Tag: Greatness

Lessons in Entrepreneurship with Mac Anderson

Written on February 24, 2015.

Mac Anderson is an entrepreneur of the highest order. Many of you have Anderson’s innovative work on your walls or bookshelves and you don’t even know it. Successories, one of his earliest companies, is a producer of motivational office decorations; the framed posters feature photographs that are paired with words of leadership, perseverance, and motivation. With Successories, Anderson proclaimed that he was in the...

Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions

Written on December 10, 2014.

A couple of weeks ago, I did a webinar on leadership for a company in the Midwest. After that event, we sent out a survey to those who participated. We wanted them to freely share their thoughts on the experience. My excitement was high at the thought of hearing their responses, but I was disappointed when a few of the respondents wrote some very strongly worded comments that were not particularly positive. The truth...

Olympic Greatness: Getting a Lift From Your Rivals

Written on February 25, 2014.

Rubbing Elbows They understand the value of association. I love the Olympics as much for the competition as for the human drama and storylines. Imagine working four years to get two minutes to prove it was worth it! But at the just-completed games, one story stood out.

Quoting Greatness!

Written on December 11, 2013.

Contagious Enthusiasm They are positive thinkers… they are enthusiastic… and that enthusiasm rubs off. For the past twenty years, I have been saving and indexing meaningful quotes I come across that are especially impactful in my personal pursuit of Greatness. I have always marveled at the ability of some people to say something profound in just a few words and I’ve long found myself pulling these quotes...

Chris Petersen

Written on December 6, 2013.

Please update to a modern browser to stream this audio file. Chris Petersen won 92 games, 5 bowl games including 2 Fiesta Bowls in 8 seasons as head coach at Boise State. At just 49-years-old, he has the kind of resume that the NCAA’s top football programs drool over. No head coach has won more games in the last 8 years than Petersen who has won better than 88% of his games. Here’s a snippet from Don...

The Value of Competitive Greatness

Written on October 15, 2013.

Rubbing Elbows They understand the value of association With 22 Championships to his name, more than 70 All-American players, seven Coach of the Year awards, election to the National Soccer Hall of Fame, and a 719-39-24 record, it is safe to say that Head Coach Anson Dorrance has created a truly Great program in the 33 years he’s been at the helm of University of North Carolina’s Women’s Soccer Dynasty.

Celebrating Greatness in Action!

Written on September 12, 2013.

Do Unto Others… They know character is defined by how they treat those who cannot help them. My hero, John Wooden, famously remarked: “You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” This week, I got to witness a perfect day.

Attention to Greatness

Written on September 2, 2013.

Try to dissect why a great team wins a championship and you’ll quickly see it’s all about the moving parts. Can the offense use speed and timing to score frequently? Can the defense make the necessary adjustments to get the job done? Can every player on the team remember their own responsibilities and execute those tasks when needed? It’s fascinating to see how independent assignments can influence the collective...

A Great Taste

Written on July 8, 2013.

When it comes to competition—whether sports or business—the tendency is to completely dominate. In the computer industry, Microsoft wants to do more than just take a bite out of Apple. In the basketball world, the San Antonio Spurs want to send the Miami Heat into a deep chill. In the hockey realm, the Boston Bruins want to do more than just win the Stanley Cup—they want to obliterate the Chicago Blackhawks. The mindset...