Leading by Serving

August 17, 2015

How to Create a Drama-Free Workplace

Most of us love a good drama at the movies, but not so much at work. Office drama can be draining. It’s hard enough to keep the plates spinning without the added pressure of drama. It seems like finding the right mix of folks is like a science experiment. Unfortunately, in a drama filled environment,…
July 29, 2015

Me First

I hate to wait in lines. I don’t know why, but long lines just really irritate me. If I walk into a restaurant at lunch and the line is long, I’ll go back to work hungry and just skip lunch! Except for the line thing, I am generally very patient. I understand that sometimes to…
July 20, 2015

Andy’s Sailboat: A Love Story

Originally posted on Leading by Serving: Sometimes it’s about finishing that really counts… I grew up on a lake in Michigan. Two doors down was a boyhood friend named Andy. Andy and I were good friends growing up. Andy and I were way different in many ways. Andy was a tinkerer. He always had a…
July 11, 2015

Should I Keep Hiring People Smarter Than Me? Ask Madeleine

Great article about one of the fears in the hiring process. If you can relate- this will likely be very helpful! Enjoy! Blanchard LeaderChat Dear Madeleine, I have been managing people for a couple of years now. I enjoy it, and the people who work for me are thriving. My problem is all the new…
July 7, 2015

5 Tips to Help You Remember Names

Originally posted on Gina London's Little Adventures: “Oh, I’m terrible with names.” How many times have you heard that? Perhaps you’ve even said it yourself. There’s enormous value in a name! As self-fulfilling prophesies go, this may be one of the easiest. If you tell yourself and others that you’re not good at remembering…
July 4, 2015

Crazy About You

Originally posted on howsyourlovelife: When we were dating, my guy’s grandmother lived with his family. The woman was well into her 90’s and had Alzheimer’s, often showing signs of confusion, but one thing was certain; she loved her grandson. He could walk into the room and Grandma would light up from eyes to feet, overjoyed…
June 26, 2015

The Dangers of Meddling

“I can do whatever I want- I’m the boss!” Have you heard this before? This is a true statement for the most part. If you are the boss you can do whatever you want. But is it healthy? Is it the right thing to do? Will it do more harm than good? Meddle: 1. to…
May 22, 2015

Steering Through The Storm

Every year I tell myself that the construction business can’t get any harder. But every year it does…. It’s a crazy business. Added code requirements, crazy hoops to jump through to get approvals, complicated designs, unrealistic expectations, volatile material and labor costs and availability are just a few of the issues. Getting a…
April 16, 2015

Reaching Down

My grandfather was an avid golfer. He simply loved the game. I remember thinking when I was a young kid just how great it would be if my grandpa invited me to play golf with him. I actually visualized it often, but I knew that it would be a pain for him. I would be…
April 1, 2015

Careful What You Wish For

Originally posted on howsyourlovelife: A woman was telling me recently how much she wished her husband would lead their family; she was so tired of being the ‘spiritual leader’ of their home but he was resistant, so she often took the reins. We talked about ways to give up the need to lead and give…