The saying goes to “forgive and forget”, but forgiveness can prove to be a major internal struggle for most people. So National Forgiveness Day is here to remind us about the power this practice can have on ourselves and others. The day’s aim is to help us show unconditional love and harbor no ill will towards those who have done you wrong. Lewis B. Smedes said it best with “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” In the spirit of National Forgiveness Day, we have put together a list of seven steps to help you forgive someone. Identify what … [Read more...]
Efficiency = Growth and Success
From Chapter 13 “Efficiency” in Ingredients of Outliers. How Sweet it Is The concept of “efficiency” certainly isn’t new. There’s another giant company where efficiency is a primary goal, a company that’s been around quite a bit longer than Amazon. In fact, the seeds that grew to become Mars, Incorporated were planted in the late nineteenth century in the kitchen of a home in Hancock, Minnesota. It was there that Alva Mars began teaching her young son, Franklin, how to hand-dip candy. Franklin, who became better known as Frank, proved to be a good student and, in 1902, when he was … [Read more...]
Employee Appreciation Day is THIS Friday! Check out these ideas for every budget
This Friday, and every year on March 4th, is Employee Appreciation Day. It's a time to recognize your employees and demonstrate how much you appreciate them. We aren't going to spend any time on this blog explaining why this is important, because we think it's perfectly stated in a previous post. Click for how employee appreciation translates to making customers happy. Employee Appreciation Ideas by Budget Sample prices calculated for company of 20 employees. Multiply quote by 2.5 for 50 people, multiply by 5 for 100 employees, etc. FREE Get everyone outdoors. Go out for a nice walk … [Read more...]
National Tour to Motivate and Inspire Students
MINNEAPOLIS, MN AUGUST 06, 2015 Jostens, the leading provider of publications, jewelry and consumer goods serving the K-12 and college market, will kick off The Harbor Back to School Tour today at Bixby High School in Bixby, Oklahoma. The Harbor Back to School Tour introduces The Harbor by Jostens, a new weekly online video series that builds character in students and culture on middle and high school campuses across the United States. The Harbor by Jostens tour and online video series features Mike Smith, a professional inspirational speaker who specializes in speaking to students and … [Read more...]
The Listening Stick
From Chapter 5, "Communication- A Lost Art" in Ingredients of Outliers The Listening Stick One man was so convinced that listening had become a lost art that he decided to mount a campaign to restore it. His name was Ben John Joyce, a California-based consultant and entrepreneur, and the founder of The Center for Applied Excellence. Its Mission Statement: “We teach people how to communicate.” His stated position on listening got right to the point. “Listening,” he said, “is a skill that has a dreadfully limited number of truly effective practitioners. We’re not taught to listen in school, … [Read more...]
Listening is the Missing Link
From Chapter 5, "Communication- A Lost Art" in Ingredients of Outliers Dropping the Ball So far in this chapter, most of what we've written deals with just one side of the communication process. The reason for what George Bernard Shaw called, "the illusion that has taken place" is because most of what's defined as communication is really one-directional activity, with no awareness of what's missing. The individual who's speaking or writing isn't communicating until and unless there's a recipient to whom he or she is speaking orwriting. The missing link in the … [Read more...]