Interesting

 

08.17.2026

Interesting

I like meeting genuinely interesting people, the kind that come by it naturally. It is fun to listen and learn from different viewpoints and life experiences. But some people just want to be interesting. They strive to command a room or be the life of the party. They often do not stop talking, likely about themselves. They may be fun for a few minutes at a party, but beyond that …

The people who chase being the most interesting person in the room are rarely the most useful. Being interesting entertains, being useful adds value. In the business world we have to add value. Solving problems and removing pain points adds value.

Being entertaining is great for happy hour, being useful is great for business.

Decisions

 

Recently I read an interesting perspective on decision making. Consider this…

People think good decision-making is about being right all the time. It’s not. It’s about lowering the cost of being wrong.

When the cost of mistakes is high, we’re paralyzed with fear. When the cost of mistakes is low, we can move fast and adapt.

Make mistakes cheap, not rare.

*Taken from Farnan Street Blog

Change

One of my favorite sayings about change is…

“The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.”

Over the years the MMM has frequently discussed change, the need for it, and our human reluctance to it. 

This phrase is really meant to encourage change in an environment where people have gotten stuck in a rut. Change happens. The fact is nothing changes if nothing changes.  Our challenge is to be pro-active and positive about change. Don't let your rut turn into a grave. Be prepared for change!

People

 

The world is comprised of three types of people…

 

1. Those who make things happen.
2. Those who watch and/or follow what happens.
3. Those who ask what happened.

 

Hopefully we are not always #3!  However, in certain aspects of our life, we likely are the ones who ask, “what happened?”. It is hard to be #1 or #2 regarding every area of our lives, much less to be #1 all the time.  To me the key is which one of these are we regarding things that really matter?  For instance, family, marriage, faith, parenting, or whatever may be of absolute importance to us. What are we in those roles?  It is okay to be #3 about entertainment, sports, fashion, or even current events.  It is not okay to be #3 regarding things of significance. 

 

When it comes to the things that really matter, we all should strive to be one of those who make things happen!

Presidents’ Day

 

As we celebrate Presidents’ Day, I find myself thinking about the role of the President as a leader. The President of the United States is the official leader of our country and the ultimate leader of our military. He is also referred to as the leader of the free world.  Those roles are true and fitting. Responsibilities and power come with his elected position. He is a leader by title. However, holding a position in title does not make one a great leader of people.  Regardless of your political affiliation, I think that most will agree that we have had presidents from both parties who were in fact great leaders.  Furthermore, we have had even more who were leaders in title and never mastered the art of truly leading people. Never confuse a title with true quality leadership. Many title holders are great leaders, some are not. On the other hand, many great leaders have no title at all.

 

Happy Presidents’ Day!

Conversations in Your Own Head

 

Do you talk to yourself?  Maybe not literally out loud, but do you have conversations with yourself in your own head?  I know I do, and I have to believe that most people do.  Is there a voice in your head that you cannot help but listen to? How do those conversations go?  Are they positive, encouraging and uplifting? Or are they negative, downgrading and discouraging.  All too often for me they can be the latter. 

 

Why are we so hard on ourselves? Maybe not everyone is. Those that have mastered the ability to be positive and self-assuring in their own minds are likely to be more successful and maybe happier all around; It is not an easy task.  We should understand that we need to be our own best friend, our own greatest supporter and biggest fan.  Why not? 

 

I am not suggesting arrogance here. I am suggesting that we need to be positive about ourselves in our own minds. We need to talk ourselves up, be encouraging.  Nothing but good can come from that. There are plenty of negative influences out there today. We do not need another one in our own head!  Listen to your positive self in your own mind! 

Relationships

 

Life moves at the speed of relationships. I am not sure where I first heard that statement, but it resonated with me immediately. Think about the relationships in our lives…

• God
• Spouse and significant others
• Children
• Parents and siblings
• Close friends and confidants
• Church groups
• Mentors and mentees
• Business partners
• Employees and co-workers
• Clients and vendors

 

Relationships are valuable and important to us. I do not believe we are meant to do life alone. The people we surround ourselves with are critical to how we navigate life. Failed and broken relationships can be devastating. Strong and healthy relationships can be lifesaving. As vital as relationships are, they are seldom easy. They can be challenging and messy. They require work and attention. Relationships need to be valued, nurtured and protected.

Life moves at the speed of relationships. Are you investing enough in yours?

Growing Up

 

I have always heard that it really is possible to grow up, I just never have met anyone who has really done it.

 

What does it really mean to grow up anyway?  Does it mean to...

Stop acting like a kid?

Be responsible?

Stop having fun?

Take on Debt? Be out of debt?

Act mature? (What is mature?)

Get a job? Keep a job?

 

Growing up is subjective, and it means different things to different people.  I tend to believe that growing up is the sequence of life's events that makes us who we are.  The nature of those events may cause some of us to feel grown up sooner than others.  Those events may cause some people to never really grow up.  For that matter, maybe none of us ever actually grow up.  That may not be all bad.  After all, life is a journey and not a destination.  If we were to all be grown up, what would we have to look forward to?

Presidents' Day

 

As we celebrate Presidents’ Day, I found myself thinking about the role of the President as a leader.  The President of the United States is the official leader of our country and the ultimate leader of our military.  He is also referred to as the leader of the free world.  Those roles are true and fitting.  By his elected position, responsibilities and power that come with the position, he is a leader by title.  However, holding a position in title does not make one a great leader of people.  Regardless of your political affiliation, I think that most will agree that we have had presidents from both parties who were in fact great leaders.  Furthermore, we have had even more who were leaders in title and never mastered the art of truly leading people. 

 

Happy Presidents’ Day. Enjoy the quote below…

  

“Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation; for ‘tis better to be alone than in bad company.”

-       George Washington

Life is a Team Sport

 

We are not meant to do life alone. People are not really capable of doing life alone. We need community. Humans need teamwork. The trials and tribulations of our lives are challenging. Each of us needs all the support, advice, hugs, and cheers we can get.

 

The business world of life is certainly not a solo sport. None of us individually possess all the skills required to produce results. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and we all work differently. The sport requires that we combine our different skill sets and working styles to accomplish common goals.

 

Don’t try to do life alone. There is no special prize for that! Take the time to recognize what you are good at, and what you need help with. Lean on your team! Life is a team sport!

 

*Some of this MMM material is taken from The Working Genius Podcast – Patrick Lencioni

Business Is Not All Business

 

It can’t be! People work in businesses and people can’t be all business all the time. We have issues in our lives, there is family, and of course there is drama.

It is important for leaders care about the people on their team. They need to know what is going on in their lives. Many leaders disagree with this. They believe that it is possible, and even preferable, to completely separate business from their team’s personal lives. I believe it is more nuanced than that. Leaders don’t have to be best friends with their team, but they do have to care. If a team member is facing a personal challenge, it will impact their work. Leaders need to understand that. Business is not all business, because we are human! Remember this….

“People don’t care what you know, until they know that you care”

-       John Maxwell

Never underestimate the impact you can have on someone's day!

Life is made up of a lot of opportunities.  Many of those opportunities come in the form of our interactions with other people.  They may be obvious and significant or subtle. Often, we react quickly, without much consideration for the viewpoint of the other person(s).  Remember that you never know what another person may be dealing with in their life.  You never know what pressure they may be under at work, what struggles they may have at home or what illness someone in their family may be fighting.  A kind word, an out of the way effort, a smile, a compliment, or a thank you can make a world of difference in a person's day.  It is amazing how big the little things can be...

Make a positive impact in someone’s life today!

Integrity

What does it mean to have integrity?  How would you describe people that you believe have integrity?  The first thought that comes to my mind about integrity is...  Do the right thing even when nobody is looking.  Integrity is not about doing the right thing for someone else.  It is about doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do! 

What is the right thing?  Two things to consider when making decision about the right thing to do...

- What would your mother think if you told her your decision?

- Make your decision as if it will be on the front-page news tomorrow.

Keep those thoughts in mind and you will know the right thing to do.  Strive to do the right thing all the time, especially when nobody is looking.

Patience and Preparation

We have become a very impatient people.  I should know because patience is a serious weakness of mine.  We are impatient in lines at the grocery store and when stuck in traffic.  We are impatient with doctors healing our illnesses and lawyers solving our problems.  We are impatient with our family and friends. Most importantly, we are impatient to achieve success.  Consider this quote…

“Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation.”                           -       Robert H. Schuller

We do not want to spend the time it takes in preparation to achieve.  It does not matter what you want to achieve, it will require preparation.  Whether it is financial success, good grades, or athletic prowess, you must be willing to devote hours and hours of not so glamorous preparation.  It may not be fun, and it will be hard work, but the rewards of achievement can be spectacular!  Therefore, we cannot be impatient about it.

A Time to Lead

What happened last week at the capital of the United States of America was appalling and disheartening.   The violent and lawless acts that took place there do not represent the values on which this country was built.  I felt like I was watching news coverage of a foreign country, much like I felt during the violent riots last summer.  We are all are entitled to our own opinion about the causes and political aspects of this incident.  We are also entitled to voice those opinions and peacefully demonstrate in support of them. 

As leaders, how do we respond to this?  It is critical that we lead against the divisions that are being perpetrated in this country. The national media feeds upon us being a divided people. It makes great news to depict drastically different viewpoints, develop momentum behind both sides, and exaggerate our divisions.  It is too easy to get caught up in the spin!  This just results in people jumping on one side of a polarizing topic and spewing hatred and accusations.  It is so easy to hide behind the keyboard and ride a wave created by media.  Social media content that serves no purpose other than expanding the divide is all too common.  We can control the breadth and depth of our divisions. 

As a people we are reluctant to take the time necessary to learn all sides of an issue, much less the facts.  I know that facts can be hard to find and I am not suggesting that we all sing Kumbaya together anytime soon.  I am merely suggesting that we need to be careful of letting the media drive the narrative. It is possible to maintain your own viewpoint while still respecting another’s opinion.  It is also possible to formulate an opinion without referring to, or posting on, social media.  Disagreement does not have to lead to expansive divides, accusations, or hateful behavior. As leaders we must encourage education, objectivity, and the understanding of all sides of issues.

I have a great friend whose beliefs about national politics vary greatly from my own. We respect each other’s opinions, listen to one another’s thoughts, and take the time to learn why we feel differently about political topics.  Our first response is not hatred. It is not a verbal attack via social media, and it is not a line in the sand that defines our relationship.  Our friendship has grown because of our ability to respectfully discuss our viewpoints without divisiveness, even though neither of us has changed our position. Differing opinions do not have to lead to hatred.  Listening to others’ beliefs does not have to result in name calling, accusations, and ridicule.

Leaders are purveyors of hope. I have said it before, a responsibility of leaders is to provide hope. That could not be truer than it is today.  Those we work with, those we lead and those we love, all need to be hopeful.  There are plenty of reasons for hope, but that hope must look past our media driven divisions.  That hope requires objectivity and open mindedness.  It needs great leaders.  America is still the greatest country in the world.

Wherever you are today and wherever you lead tomorrow, lead with hope, lead with objectivity, lead against divisiveness, and lead with love.

Friends

People are not meant to live alone. Friends and relationships are a huge part of our lives.  We may want to think we are independent and can live without those around us, but we all know that we cannot.  These times of social distancing and limited community events can be challenging for friendships, but we need one another now more than ever.  We need support and advice from friends.  We need the sharing of life with others.

Friendship is a two-way street.  It is as much about being a friend to someone as it is about having a friend.  Some friends come and go.  Others become fixtures in our lives for a lifetime.  Certain friends are placed in our lives at specific times for specific needs we may have at the time.   My life has been blessed with wonderful friendships.  Many of those have outlasted job and family changes over many years.  I can only hope to have been a friend to others in the way described by this insightful young girl.

 

True friends are the ones who see the pain in your eyes,
when everybody else is fooled by your smile.
--Kimmy Robbins, (14 years old)

Critical

Have you ever described someone as being “too critical” or “always criticizing”?  People can be very critical.  It is almost second nature to many.  Criticizing is considerably easier than being positive and participating in a solution.  People should be better for having been around you. It is especially easy to criticize via email or social media. The challenge is to not just consider when others are being too critical but to monitor our own tendencies as well.  Don’t automatically be judgmental or critical.  Seek to provide positive feedback and constructive suggestions.  Individuals who are always critical are difficult to be around and can be de-motivating.  Strive to always be positive and participate in a constructive manner in your work life as well as your home life.

 Have a blessed week…

Listening, now more than ever…

Real conversations about uncomfortable topics cannot be held without genuinely listening.  If you follow the MMM, you know my thoughts on the importance of listening.  It is a critical skill that is needed now more than ever!  As an additional follow up to the Special Edition MMM from June 3^rd, consider the following…

·       Make the effort, it takes effort, to listen and understand the perspective of others

We typically seek first to be understood. Most people do not listen with the intent to understand, they listen with the intent to reply.  Often, we are either speaking or preparing to speak.  Think about what it means to listen with the intent to understand.  I mean seeking first to understand, to really understand.  To understand someone does not imply that you agree with them.  It means that you honor them with attentively listening and you truly care about their viewpoint. 

The issues we are facing in this country require conversations, which requires listening, which requires effort.  Take the time.  Make the effort.  Listen!

Action!

Action is the difference between an idea and results.  No idea, thought, concept or plan goes anywhere without action.  Lots of people have great ideas; few people take the required action steps to turn ideas into results.  You know how the director of a film or TV show calls out “Action” as the filming begins?  That is the step that takes a script from something on paper to a finished product, a result that we can see.  Good ideas constantly cross our minds and enter our thoughts.  We think of ways to improve things at work, how to change things with our kids, how we might make a difference in the lives of people around us.  As ideas alone they accomplish nothing.  As ideas combined with action, they create results.  The greatest of ideas goes nowhere until an action step is taken.  Make an idea turn into results.  Take action today!

Procrastination

Procrastination is a problem for me. Just as the people that work for me.   I am not near as productive as I should be.  There are always good excuses to put things off.  Sound familiar? I feel a little bit like I am writing this MMM directly to myself!  There are two specific things I need to remind myself in order to become more productive…

Stop planning, start doing!

I am a great planner. There are a lot of plans in my head, notes in my desk, and lists on my computer.  I have regular work projects that need completion. There are books to write and businesses to start.  Planning is important but at some point, you have to just do it.  Plan appropriately, but don’t let the planning become the work.  More importantly, don’t let planning be your excuse for procrastination.

Don’t be a perfectionist!

Chasing perfection causes me to take longer to complete tasks.  It just takes more time to be perfect and it is almost never required.  This is actually a bigger challenge for those of us that are self-employed.  We don’t have others to impose deadlines and demand completion despite imperfections.  Just know that it always takes longer to be perfect and the payoff for that perfection seldom offsets the time it takes.