starting at 1 min.…
As a young basketball player back in the day, I loved to watch Kareem Abdul-Jabbar play. I admired his sky hook and his elegant playing style that we had not seen before, particularly from a seven-foot player. Today, I appreciate Kareem for the man he is more than the player he was. Here is just…
The book, Stick with It: Mastering the Art of Adherence, describes how reinforcing rituals creates connections that ignite passion for any team or family. Rituals help ignite passion, which is one of three components in the Adherence Equation: For years, I have written personal “Letters from Dad” to my wife and each of my three…
The holiday season is hectic, so I will keep this post even shorter than usual. Here is my favorite poem that keeps things in perspective for me. I hope it does the same for you . . . Yesterday is History,Tomorrow is a Mystery,Today is a Gift,That’s why they call it the Present. May you…
