Last week I took my entire team on a Caribbean cruise to mark a major accomplishment. Celebrating success is something I really believe in. Family is also something I really believe in—and that’s why we included not only our employees and key contractors, but also their spouses on the trip. That meant accommodating more than […]

I’m always surprised by what I learn at the movies. I go to be entertained. But many times I walk out of the theater with insights I can put to work in my life. Over the weekend Gail and I saw the new Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway comedy, The Intern. It was great.

Sometimes the best things that happen to us come totally out of the blue. We don’t plan them, seek them, or try to make them happen. They just show up. So how do we make the most of these happy accidents? One of my team members was telling me about a biography of the essayist […]

If you’ve ever worked in retail—and even if you haven’t—you’ve probably heard the phrase, “the customer is always right.” But just because you’ve heard it doesn’t make it true. My daughter Megan enjoys the BBC show, Mr. Selfridge, about pioneering retailer Jeremy Selfridge. Supposedly, he was one of the people to popularize the phrase that […]

I hear from people all the time who feel stuck in bad jobs, bad habits, and bad relationships. And when it comes down to it, I have one single piece of advice. It’s pretty simple, actually. Ready? Here it goes: Stop thinking about it. No, I don’t mean live in denial. What I do mean […]

We’ve all felt it. Right before you try a new idea for the first time, there’s always that moment of panic. Is this really going to work? Is it too late to back out? I say “panic,” but let’s call it what it is: self-doubt. Deep down, whenever you put yourself out there, you secretly […]

I create a lot of content across my blog, podcast, online courses, books, and membership site. And sometimes readers and other content creators wonder about my strategy. The other day I heard from a reader who not only follows my blog and podcast, but is also a Platform University member and follows #VirtualMentor. When he […]

During his recent trip to America, Pope Francis addressed the U.S. Congress and the United Nations. And the truth is leaders of all kinds have a lot to learn from him. Francis is enormously popular. But whatever we personally think about this particular pope—pro or con—or the Catholic Church, it doesn’t change the fact that […]

Is there anything more frustrating than trying to accomplish a big goal with someone who’s negative, unimaginative, and defensive? Thankfully, it’s been a while since I’ve tried. But I’ve had my share in the past, and I can tell you that nothing will kill an organization’s productivity and vision like a can’t-do person. But if […]

When you think about leadership, what’s one word that matters more than almost any others? In his new book, H3 Leadership: Be Humble, Stay Hungry, Always Hustle, Brad Lomenick says “habit” is the key. More than 40 percent of the things we do throughout the day aren’t the result of decisions, he says. They’re habits. […]