How to Lead from the Middle: Lila Shows the Way!

In articles on leadership, we mostly see and hear about leaders at the top of organizations. But there is another role of leadership that is critical to the success of organizations: leading from the middle. Leading from the middle is typically known as middle management. Sandwiched between executives and staff, middle managers are the heart…

How to Win When You Appear to Be Losing: 7 Tips from Super Bowl 51

Millions of us watched in amazement as the Atlanta Falcons dominated the first half of Super Bowl 51. The favored champion New England Patriots appeared weak and ineffective. Plagued by incomplete passes, multiple sacks and hits and short yardage gains, quarterback Tom Brady and the team seemed off. Up 21-3 at the half, the Falcons…

Are You Respected?

Every salesperson is taught that people buy from those whom they know, like and trust. The same is true for leadership. Leaders must “sell” their vision to stakeholders and followers to gain buy-in (even that word shows the relationship to sales) or risk failure and high turnover. But there is something else. Something critical that…

Allow the FLOW: 7 Steps to Peace and Prosperity!

Now is a great time to align yourself and your business with a plan for prosperity. Many people go about this by pushing harder and working longer. Although this approach can yield near-term results, it can be exhausting and is unsustainable in the long term. I know this firsthand. Instead, allow the “flow” and take…

Do You Really Need a Strategy?

Do you really need a strategy to achieve your goals? I’ve pondered this question throughout my career as I struggled to manage my own drive for achievement. Being a bit of a Type-A perfectionist, my default answer was always a solid “of course!” Over the years, I’ve mellowed and even explored just “going with the…

Clarity, Vision and the Importance of Knowing What You Want

One of the top keys to success is the ability to clearly see your goal achieved. Pick a goal and imagine you’ve achieved it. How do you feel? What’s happening in this picture? Can you see it? If you can’t, that’s ok, it just means that you may not be ready and a few other…

3 Steps to High Impact Leadership: See it. Be it. Do it.

High impact leadership is leadership that achieves goals with the least amount of effort. It’s the nexus of a clear vision, positive energy, and appropriate action. After working with hundreds of entrepreneurs and executives, I’ve found that the most successful professionals distill this process down to three steps. You can see it in action at…

Mel’s Magnificent Mindset – Do You Have One?

Top athletes, performers and business leaders know that a magnificent mindset is key to success. A magnificent mindset recognizes and pursues opportunities, quickly bounces back from the inevitable challenges of life and business, and keeps you on track to your goals. It fuels your actions with positivity, possibility and power and is critical to achieving…

What is Shaping Your Legacy? 5 Keys to Lasting Impact

Yesterday I buried my best friend. At 30 years old, Dixie was old for a horse, especially an ex-racehorse and retired eventer. We were together for 26 years. She shaped both my professional and personal success and was the most influential creature in my life. Every decision I made involved her. I moved my home…

Is a Lack of Trust Driving Away Your Success? 5 Tips to Boost Trust in an Organization

As a leader, your priorities are vast. However, nothing takes a higher priority than building trust in your team and organization. Without trust, you get high turnover, reduced performance and revenue, and a lot of stress. With trust and a good plan, your firm can flourish. In working with organizations, my horses repeatedly show that…