For the first twenty-plus years of my adult life, my morning routine revolved around: what is the absolute last possible minute I can set my alarm where I have time to shower, shave, and still make it to the office on time?  

When I say the “absolute last possible minute,” I mean: Absolute.  Last.  Possible.  Minute.

There’s a better way.  And a better life. It starts with getting up an … continue reading

The numbers aren’t great.  

Obesity is a national epidemic.  Rates of depression are at an all-time high.  More than 50 percent of marriages end in divorce.  Personal debt continues to skyrocket.

And, that was before the pandemic and the recent events involving racial injustice. 

In his book, The Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod shares statistics from the Social Security Administration: If we take 100 people at the start of their … continue reading

I lost my cool yesterday.  True story.  Those who know me know that isn’t my “go to.”  

Being overtired plus my perception of a lack of urgency on a long-standing business issue sent me over the edge.  I raised my voice.  The whole nine yards.  

To top it off, this happened on a day on which I wrote a blog post on “Conversations Worth Having.”  

The irony wasn’t lost … continue reading

Yesterday we looked at the benefits of having better conversations.  

Sounds great.  But how do we do that?  How can we flip a negative conversation into a Conversation Worth Having?

The Appreciative Inquiry model provides us with a simple but powerful model: focus on adding value (appreciative) and asking questions (inquiry). 

Does this mean we can’t deliver critical feedback? Of course not.  If we aren’t meeting our numbers,  we need to … continue reading

“We live in the world our conversations create,” writes David Cooperrider, one of the creators of the Appreciative Inquiry framework.  

So, does living a better life start with having better conversations?  If so, how might we do this?  

Like the best theories and frameworks, David’s answer is straight-forward: 

1: Focus on strengths and what’s working

2: Ask question instead of making statements  

In their book Conversations Worth Having, … continue reading

Last week RiseWithDrew addressed a lot of theory.  Interesting, powerful, thought-provoking theory!  But theory, nonetheless.

This week we’re looking at putting some of the concepts from Dr. Daniel Friedland, author of Leading Well from Within, into action.

1: Be present.

2: Show up.  Don’t shut down.

3: Scary times = growth.

4: “The Infinite Curriculum:” Experience. Reflection. Action. Repeat.  

5: Pursuing relationships over efficiency.

In the aftermath of the horrific killing … continue reading

Three weeks ago, I had the privilege of spending an hour on a Zoom call with seven African American leaders at PCI.  The meeting was held prior to the horrific killing of George Floyd but following the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who went for a jog in his neighborhood and ended up dead.

I organized the call because I was interested in their perspective, thoughts and opinions … continue reading

In business and in life, we want things to run smoothly. But, should this be our primary driver?

This week we are looking at some lessons from Dr. Daniel Friedland, author of the terrific book, Leading Well from Within.

Danny suggests we can choose to see an organization as either a machine or a living, breathing organism. A machine has a function. The goal is to eliminate errors and maximize efficiency. When … continue reading

For years, I heard people I respect admire talk about the power of meditation.  Occasionally, I would try it out, but it never stuck.  I wasn’t very good at blocking out my thoughts.  And the idea of achieving inner peace seemed a bit “woo-woo” to me.

Then, I had the opportunity to attend a Dallas Conscious Capitalism workshop on leadership led by Dr. Daniel Friedland, author of Leading Well from … continue reading

I’m a goal-setter.  I like setting goals.  Part of my identity is about setting and achieving goals.  I like structure.  A framework is a good thing.  Plan the work.  Work the plan.

I’ve also come to appreciate the reality of the saying:  “We plan.  God laughs.”

This week we are looking at some of the lessons from Dr. Daniel Friedland, author of Leading Well from Within.  Yesterday, we discussed … continue reading