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“Without initiative leaders are simply workers in leadership positions,” Bo Bennett.
Why are some people so successful and others not? In a word: initiative. It’s nearly impossible to become successful without taking initiative. Doing so puts you in the driver’s seat. Thomas Edison and Steve Jobs never sat back and waited to be told what to do. They took the initiative to manifest their vision and changed the world in the process.
I recently lost a team member who was incredible when it came to taking initiative. When I brought her in on a project I knew that she would do whatever it took to make it a success.…
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Posted by Joel Brookman in success.
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Be sure that people you influence understand that there are consequences for not following expectations.…
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Posted by Joel Brookman in accountability, Communication, expectations drive behavior.
As the parent of a 14-year old girl, I feel that any day now I will be having “that talk” with a boy who will ultimately date her. I think back to my childhood as a boy that was not always as respectful as he could have been to girls. If the parents of the girls I dated had “that talk” with me I might have behaved differently. In life we often find ourselves in a position of authority, where we have the upper hand. There is a fine line from being respected, being feared, and being an asshole. The goal is the former, but sometimes, especially when it comes to teen-aged boys, instilling a little fear by setting some ground rules can be effective.…
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Posted by Joel Brookman in Communication, expectations drive behavior, Respect People, responsibility.
As I travel home after attending my high school reunion, I am compelled to reflect on the experience. It was amazing to reconnect with people I haven’t seen in decades. It brought to light how wonderful so many of these people are, and how much I enjoy spending time with them. It got me thinking through some good life lessons.
Take the opportunity to relish the great times you’ve had. When was the last time you laughed so hard that tears were rolling down your face? As we age, the weight of life takes over and we probably don’t laugh as much as we should.…
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Posted by Joel Brookman in appreciation.
Now that the nastiness of the U.S. campaign is behind us, I can once again enjoy watching football without getting disgusted by the political ads at every break. More importantly, we can begin the healing process.
The first step in healing is to accept the outcome. Like it or not, Donald Trump was chosen through the electoral process and will soon become the 45th President. The idea of lashing out at people, marching in protest, or making nasty comments on social media is not too far off from your young child having a tantrum because he doesn’t want to go to preschool.…
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Posted by Joel Brookman in accept what is, eliminate negativity, forgiveness.
I was channel surfing the other day and stumbled upon one of the reality court shows. Somehow it captured my attention. The plaintiff was a landlord attempting to explain why she was entitled to $1500 in back rent. The problem was, she was going on endlessly about points that were completely irrelevant to the issue. If that wasn’t bad enough she was talking in circles. The judge was getting frustrated and in the end awarded a fraction of what she probably deserved. Had the plaintiff’s communication been more articulate, she would have found herself in a better place financially. This makes for a good life lesson.…
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Posted by Joel Brookman in Communication, preparation.
