Want to get out of a ticket … follow Traci’s advice!

As a professional speaker and strategic planning facilitator, I have a lot of balls to juggle on a week-by-week basis. So, I use a third-party source for administrative support. Sheila Moland of Pressing Engagements is that source, and she helps me in more ways that I can count. As a part of her services, she […]

Reverse Brainstorm To Great Insight

In July, I teach two weeks at the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Colorado (GSBC). One of my students once showed me a great video called “7 Ways to Maximize Misery.” The idea is to get people to focus on happiness by showing how absurd it is to embrace being miserable. I […]

Is Virtual Reality Tomorrow’s Reality?

On a rainy afternoon in Lakewood Colorado, I stepped into a nondescript building through two bar doors to experience the latest in virtual reality (VR) technology. I had learned about Head Games VR from Jeff Kauffman, group president of FirstBank, the second-largest bank in Colorado. I had been sharing my thoughts with Jeff on the […]

Evidence of MetaCognition in Practice

I met recently with Threesa Boyd of South Georgia Business + Culture Magazine. We were talking about her editorial calendar for the magazine and the possibility of me penning an article on leadership for an upcoming issue. I suggested that she consider an article on metacognition. “I remember you talking about that at the summit!” […]

Getting the Idea Across – Financial Services and Metacognition

In August, I spoke in Minneapolis at a conference held by the Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota. My topic was the “Top 3 Technologies That Bankers Must Understand.” At its core, the presentation challenged bankers to use metacognition (thinking about how we think) to imagine what financial services might appeal to tomorrow’s customers. I highlighted […]

Are You Prepared for a Boycott?

On October 13th, there was an organized effort to boycott Twitter. When I first heard about it, I immediately thought, “What if someone boycotted my company?” How would it impact employee morale, our current customer base or revenue? As a leader, anticipating a crisis is not always easy. I’m sure Twitter had no warning that […]

If You Are Going to Provide Digital Service, You Better Take it All the Way

As a speaker, consultant and strategic facilitator, I fly a lot. Advancements, such as mobile apps, allow quick and decisive decisions and have certainly improved this experience. There are even options where I can self-select to generate alerts to let me know about key events such as “my flight is boarding.” These alerts can be […]

Be Value Added: Going the Extra Mile to Serve a Client

As a professional speaker, I get to work with meeting planners. As someone who has created and executed many conferences myself, I have a great deal of respect for these unsung heroes from companies and associations. So, I try to go out of my way to assist them in any way possible. I am always […]

An Example of a Thoughtful Response

I am in Seattle, Washington and have just finished a keynote address based on my book, Grounded (Little River Publishing). This is the first annual Emerging Leaders conference conducted by Western Independent Bankers and I am honored to have had the leadoff spot. These are not just the future leaders of their respective financial institutions; […]