Blog
Insights and Inspiration from the World of Leadership
We invite you to read our blogs, where we share leadership strategies, and provide practical advice for business owners and CEOs. Each post is designed to spark new ideas, offer solutions, and inspire action among leaders seeking to navigate the complexities of the modern business landscape.
Stay updated with our latest entries and discover how you can apply these insights to your leadership journey.
Recent Articles
People seem stressed lately and I think it’s because they feel like things have gotten out of control. The reality is that things were never really as...
It may seem harsh to call someone lazy but I think the time is right for us to bring this word back into our vocabulary. Try not to be offended. Im not...
...if nothing “good” happened to you for the rest of your life. Could you still be grateful based on all you have been given thus far?
Being true to your faith is one of the best things to do for your Mental Health. Our CEO Peer Groups in Dallas Fort Worth have been working on our mental...
My son often dumps a giant load into the washing machine all at once, despite our teaching him about smaller loads get the clothes cleaner, and separating...
Our REF CEO Groups in DFW read the Book Raving Fans and talked about how this can help us create a perfect vision of customer service based on the customer....
I’ve had the pleasure of working with some the best CEOs and business owners in DFW through our REF CEO groups. I’ve seen them face amazing...
When was the last time you calculated the percentage of your net worth tied to your company’s value? When you started your business, its value was probably...
Many of us have laid off some employees during the challenging days of 2020. As you make plans to bring employees back or bring on new ones, you should...
I lead a group of service providers in a monthly meeting we call the Trusted Advisors Group. I started this group so I would have a list of experts I could...
Tomorrow I will finish reading the best book I’ve ever read. It took me a full year to complete it and I’ve really enjoyed the journey, so...
Remember the smell of freshly printed mimeograph papers in school? I used to think that was so cutting-edge the few times I was invited to make copies...
“Bad companies are destroyed by crisis, Good companies survive them, Great companies are improved by them.” The quote above was from Andrew...
Warning. Do not read this article if you don’t want to know what makes me who I am. If you had a friend who wanted to go from DFW to New York, and...
“Keep Your Eye On The Waterline” During a recent CEO Group meeting, Salem Thyne of EVA shared with us an idea that he learned from his time...
https://youtu.be/Li4vHkPpPE8 I have been a part of REF since 2013 and this year we are fine-tuning our offering to meet the needs of business owners and...
Do you have margin in your life? Margin is a pause that is built into your everyday life. It is the space between your load and your limit. Margin is the...
How effective are you at creating a leadership team that is equipped to lead with excellence? The future is unpredictable and knowing you’ve got a solid...
Some problems and troubles cannot be avoided. No one had plans to deal with Covid-19 as part of their 2019 business plans. How we respond to trouble can...
As you grow your business you will most likely come to a place where you seek capital to get you to the next level. I’ve seen clients raise capital...
Do you know the difference between Stress and Pressure? Knowledge. As the leader of your company, you are responsible for so many moving parts. This can...
We started 2020 with a series of meetings challenging our members to “see things differently in 2020.” That certainly happened! The last six...
Great leaders decide to step out of the ordinary and into a daring adventure. Wise leaders learn to consider the risk vs reward of their actions to get...
I’m looking to expand the REF Dallas team and would like your help. I have been leading CEO Peer Groups here in DFW since 2013 and I’m ready...
I keep hearing people saying things about how horrible this Covid-19 pandemic is today. No doubt things are hard for a lot of people. However, we are Americans...
Have you taken time to see what the world is saying about you online? Not that I need my ego to be fed, although I do like that, my reputation online is...
As the leader of your company, you spend a lot of time helping your teams work through issues that can derail progress if not kept in check. This requires...
Do you love your CEO or business owner? I mean really love them? Then nominate them to be a candidate for membership in our CEO Groups of DFW. Show them...
What are you tracking these days? You’ve heard that what you measure, you can track, and what you track you can change. This applies to all areas...
If you are a member of REF across North and South America, you are invited to attend my annual CEO Summit DFW on March 12, 2020. This has traditionally...
In a recent REF CEO Peer Group meeting, we had a question about the experience others had with an IRS Audit. We talked about the lessons learned from past...
From what I’ve seen in working with business owners and CEOs here in DFW, there are three essential skills needed to survive to change from start-up to...
I provide Executive Coaching to my clients and their employees and I’ve seen the value in their personal and professional lives. You may have been...
How committed are you to reaching your goals next year? I recently met with a team of leaders to create a strategic planning session for their company....
I’m Dying. It may take 50 more years but I am definitely dying because the mortality rate continues to be about 100% for people. This month has seen a...
Finding Freedom in Accountability Wouldn’t it be great if your team was more accountable for their actions? You certainly are. The buck stops with...
I often speak to groups about having a Work/Life Balance because it is something I value and want to encourage others to consider how this can improve...
I recently gave this simple Satisfaction Assessment to a group of business owners at our CEO Peer Advisory Groups in Dallas and I asked them to...
There are lots of awards given each year to business leaders and their companies here in DFW. The photo above is Shin Takahashi of NEC Corporation of America...
“…do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Seems like a good way to...
If you were lucky enough to have worked with Merv Tarde, or even known him, you were blessed indeed. Sadly, Merv lost his battle with cancer late in 2014...
My friend and fellow Renaissance Executive Forum Leader Doug Packard, shared some great reminders of what it takes to stay FOCUSED these days. “Business...
“Happy Mother’s Day Mom!” I wanted to give her credit for the great work she did as a Mom. I am the man I am today because my Mom taught...
Do you have an Ethical Company? You may be an ethical person but that does not necessarily mean you have an ethical company. I volunteer with the Greater...
Not everyone believes in GOD, goes to church, or even prays. However, I’ve never met anyone who has refused my prayers for them. Even the most hardened...
Does your company have a formal Training and Leadership Development Plan? Or maybe even a casual one? We all want great employees that will be as passionate...
Not sure if any other family in the world did this, but I grew up thinking that if you cut the ends off a cucumber, and rubbed the end cap with the main...
I had lunch yesterday with a parking attendant. It was a great visit, and it reminded me that each of us has the opportunity to affect the lives of those...
There’s a strong need to develop the next generation of leaders but very few companies are intentional in providing real-life experiences to learn...
During our recent CEO Peer Group meetings here in DFW, I asked my group members to think about their “Perfect Day.” Our Renaissance Executive...
Last month in our CEO Peer Group in DFW, I presented the concepts I learned from reading Jen Shirkani excellent book EGO vs EQ. This was a great time of...
aka “Burgers & Beer Night.” Do you have a close friend who is in a time of job transition? Instead of telling them “you’ll keep an eye...
During the 2018 DFW Technology Prayer Breakfast at the Irving Convention Center, we saw two great examples of how being meek is not the same as being weak....
How can you tell if something is a bad idea? We’d like to think we can see warning signs that keep us from making bad decisions, but based on our...
Is it okay to pray at work? The short answer is YES it’s okay to pray at work. Some people have become so worried that anything you do will offend...
“What would a Private Equity Buyer think about my company?” Most of the business owners I meet in DFW have considered what it will be like...
This week we had Cheryl Isbell of Isbell Financial present to our CEO Peer Groups in DFW about ways to identify and prevent fraud in your business. You...
We recently had a discussion during our CEO Peer Group meeting in DFW, about how a CEO should use LinkedIn. We have some business owners who were on it...
Have you ever wondered how your business compares to that of your peers? The most recent data from The Value Builder System™ presents an interesting look...
Volvo recently announced they will make their cars available on a subscription model where consumers will pay one fixed fee per month for access to a car...
Members of our CEO Groups in DFW stay involved an average of five years so they certainly see a value in being in our peer groups. However, most of them...
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJu6iiEmoeg[/embedyt] I recently asked members of my REF Peer Groups in DFW why they joined our peer to peer...
Small businesses stay small either by choice or because they start chasing growth in the wrong places. Enabling your business to scale requires you to...
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaU8d0_sL3E[/embedyt] Jim Monk of Plustar in Dallas has built and sold two other companies before joining the...
During a recent meeting with our CEO Peer Groups in Dallas, I asked a few of our members to record a short member testimonial of why they are in our CEO...
Super Bowl 2019 will be full of action on the field, but this little dance taking place on the sideline caught my attention. Los Angeles Rams Coach Sean...
Jim Monk of Plustar in Dallas has built and sold two other companies before joining the Plustar team. Jim has had thousands of employees and knows the...
Are you a busy CEO? Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are pretty busy guys too. Watch this video as they explain how they reserve time to think as part of their...
Understanding your team allows you to help them be their best and move the entire team together toward the goal. Communication is essential for having...
At 3 am this morning, my smoke alarm decided it had waited long enough for us to replace the battery. It would have been nice if it had reminded me later...
Young men today a creating a sexual drive that rivals a 400 pound sumo wrestler. The only way to control it is to Starve the Sumo. Read more..
Does your company have Core Values? Are they in writing for everyone to see, including your customers and future employees? Do you hire, train and fire...
During a recent meeting with our CEO Peer Groups in DFW, I asked a few of our members to record a short member testimonial of why they are in our CEO Peer...
When I meet a CEO or business owner here in DFW that is interested in being a part of our CEO Peer Groups, they ask me the value our members receive from...
My alarm went off this morning at 5 AM and I laid there debating if I would sleep a little longer, until I remembered I get to meet with my friend Jim...
Our CEO Peer to Peer Advisory Group here in DFW had our monthly meeting today and our Educational Component was on Employee Performance Reviews. We took...
EVERYBODY makes mistakes. I sit with business owners every month and hear about the mistakes they’ve made. Some are quickly repairable and others are what...
Have you heard the story of the blind men and the elephant? It’s a very old fable that reminds us our perspective is not the ONLY perspective to...
What is holding you back from delegating to your team? Most of the business owners and CEOs I meet here in DFW want to engage their teams to take on...
The definition of being stuck in a rut is “a habit or pattern of behavior that has become dull and unproductive but is hard to change.” Either...
Zappos made a $9 Million investment in their culture yesterday. Yes $9,000,000 in just one day. They actually do this four times a year! Every quarter,...
I read this article by Ed Baldwin and it resonated with me because too many leaders make excuses for not doing something because they are “too busy.”...
There’s a lot of discussion this time of year about companies who do not say “Merry Christmas,” and instead use some other saying like “Seasons...
I had the opportunity to meet and hear Pat Gelsinger, CEO of VM Ware speak at the DFW Technology Prayer Breakfast last year. He shared insights...
Is Your Company Built to Sell? John Warrillow wrote a book titled Built to Sell that is designed to help you see how to add true value to your company....
Inappropriate sexual behavior seems to be the sin of choice these days. I guess people get to a place in life where they feel they are above the law, or...
We have a private meeting once a month with other successful business owners and CEOs so we can Learn, Grow and Share
“Thankful” means glad something has happened or not happened. One reason I love Thanksgiving so much is that it’s not about what I get...
I was reading an article this week that presented a great reminder to ask leadership teams what they learned during your meeting. Whether it was a quick...
If you tried marketing in the past and it didn’t work, it’s very possible you did it wrong because, when done correctly, marketing works. I know business...
The members of our CEO Peer Advisory Group in DFW often share things with me that they do not feel they can tell anyone else. One of my group members told...
Problems rarely go away on their own so you can deal with it now or once it gets out of control. The members of my REF CEO Peer Advisory Groups know the...
[wpvideo cNxfD6DY autoplay=true] During our annual members retreat we focused on the book Triggers by Marshall Goldsmith. It focused on the stimulants...
Do your employees trust each other enough to get things done effectively? Do they trust you? I recently took a company through a session on “how...
“All the power in the world lies between stimulus and response.” My Mom always told me that no one can make you mad – you have to choose...
Last year, REI decided to close its 143 stores on Black Friday and encourage their employees to live out their Culture and “Opt Outside.” They...
Someone asked me why I’m always promoting some charity or cause on social media. The reason is because there is SO much need out there, and SO few...
Most of us agree that people should be free to do what they want, unless of course it goes against what we want, then it feels like an attack against us...
The members of our CEO Peer Advisory Groups in Dallas have been focused on growing their business, and Marketing is a key aspect of that effort. When it...
If after all these years of leading your team, you still say things like “I’m totally slammed this week” or “I’m working weekends just to keep up,” you...
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