How does a financial services company in a bleak economy perform so amazingly well that it can give back $1.2 billion to its customers, members and associates? That’s the question to ask of USAA, the insurance, banking, and investment provider serving military families. USAA’s revenues leaped 36% in 2009 as the company jumped 75 spots to #132 on the Fortune…
Accepting a position as pastor of a local church is like getting married. It’s a huge commitment. People on both sides are often a little unsure and maybe even nervous. It is a profound relational covenant. It’s about trust and respect and hope for the future. It’s a calling not a job. This may now be for like, but it…
“Failure is not an option.”Gene Kranz, Apollo 13 Unless you’re skydiving, tightrope walking, or trying to land a space shuttle, failure IS an option. In fact, the most successful people usually are the ones who have failed the most. Unafraid to take risks, they stumble frequently, but in doing so they learn valuable lessons and improve themselves. Consider Google. The…
When I meet people in social settings and they ask me what I do for a living, some of them are intrigued when I say I write books and speak. And they often ask what I write about. When I say leadership, the response that makes me chuckle most goes something like this: “Oh. Well, when I become a leader,…
I’m a communicator, so words are very important to me. They can teach, inform, rebuke, compel, and encourage. In short, words can change people’s lives. Aldous Huxley said, “Words form the thread on which we string our experiences.” I believe that with all my heart. Effective communication plays a critical role in every person’s life – helping us be better…
Teachability is not so much about competence and mental capacity as it is about attitude. It is the desire to listen, learn, and apply. It is the hunger to discover and grow. It is the willingness to learn, unlearn, and relearn. I love the way legendary basketball coach John Wooden states it: “It’s what you learn after you know it…
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