Can the World Cup teach us anything about starting something new?

I'm not a soccer fan at all. I'll be honest here. I did not watch a second of the World Cup.  I've never even had a desire to play it, so when I came across this article that had to do with soccer I was ready to skip past it like I normally do. 
Then I saw "5 lessons Entrepreneurs can learn from the World Cup" I decided to see what it was about, and I'm glad I did.

Believe it or not we can actually learn something from soccer and the World Cup. 

• Talent does not always win. 

Spain won it 4 years ago, and expected to go deep this time around, but they lost to the Netherlands, and two more after that.
The article goes on to say that the lesson we can learn is that talent alone doesn’t guarantee success. It takes more such as effort, innovation and strategy and things like that.

• The underdog has a role on the big stage.

A lot of the 16 teams that remained on the big stage were not the World's best. The U.S. was one of those teams that had teams like Germany (winners of the World Cup) come out of the same group, and they still came out ahead of some of them. (Italy, Spain)

This should encourage those that are starting something new. You can provide value even if you are the little guy. 

You can find the other 3 lessons by clicking here. 

So weather you're a soccer fan or not there are definitely some lessons we can learn from the World Cup! 

4x4 Goals

How do you set your goals?
How does your organization set goals?
Do you have a system in which to accomplish those in?

A while back I sat down with our lead pastor to work on some of these things for this next season of ministry.

The system that we are implementing now to accomplish this is called the 4x4.
The purpose of the 4x4 is to identify the four.

The purpose of the 4x4 is to identify PROJECTS/TASKS/PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT opportunities that will have the most significant impact on moving the needle for the cause and in your position or with you department leadership.

Here are some of the things The 4X4 should be:

• Specific, Measurable, Attainable.
• Provide significant movement toward department goals. 
• Should be a top priority.

What is the top Leader of your organization doing to make you better?
I'm very thankful and appreciative for a leader that I serve with that is consistently trying to help me and our organization get to that next level.

I love this new way of attacking the next four months.

60% of people need this to begin the day.

Maybe the number one reason people drink coffee early in the morning is...

To Wake Them Up!
60% argue they need coffee to begin the day. 

The hormone cortisol that is produced in your body actually makes you feel awake and alert. Cortisol actually peeks in your body between 8:00 - 9:00 am. This means that your body is naturally caffeinating itself during this period. 

The study goes on to say that if you drink coffee during this time the caffeine effect will not have it's normal punch because your already experiencing a spark. 

You can read the whole story in more detail here. 

According to Lisa Evans  drinking coffee at peak cortisol times not only diminishes the energy-boosting effects of caffeine, but it causes your body to build a tolerance to it, meaning the caffeine jolt you get will diminish over time. 

I LOVE GREAT coffee, but I'm always looking for ways to improve my daily routine for optimal performance. I'm going to give it a try.

The Productivity Lifesaver - Yesterbox

If you Google tips to empty your inbox you will find about 5,350,00 results. There are countless tips on how to get your inbox to zero.

When it comes to your E-mail it often times seems like there is never a sense of completion. Just when you think you might be getting a handle on it five more E-mails come in that want immediate response. As soon as you respond to those three more responses come back.
So the goal of having zero in your inbox seems out of reach. I don't know about you, but I  have a difficult time trying to empty that thing.

Then I came across this Email treat from Tony Hsieh CEO of Zappos. 
He recently did an interview where he lays out his system for creating zero in his inbox.

He says that your to do list each day is simply yesterday's e-mail inbox. His system he calls Yesterbox.  He also passed on some other valuable information as well.

• For E-mails that can wait, and have no real deadline, send those to another personal E-mail address. 
• You're only allowed to do the following with "today's" e-mails. 
• Set a recurring appointment to go through yesterday's inbox daily.
• If you come across an e-mail that takes longer then ten minutes to respond to you should file it away, and then schedule a time later to respond to it. 

You can check out the whole INTERVIEW HERE.

FUNNY FACT:
Even though Tony runs the largest e-commerce site focusing on footwear in the U.S., he apparently has no interest in shoes. 

5 Tips to Beating Procrastination

"Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today." Lord Chesterfield

Procrastination is a dirty word in the eyes of productivity. Putting things off till another day or a later hour is something we do a lot and do very well. I can come up with all kinds of fun reasons why today just is not the right time. The problem with procrastinating is it creates anxiety, low-quality work and possibly a few missed deadlines. 

What is procrastination?
Amy Carlson says that when you procrastinate you put off things that you should be focusing on right now, usually in favor of doing something that is more enjoyable or that you’re more 
comfortable doing.

We also learned from Jimmy Fallon of late night that procrastination can also be passed down from generation to generation. 

Jill Geisler and Butch ward share in their podcast five tips to beat procrastination. These tips are practical, easy to implement and simple but make a lot of sense. 

This 4 minute podcast will be well worth your time. 
If you don't have time go ahead and put it off for another day!!!

Tips on how to dress up for those important occasions

Have you ever had an event come up like a funeral, wedding, graduation or party? We all have!
Depending on the season we may have multiple events like these come up. Unfortunately, a while back I attended not one funeral but two in a matter of a couple of weeks. So the question of                       how should I dress for this moment was at the front and center.
Whether you like to dress up or not there will be certain events in a mans life that will ask you to doll oneself up.

Did you know that there are written and unwritten laws on how to dress accordingly for a number of different occasions.
In the introduction article How to dress up according to life's events. Antonio Centeno gives us some great advice on how to properly dress for these occasions.

Listen carefully. A man's professional presentation is a reflection of the respect he shows to those around him.

Have you heard that it is better to be over-dressed than under-dressed. Antonio's advice is simply to dress perfectly for the experience.

How important is it to remember someones name.

Some people posses an amazing ability to remember a persons name right away.  I on the other hand do not. For me, I can remember the face but not the name. That approach is often times frustrating. 

If you stop and think about it, what better way to make someone feel important than by remembering their name. 

The times I have been able to recall someones name brought a smile to their face, and they became a little more invested in the conversation.  

In the article 5 tricks to remembering anybodies name  it said that there might not be any other skill that can make someone else feel more valued than recalling their name.
How can you incorporate these tricks the next time you meet someone new?

1. Repeat names throughout the exchange.
Sounds like a good idea, but I would not do it so much that it's annoying to the other person.

2. Make mental associations.
Does he look like Brad Pitt, Mike Ditka or  Richard Simmons?

3. Study names in print.
Right it on a post-it note, and stick it on your computer screen or mirror. 

4. Ask for clarification for difficult names.
I will actually ask the person I am talking with how they spell their name if it's difficult. By doing that they have to not only repeat their name, but they have to spell it to. 

5. If you forget a name, address it head on.
"I'm sorry, but can you please tell me your name again." 

In his book How to win friends and influence people, Dale Carnegie writes 
"remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language."

The Decision Maker

I finished my first book for 2014!  It was an enjoyable read, and I found it to be very helpful.  In The Decision Maker by Dennis Bakke, he shares how to unlock the potential of everyone in your organization based on the belief that people are unique, creative thinkers, capable of learning, and up for a challenge.  If you’re leading people, but find yourself making too many decisions that could be effectively made by others, this is a great read.  It provides terrific information on distributing decisions and inviting more people to be part of the process.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Nothing tells you more about an organization than the way it makes decisions. 
• Nothing affects an organization more than the decisions the people in it make.
• Decision making is simply the best way in the World to develop people.
• When leaders put control in the hands of their people, at all levels, they unlock incalculable potential. 
• We talk a lot about teamwork. But in most of the business world, the people who should be coaching are actually trying to play all of the positions. 
• It's the quality of decisions that determine the success or failure of any organization. 

Unlock the potential of everyone in your organization, one decision at a time.

The city of brotherly love

It just so happens that I have an older brother who lives in the city of brotherly love. Actually, it's a suburb right outside Philadelphia. Each year we carve out a week of vacation, and make the trek up to Garnet Valley PA. One of the greatest things to watch is all 10 cousins spending time together. This of course all starts at least 3 weeks ahead of time through texting, phone calls, face time and E-mail.

My brother is doing a fantastic work as the lead pastor at Valley Point Church in Garnet Valley. Could not be more proud of him and his family.
He's actually started a building campaign called "Real Home" that is taking them one of the most exciting adventures in the history of their church. Could not be more thrilled for them.

I know I'm a little late, but I wanted to post some of the precious moments we had during the week we shared together.

With great anticipation my family can't wait to return!!

Free picture slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Built To Amaze

Opening first lines are very crucial to any act. They are what decide for you if your going to keep watching or not. Never discount the impact of an opening line. 
Here are a few good ones.

• It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. (A Tale Of Two Cities)
• I don't want to be a product of my environment,  I want my environment to be a product of me.  (The Departed)
• As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster, (The Goodfellas)

Let's ad this one to this list of all time great opening lines. 
Ladies and gentlemen children of all ages welcome to the "Greatest Show On Earth." 

That is the opening phrase that the ring master at Barnum and Bailey uses to start every show! 

Surprise and wonder delights audiences with over the top feats of strength, agility and courage. As the momentum builds so does the anticipation, anything can happen when Ringling Bros presented Built To Amaze!
This is one of our families favorite holiday traditions. Each year It's better and better, and this year was simply AMAZING!

As I was reflecting on this, my leadership moment came as I began thinking about all all the TEAMS that are a part of this show. This show would not be anything great without each TEAM doing it's job and working well together. 

Helen Keller said that "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."
It's not only true for the circus it's true for every TEAM that you and I lead and are a part of. 

Thanksgiving Circus 2-Medium from josh koehler on Vimeo.

The Power Of A Hand Written Note

When was the last time you received a hand written note? Do you recall when that even happened? Those facebook messages and e-mail notes are pretty awesome, but that moment you open a hand written letter is not easily forgotten. Anymore hand written notes are very rare, but I believe more important than ever.

I was reminded of this the other week when I grabbed a pen and some note cards and began to write some thank you notes to some very helpful and inspiring volunteers.




Back in 2010 the post office did their annual survey, and they found that the typical home received a letter once every seven weeks. Seven weeks!

Why are hand written notes so rare?
I believe they are unique in several ways.

1. They build relationships
Rhonda Basler in her post The power of a hand written note says "hand written notes, like relationships are unique as well, providing a level of intimacy unlike e-communicaitons."
I have found when people have been on the receiving end of one of my hand written notes it makes them feel appreciated and valued even more than a text or e-mail. When they see you in the hall or by the water cooler they make it a point to shake your hand, and say Thank You. For whatever reason you can send that same note by e-mail or even facebook and not get that same response.

2. They set you apart
The hand written note sets you apart from other companies and individuals who prefer to send it through other forms of communication. I believe it sets you apart as thoughtful and appreciative. You actually sat down and took the time to go the extra mile. Now days to rise above your competition you should be looking for things that set you apart from everyone else. The hand written note can do just that.

3. They are more appreciative in nature
Letters or notes are great for communicating to people that you care about them. Majority of the time when I write a note to someone it's not asking for something, but it's to thank them or praise them for something they said or done. On the other hand, when you write an  e-mail or reach out through facebook typically it's to ask for something.

Spending some time sending something that is hand written means a lot to the receiver, and reflects well on the sender.

So the next time you want to show appreciation to someone remember how powerful a hand written note can really be.

There might not be anything more powerful than words on a page.

What Is Your Time Worth

Have you ever had that annoying drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet. It's enough to drive you nuts. 

In her post How much is one hour of your time worth Rosie Aiello asks the question How long would it take for you to fix that water leak? 
You would probably fix it as quickly as you possibly could because you see the value of acting quickly because water is a precious resource, and that drip, drip, drip is very annoying. 

She went on to say that opposed to water dripping, your leaks are time and it is costing you. Just like there are ways to fix that water leak, there are also ways to seal those time wasting leaks. 

It's easy to get sidetracked by e-mails, water cooler conversations, and those must do facebook updates. When you finally get back to your desk you ask yourself where did the time go.

Here are 7 ways to seal those TIME leaks:

1. Become aware of how you are using your time. Awareness is the first key before you can implement change.

2. Be intentional how you use your time. Your actions should be purposeful. Avoid knee-jerk reactions or being reactive to situations.

3. Create systems and processes to manage yourself and your business.

4. Have an easy and effective filing system for paper, email and electronic documents. You should be able to find a paper within seconds or an e-file in two or three clicks.

5. Use a timer to control the amount of time you are on the Internet.

6. Set blocks of time on your calendar for specific tasks.

7. Control interruptions and distractions by saying politely to others and to      yourself, “No, not right now.”

Are you ready to stop watching your time go down the drain? 

What I love about whatRosie Aiello says is being productive is not about being busy. It’s about doing the right things effectively.