WHEN YOU'RE RIDING LEAD, DON'T SPIT! One of my favorite movies is “Remember the Titans”. It’s based on the true story of Herman Boone, an African American high school football coach in his first season at T. C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA. Coach Boone arrived in 1971 just as the city consolidated all [...]
I have been riding motorcycles for about 45 years; it is what I do for pure enjoyment. There are few things better than getting out on the open road, seeing new places and meeting interesting people. In 2013, I had the opportunity to check off the item sitting in the Number One spot on my [...]
Seems like I've been asked to discuss "TEAM" a lot this year; how to build a great team, determine why some teams fail so completely and provide some helpful insights into behaviors (good and bad) that are present in all teams. At a recent All-Team Conference, I delivered a presentation entitled, "Your Team Sucks-Now What?" [...]
There is a popular saying in the Harley-Davidson motorcycle community; “If I have to explain it, you wouldn't understand." Bikers have a hard time explaining "IT” – our deep appreciation for the freedom we feel when riding – to those who don’t have the same connection to this shared experience. When we ride, we instinctively [...]
Organizations do strange things in the name of "team building." Most of it fails spectacularly! For too long team building has been nothing more than simple games poorly executed and resulting in a false sense of team solidarity. Ineffective races, relays and networking events are the norm. You don't build great teams by getting participants to compete [...]
It's been said there are three rules for developing good leaders, but unfortunately no one knows what they are! The misconceptions of what makes a great leader have caused many organizations to choose leaders based on stage performance, confidence, passion for personal achievement and other personality characteristics – and often those choices have failed spectacularly. In [...]
Another year is nearly done, so it's the time to look back and reflect on the amazing adventures, incredible people and inspiring moments we experienced in 2013. Influence was a running theme throughout this year; from working with organizations and individuals on business strategies, facilitating team building events, speaking at conferences or just meeting people as I made my [...]
"Can I get a Roll Tide?" Justin Crisler loves the Alabama Crimson Tide. He chose to express his team spirit on social media, so the Huntsville man created the Facebook page, "Can I get a Roll Tide?" featuring a photo of a simple red t-shirt he designed with the signature phrase known to every Tide [...]
My friend, Alison Kieckhafer, CMP, is on to something BIG! When she assumed the presidency of the Meeting Professionals International Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter earlier this year, Alison chose a powerful theme for her term; "Activate Your Goodness." She has personally challenged all 800+ chapter members to act on improving the community and the larger world [...]
Back home from the "Full-Throttle Leadership Ride" and already had the opportunity to present a session on "Passion, Power & Purpose" based on my 13,000-mile solo motorcycle ride along the perimeter of the US to raise funds and awareness for America's military through a great organization, The Boot Campaign (www.bootcampaign.com). For those who have asked [...]