Wow, what a thrilling game last Thursday night was between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers! The game was epic!

I bring this up because it’s rich with many leadership lessons; it would take forever to cover them all.
So here are three to get started:

1. Ignore the Naysayers

The game-winning touchdown by Travis Kelce was a true thing of beauty. Despite his age (32), it proved that he’s not in decline, as many in the media have been saying. That run showed otherwise. Even so, Coach Reid teases him about being the “old man” on the team but at the same time encourages him to be his 22-year old self.

Last night in a post-game interview, Travis said: “Instead of 32, I was 22 tonight.” He’s not paying any attention to the naysayers and is still performing at a high level.

Lessons Learned:

Either ignore what others say about you or use it as fuel to be your best self. Also, encourage those on your team to do the same despite whatever challenges they may be facing. Consider using words that challenge their assumptions, as Coach Reid does with Travis.

2. Don’t Let Your Past Mistakes Hold You Back

The Chiefs struggled for most of the game. For example, Patrick Mahomes made one of the worst passes (not ending in an interception) that I’ve ever seen. A simple 4th-down pass for a touchdown to a wide-open Mecole Hardman landed far short of the target.

It’s been a challenging season for Patrick, but he has proven in the past that he can rise above mistakes and learn from them. To see “vintage Mahomes” last night throw three touchdowns in a little over six minutes to win the game was encouraging. Even so, you can bet Mahomes and his teammates will be reviewing film to learn how to correct the  mistakes they made.

Lessons Learned:

When you make a mistake in the heat of the moment, shake it off, pick yourself up, and keep moving forward. When things calm down, review the situation and determine how to prevent the same mistake from happening again.

3. Fight to the End

This aspect is self-evident. The Chiefs have been in similar situations and have come from behind in miraculous ways. They knew they could do it again and followed through with their belief in their abilities.

Lessons Learned:

If your desire to fight is diminishing, think back on the times you’ve overcome what appeared to be impossible odds. It’s amazing how an iron-clad will can overcome obstacles if we only believe! Draw from that experience to fuel your desire to keep fighting.
 
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I’m excited to announce the launch of my new podcast, Elevate Your Profitability! Episode #1 is an interview with Gordon Tredgold, a Top 30 Global Guru in Leadership, and Michael Cantu, the co-author of our No-Nonsense Digital Transformation book. The topic is How to Steer Your Digital Transformation Towards Success.

​​Click the link below to check it out!

'til next time,

Kathy

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” goes the old Christmas carol. For a lot of people, they look forward to the holidays. But for many, it’s often the worst of times. The first Christmas song on the radio can cause a sense of dread in the stoutest hearts of some people.

As we all know, the holiday season can magnify family issues during get-togethers. Others don’t have loving families or friends to surround them, and they feel lonely and isolated. Some may feel stressed because of so many added activities to their plates. And when you throw in work responsibilities, it can be a lot to handle.

So, what’s a person to do to successfully navigate the holidays without losing their mind?

Here are three tips to help you do just that:

1. Permit Yourself to Carve Out Some “Me” Time

This idea is especially helpful for those who feel stressed with too many responsibilities or have strained relationships. It’s easier said than done! Sometimes the root issue is that we believe it’s an unattainable luxury. In those instances, the solution can be as simple as permitting ourselves to carve out this time and then actually doing it. Doing so looks different for each person. It could be taking a run through a park or reading a book at a coffee shop. I suggest that you make arrangements with your family members, significant other, etc., to do this and then actually follow through.

2. Breathe Deep

I recently ran across the Wim Hof Method of deep breathing to reduce stress and increase mindfulness. I was skeptical at first until I tried it myself, and it works! This method helps clear out brain noise or chatter to think clearer and be more at peace. It’s allowed me to fall asleep faster, which is a welcome benefit to calm my sometimes overactive brain.

If you’re not interested in trying this method, spending time rhythmically breathing deep breaths can help calm you down and get more centered.

3. Practice an Attitude of Gratitude

This approach is helpful for everyone, especially those who fall into the feeling-isolated category. Since I’m single, I’ve found that being grateful for the little things, even the lonely times, can help me better navigate difficult times.

Notice I said “practice.” It’s not easy to be thankful when you’re amid challenges, but if you can practice being grateful, it can transform your outlook into a more positive one.


I hope these tips can help you in some way, whether you fall into the stressed out, isolated, or both categories. In any case, I wish you the best holiday season, be it Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa!

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Speaking of stress, if your business is experiencing challenges and you’re not sure where to start to fix them, I’d love to have a chat! I help organizations become profitable beyond their imagination through identifying and implementing solutions that help organizations thrive and grow.

If you’re interested in starting down the path towards a more profitable business, click the button below to schedule a time to chat!

Being a leader can be an exhausting experience at times. There may be instances where we feel buried under all our obligations; therefore, developing ourselves can take a back burner.

That's why I love leadership quotes. They are a quick lesson in practical leadership principles that can help sharpen our saws, even during the busiest times.

Here are a few that caught my eye recently. I've wrapped them around an experience I had early in my leadership journey to further illustrate their power.

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A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and help those who are doing well to do even better.  -Jim Rohn

At one large company I worked for, I had been in my position for a while, had accomplished great things, but I didn't see any possibilities for challenging work on the horizon. I was performing at a lower level than I was capable of because I was bored with the status quo.

That's when the best boss I ever had stepped in. He presented me with the idea of running a Voice of the Customer process team for the whole company, and I accepted his offer. This new role instantly energized me, and through the process, I gained additional skills that were key to launching my consulting firm after I left the company.

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A leader takes people where they would never go on their own. - Hans Finzel

My boss instinctively knew that I would not volunteer for such a role because I lacked confidence in my ability to lead during that phase of my career. Offering this role signified that he was confident in my ability to excel, which paved the way to my success.

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Leaders instill in their people a hope for success and a belief in themselves. Positive leaders empower people to accomplish their goals.  -Unknown

Not only did offering the role boost my confidence, he told me I'd do a great job. His belief empowered me to lead with excellence. Not only that, the experience I gained gave me the skills to later on down the line launch my own business.

You never know how one simple decision can change an employee's life trajectory!

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If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. John Quincy Adams

My boss demonstrated this truth by living out these principles. As leaders, if we can do the same with those that follow our lead, we will have led well.