Mike’s Blog

For me, diversity is one of the keys to great teamwork. When each person shines in their unique way, the sum of the parts is truly powerful. How well do you know the individuals on your team? What lights them up? What drives them crazy? What fears hold them back? What...

I can become frustrated by how slowly things progress for me. It can make me wonder if I’m doing the right thing and whether my goals are realistic. At times it devolves to, “perhaps I should give up.” Truthfully, anything you thought possible was only a guess anyway....

Have you noticed how the more you try to control life, the more life seems to control you? I've seen this in my life when I've had big dreams and plans. I take action to achieve my goals and try to control the multitude of variables along the path. You confront...

There was a time I thought self-improvement had a destination. I would frequently tell myself, “Once I have X, my life will be great.” However, no matter how much I achieved, I never seemed to get what I want. When you look to improve, it is from your current...

“You’ve got this.” These might be the most important words in every post I write. These words are my way of championing you. It’s become my way of saying there is a leader in you capable of handling whatever life throws your way. You will stumble and fail at times....

How do you help someone who’s having a bad day? It’s easy to get sucked into their story, in particular if you can relate. A leader’s job is to help others succeed. Helping them, though, doesn’t mean every day will be a good day. Sometimes, their struggle has nothing...

How do you talk about goals? Do you talk about them with hope and desire? Or, do you speak in an affirmative manner that says I am relentlessly pursuing my goals? Words matter. If you say “I hope we can …”, you’re inviting doubt and excuses for why it’s not possible....

Lazy, unmotivated, misdirected, selfish, unfocused, withdrawn. Labels can make you blind to the truth in a person. What aren’t you seeing when you apply a label to someone? For example, a lazy person might be struggling to focus due to a personal problem. A scattered...

You talk to people and gather information. You do the research and might even hire outside help. In the end, how do you know you’re about to make a good decision? Unfortunately, you can’t. No matter how thorough your research, you will never know whether you’re doing...

Giving useful feedback is challenging. Positive feedback can quickly shift from an affirmation to flattery. Negative feedback can change from criticism to hateful. The distance between useful and unuseful is short, and it has everything to do with your mindset. When...

Do you know that voice in your head that talks to you? It's the voice that answered my question. Have you noticed how often that voice seems to know the right thing to say or do next? That little voice is your intuition speaking. Your intuition is a wise inner who...

Have you noticed how the more you try to control life, the less you seem to have control of life? I see this as one of the paradoxes of life. Control is a mental process that often involves coping. When you cope, you’re trying to reassign ownership or put up with the...