Tag Archives: Compassion
American Idol Experience

Don’t let doubt drown your gift

Traffic was sparse on the interstate last Saturday. The sun was only halfway up and my son rode shotgun, strumming his ukulele. We were making good time. My heart raced. “You know, son, I may just sit this one out,” I murmured, half under my breath. “What? No dad, you can’t. This may be our […]

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Top 10 Traits of Great Leaders

What makes a great leader? Is it a way with words or courage under fire? Is it a strong hand and a soft heart? Is it a formidable stance or an indomitable will? All these things matter, of course. But I suggest that great leadership comes from within. I believe it’s forged in humility and […]

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Top 3 Actions Great Leaders Take

A great leader Communicates the “Why” Collaborates the “What” Delegates the “How” Communicating “The Why” A great leader understands and articulates the reason an activity must take place. The leader is aware of the risks of inaction and the benefits of forward motion. Before any meaningful planning can be done, the leader must emphatically clarify […]

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Better a Weary Warrior

“It’ll never work.” “What is he even thinking?” “Why does she bother?” I don’t mind criticism. When it comes from those with personal experience and noble intentions, it can reveal the path from mediocrity toward greatness. But I can’t fathom the “criticism” industry. But I’ve never understood why we allow those who don’t create to […]

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6 Ways to “Be The One” in 2011

The shriek shatters your daydream, causing your fists to clench. You spin, seeking the sound’s source. There, just 100 yards away, a helpless person is in danger! You’ll help, right? You’ll at least GET help, right? Of course you will … Right? Apparently, it’s not that simple. The answer shouldn’t depend on how many other […]

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Planned Inconvenience

The Customer Service revolution is OVERDUE. This week, I called my bank to close an extra business account that I no longer needed. What happened next was stunning. Before the bank finally closed the account: I spoke with five different humans I was read a formal apology sentence by all five I was authenticated four […]

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Defeating Disappointment

Though often stereotyped, we Technical Communicators are truly NOT all alike. We paint our word pictures using every color of the visible light spectrum. We differ in our tastes, preferences and opinions, just like workers in any other profession. That said, throughout my 15 years in this field, I HAVE noticed a few key similarities […]

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The Subtleties of Success

Originally guest-blogged 9/20/2010 on Get Your Leadership Big On, the home site of my amazing friend Jane Perdue, aka The HR Goddess. In rare cases, a concept can be more easily defined by describing what it ISN’T, rather than what it is. For example, many Physicists describe “darkness” as “the absence of light.” The Physics […]

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Going for Gr-r-reat!

GREAT leadership is about purpose and people. The great leader sees beyond the financials and can focus on fulfilled potential.

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Kindness Transcends Constraints

It is difficult to rise about this reality: You must nearly always pick two of the following options: Good, Fast and Cheap. You will rarely, if ever, receive all three. But, for customer service vendors, there IS a short-cut around this constraint: Kindess costs you NOTHING and buys you EVERYTHING!

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