Self Improvement Tips

  Washing machines help us clean dirty clothes.  Some of the clothes come out perfectly clean.  Others may still have the remnants of a stain that is now barely visible.  And then there are some clothes where the machine, no matter how you well it cleans, cannot remove the stain.  The stain remains visible to where you will decide to discard that piece of clothing. Washing machines are also a great metaphor for relationships.  All of us are imperfect.  We have dirt and stains that need to be cleaned up.  As with washing clothes, our relationships need repeated washings to keep them looking good to where they can perform as we need them to.  In my personal business coaching practice in The Woodlands business and personal relationships are very often dominate over the topics of sales, operations and profitability. Here’s the question:  How effective is your personal washing machine at two things?  Are you able to keep yourself clean and presentable in your relationships?  Are the people

  There is a song by the musical group, Alabama, “I’m in a Hurry.” All of us appear to be in a hurry. Is that something that benefits us?  At times we are in a season of hurriedness. That is understandable.  But, if your whole life is that way I suggest that you are missing many things. The first verse of the song states: “I’m in a hurry to get things done Oh I rush and rush until life’s no fun All I really gotta do is live and die But I’m in a hurry and don’t know why.”   In today’s world being in a hurry can be equated with being busy.  We are busy because we are striving for greater self-esteem, wealth, possessions and property among other things.  But, in looking at my own life and those of my personal business coaching clients I see that excessive hurriedness because we are always busy is a distraction.  We rush and rush until life’s no fun.  And we don’t either recognize or know why our lives are no fun. Being continually busy never gives me, you, or my clients time to rest and r

What hat are you wearing when you think?  Years ago when I was studying what makes an effective team I came across a book, The Six Thinking Hats by Edward DeBono.  One of the premises was that for effective teamwork that it was important to have different perspectives.  And, as a team leader it is important to have a variety of prisms in thought in order to be able to move forward on a project or task with greater confidence. First, it is important to understand that each team member has preferred ways of thinking.  As a leader, you may be able to discern what is the best hat for someone to wear. 1. White Hat Thinking- With this thinking you focus on the data available. You analyze from past trends and extrapolate from historical data. 2. Red Hat Thinking-  You look at problems using your intuition, not reaction and emotion. Your goal is to understand others’ response intuitively, even if they don’t know your reasoning. 3. Black Hat Thinking-  You look for all the bad points in a decis

  As of today, November 17, 2020 the political climate is very unsettled in the United States.  The business owners I collaborate with in my business coaching practice in The Woodlands and Houston are moving forward.  But for each it is different.  Some are striding forward with confidence and a “we shall overcome” attitude.  Others are moving forward with less certainty.  In Texas, where I live and work, the economic situation because of the pandemic has been hurtful but overall, we are doing well. The question is, depending on who wins the election, what are the policies regarding COVID 19 and the economy moving forward.   In Texas, with a great emphasis on oil and gas there is a great deal of uncertainty.  Millions of lives and livelihoods could be affected over the next few years.  Employers and employees feel unsettled. And the business owners who are not in oil and gas feel unsettled, too.  One thing has become clear during the response to the pandemic is how interrelated all asp

  All of us use our reasoning abilities to justify what we think and what we do.  We use our reasoning to solve problems and to embrace opportunities.  We use our reasoning in hundreds of areas. Yet, when we are in relationships and we give our reasons for doing something and the other party questions or disagrees with our reasoning, things can become very heated. In my personal business coaching practice in The Woodlands and Houston, I have clients who have the best systems, the best IT, the marketing, and they are profitable. Yet, and it will never be perfect, there are a number of hierarchical and peer relationships that are disjointed.  Disjointed relationships are a drain on productivity.  But since things are good for the bottom line, they are glossed over.  Then one day the tipping point is reached and there is an explosion.  An explosion that could have been prevented. And the explosion can be bad enough to halt productivity. What can you do about it?  Once again, in the area o

  Ability is your capability in certain areas.  Motivation determines what you do with your ability.  Attitude determines the quality of your outcomes when you use your ability and are motivated. In my personal business coaching practice in The Woodlands and in Houston I have observed time and again the connection between these three areas and how they impact individual and team performance. Ability is important.  It is a great place to start when looking at what you are capable of accomplishing.  But it is not everything. Motivation, by itself, is not enough.  Motivation gets you going in using your ability, yet it doesn’t guaranty you are headed down the right path. Attitude is what takes your ability and motivation and keeps it on track.  Attitude says that if the track your ability and motivation are taking you on is not working, that you will try something else.  With the right attitude, you are willing to make the necessary adjustments on your road to success. Adjustments are not

As a personal development business coach in Houston , I am often reminded in collaborating with clients and even from my own experiences as a business owner, some of which were fairly large, that it is the start of instituting change that stops us. Yes, the start is what stops us. Here are some thoughts to get you started on building safety in your culture, in your life. And along with that to create a sense of belonging and collaboration. First you must be an active listener. Almost go overboard in letting people know that you are truly listening to them. In my personal business coaching in Houston and The Woodlands I have learned that I gain so much more in the ability to have better relationships when I actively listen. I listen to learn. I don’t listen to respond. Also, and this is critical, my cell phone is on mute and turned over where I can’t see it. You cannot be an active listener is someone sees you have a potential distraction. Second of all let your people know early