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Monday, September 19, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
 A colleague of mine brought up a very good point about my recent entry “Pursuing a Triple Bottom Line.” He challenged me to think about how this concept applies to our current economic situation. [...]
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Friday, July 08, 2011
 In the mid 80’s, when Bill Gates and Paul Allen’s vision of a computer on every desktop and in every home was emerging as a reality, I was running a specialty retail store. I sold wood burning fireplaces, hot tubs and all of their accessories. Flying back to Baltimore from one of my business trips for the store, I had struck-up a conversation with the gentlemen sitting next to me. It turned out he was in the floor covering business.
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Friday, June 17, 2011
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I’m a firm believer that as a leader, you should build your organization based on a purpose, not just profit. At the highest level this business endeavor has been deemed as developing a Triple Bottom Line. As the definition states, a Triple Bottom Line occurs when the financial, social, and environmental effects of a firm's policies and actions determine its viability as a sustainable organization. Today, there are many successful corporate organizations such as Starbucks and General Electric who reflect the realization of this theory. [...]
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Thursday, May 19, 2011
 For many leaders, public speaking does not come easy. Feeling some nervousness before giving a speech is natural and even beneficial, but too much nervousness can be detrimental. How can a person increase their ability to be an effective public speaker? The number one attribute of effective public speaking, which has supported me throughout my career, was taught to me by my father. [...]
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Friday, May 06, 2011
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 There are 9 simple rules that I always bring with me to a group brainstorming session. They are as follows:
1. Defer judgment, any idea is a good idea
2. Encourage wild ideas, they can be the key to solutions
3. Build on the ideas of others, no "buts", only "ands"
4. Stay focused on the topic
5. One conversation at a time, no interrupting, dismissing, disrespect or rudeness [...]
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Friday, April 22, 2011
 In my last post, Finding the Balance Between Left and Right,I mentioned Daniel Pink’s concept of finding personal and professional balance by leveraging both sides of your brain. In it he outlines six fundamental “right brain” aptitudes that are essential to achieving balance. The one that stuck out in my mind was the chapter covering, “story.” [...]
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Friday, April 08, 2011
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 I first met Vicky years ago when she was looking for a new job that would give her the opportunity to exercise the “right-side” of her brain and explore her creative spirit. [...]
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Monday, March 07, 2011
 Rod and I woke-up hungry in Flagstaff, Arizona. The morning sun hung low in the sky and the air was crisp. With very little money in our pockets we made our way to the local grocery store and bought what any adolescent would buy to sustain them for the next 500 miles or so - a hostess cupcake pack and a 4oz carton of milk to split between us. After eating our ‘nutritious’ breakfast, we got on the bike and headed East on route 40 toward Vega,Texas.
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Monday, February 21, 2011
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 Did you know that the typical 5-year-old asks 65 questions a day, while the typical 44-year-old asks only six? Children are curious as they are developing. I believe that businesses should be curious as they continue to develop. [...]
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Friday, January 07, 2011
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 Reflecting on 2010 and where we want to take our firm, I keep asking myself two questions: What do I believe about teams and leaders? How effective have I been as a teammate and team leader? The answers to these questions have been shaped over the years by my experiences and through a passion for learning about the dynamics of leadership and teams. To give you a sense of my personal enlightenment, let’s start at the beginning... [...]
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Thursday, December 30, 2010
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 As a business leader you have the opportunity to meet a seemingly unlimited number of people, but there are only a few individuals who make a lasting impression on you for all the right reasons.
One individual that comes to mind for me is Pete Truby. When I met “Truby,” I never could have imagined that this 20-year old would inspire me to bring his passion and energy into the organizations I help to shape. [...]
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Tuesday, November 23, 2010
As a business leader I’m a proponent for developing a positive culture within the organizations I work for. [...]
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Monday, August 30, 2010
Earlier this month I was watching ESPN…I watch ESPN often. On this particular day I was tuned in to see Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith get inducted into the 2010 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. [...]
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Friday, July 30, 2010
 Now that I have your attention…let me explain what I mean by “Steal from Your Employer.” I don’t mean it in the literal sense of swindling an employer financially or “borrowing” from the supply closet for your home office. Under my intended context, this phrase is meant to inspire individuals to take advantage of overlooked opportunities to grow and enrich their skill set and professional accountability in the workplace.In other words, to encourage them to look for things to take away. [...]
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Friday, June 18, 2010
 A company’s ability to innovate—to tap the fresh value-creating ideas of its employees and those of its partners, customers, suppliers, and other parties beyond its own boundaries—is anything but easy. [...]
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Wednesday, June 02, 2010
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 This month, marks the start of a unique move for the executive leadership at MKS&H. They have decided to challenge themselves to look more deeply for opportunities for their teammates to grow and strengthen their careers within MKS&H. The focus is on servant leadership [...]
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Thursday, April 29, 2010
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There we were in the desert, somewhere near the city of Needles, CA. No gas, no food, no water. Sure I could be mad at my friend Rod; his failure to notify me of the turn-off for gas had landed us in this horrible predicament. (Click here to view Part 1 of the story) [...]
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Thursday, April 15, 2010
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 It takes a certain personality to be a leader, let alone, run a business. I’m sure we can all think of times when we have become bogged down and had a bad moment or day. When I start to get that ‘glass half empty’ feeling – I take a minute to reflect. In so doing, I think back to an inconsequential stranger and how our brief encounter changed how I articulate my view of the world forever. [...]
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Monday, April 05, 2010
 MKS&H strives to obtain critical feedback externally from our clients and internally from our teammates. We do this through a variety of means, ranging from simple surveys to one-on-one conversations. These processes are in support of our goal to continually build better relationships. Seldom in the workplace environment do you find organizations that are open to critical feedback and use it to inspire positive change. In fact, most individuals squirm at the sound of the words and construe the wrong motives behind why they need to give or receive feedback. [...]
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010
 This is my second venture into the accounting world and my first busy season… in, let’s just say, quite a while. As I look around the firm at our team diligently working away; I’m reminded of the 80/20 Rule, or Pareto Principle. The exact 80/20 proportion is not as relevant as the general principle: that a large portion of results come from a small portion of causes, types or circumstances. [...]
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Wednesday, March 03, 2010
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I’m a big advocate of learning from your mistakes. The idea that your ‘failures’ are part of the journey to success, is a concept that many people don’t embrace. More often than not, the people I meet see failure as a set-back or a road block to achieving their goals. One of the stories that I like to share begins, like all my failures, with a passionate idea… [...]
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
 At MKS&H I’m proud to introduce the “TOOTIE” award. Aptly named because “Tremendous Overachievement On Team Initiatives and Efforts” was too long of a title. The award was created to recognize our MKS&H colleagues that have gone beyond the call of duty and “toot” their horn on a job well done. The winner not only has the honor of having the largest paper weight in the office (a trumpet on a stand), but knows that their efforts are clearly appreciated by the team. [...]
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Thursday, February 04, 2010
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 If you want to foster and maintain an extraordinary relationship with your customers, you must first strive to foster and maintain an extraordinary relationship with your teammates. Creating a ”teammate centric” environment can work wonders in any organization. The word teammate is one I use with colleagues, no matter the title printed on their business card. [...]
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Friday, January 01, 2010
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 If you don’t know me, then you will quickly come to realize I am the type of person who learns and connects through telling stories. Talking to clients and contacts comes easy to me and that’s how the idea of this blog was born. We are heading in a new direction at McLean, Koehler, Sparks & Hammond. This blog serves as a platform for sharing our knowledge and innovative ideas with a focus on how they can lead to more business success for you and your company. I am also looking forward to developing my relationship directly with you as that is how we learn and grow as a firm. [...]
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