“What do I have to do to get a rise out of you Shumway? Insult your parents?” That’s what my high school basketball coach yelled at me during practice my senior year. I was playing like crap, kept making mistakes, until finally he took me out of first string and put my teammate in....
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Don’t Like This Post
I want you to do the hard thing. But I don’t think you’re capable. But just in case you’re paying attention I’ll tell you what I want you to do anyway: don’t like this post (1). If you even read this, which you probably won’t (because the average reader spends about a minute and...
Continue readingWhen Your Ideas Get Stolen, And They Will Get Stolen
Reposted from LinkedIn: Seth Godin 🌔 was right when he said people are going to steal your ideas. I work hard to share my ideas with you. And if I’m doing my job well people will share them and build off of them. They might even blatantly copy them. But at the end of...
Continue readingWhat Do You Do?
“What do you do?” It’s a common question. Small talk. I’m a doctor. A concert pianist. A mechanical engineer. That doesn’t tell us much. A better question might be “How do you make an impact?” I help people manage cancer diagnoses. I inspire people with my sonatas. I build bridges that keep people safe....
Continue readingProblem Solvers Or Makers?
There are problem solvers. And there are problem makers. Problem solvers notice something difficult and see the opportunity to make it better. Problem makers notice something difficult and whine about it. Problem solvers self-reflect, empathize, take the blame, and keep moving forward. Problem makers fire off the cuff, yell, and chastise. Problem solvers connect...
Continue readingThe Beautiful Thing About Curiosity
Kids ask a lot of questions. You’ll answer one and then they’ll have a follow up. Their curiosity is impossible to satisfy and that’s a beautiful thing. Sometimes it might feel easier to say “I don’t know” or “because I said so.” But that’s a disservice to you and to your kids. Contrary to...
Continue readingAll Leaders Make Mistakes – The Best Never Blame Their People
All leaders make mistakes. The best ones learn from their mistakes and never blame their people. In 2014 I was coaching the lightweight men’s quad out of Riverside Boat Club. The boat was rough around the edges but the guys were fit and strong and moving fast. Trials were coming up and if they...
Continue readingYell Versus Tell – Effective Communication Is All About The Delivery
Effective communication is key to high performance. If you want to get a message across you can speak calmly and directly. Or you can yell. Both will get a message across. But not necessarily the message you want to convey. And not necessarily a message that adds real value. Any kind of real leader,...
Continue readingSlices Of Life
There are a lot of “experts” out there. Trying to tell you how to win at life in just nine easy steps. So much of it is nonsense. They don’t know you. But they sure want to help you solve all your problems for a small fee. I am no expert. Sure I’ve done...
Continue readingStuck
Change your scenery. Change your energy. If you’re feeling stuck go somewhere new. Get up. Move around. Breath deeply in and out. It’s such simple advice. But for some reason we stay stuck. Rooted in place doing nothing and indulging ourselves. Go to the woods. Go to a river. Ride a bike. Get up...
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