Betrayed…

A couple days ago, in conversation with one of my clients and one of his team, I told my client that the root of their problem was quite clear, real simple to understand, and really hard to fix.  They both gave me the look.
The associate “felt” that he had been betrayed.  He “felt” that he [...]

Prisoners of our preconceptions…

We human beings, as we’ve evolved over time and through adversity have come to the conclusion that what most elevates us above our primate friends, is our ability to hold rational thoughts and to make complex decisions.  The more that I study the brain, and btw, we know very little still today, about that puppy [...]

Loss aversion…

You are hardwired for “loss aversion.”  In other words, when facing a decision like hiring a new sales person, or buying a stock, or investing in a new training program, or making that difficult shot over the water to a green surrounded by sand, your tendency is to over value what could go wrong.  Your [...]

Love, but don’t marry…

Love your work.  Love your team.  Love putting in the hours and putting out your products.  Love building more and more disciplines into your approach.  Love perfecting your craft and making a fair profit.  Love your customers and even love your suppliers, especially if BTL is one of them.  
Love your competition too.  Do NOT, [...]

Miss, M&M, Birdman, Believers, Disbelievers, Taylor, Krit, Clint, Bryan, work, life, and the POWER of integrating…

M&M is driving to pick up his son today.  He just called and we caught up.  We’ve both been running hard, him especially.  I just flew back from Kansas late last night and I’m tired.  It’s a good tired…
Wednesday I had a number of meetings in CBUS.  It started with a clear, concise, and direct [...]

Reflect, regulate, repair…

Today, I was reminded of something I’ve learned through this work.  Actually, everyday, I’m reminded of something I’ve learned through this work.  I need reminding…
Anyway, here it is.  This, like so much of life, is easily understood and at the same time almost impossible to master.
Emotions are powerful.  The root word “emotre” translates simply, “to [...]

Trivial to tantamount…

Trivial to the tantamount.  
As I am paid to study every leader and every team with which we work, this truth has jabbed me relentlessly.  We tend to miss this in our search, as a culture, for “silver bullets” and the relentless rush toward “the One thing you need to know.”  We all want the [...]

ONE is the one you want…

If you’re leading anyone, anywhere, in any capacity, you are a Leader.  At BTL, we believe that the aim of leading, put simply, is to move those under your leadership.  Simply put and easily understood.  In reality…
REAL, HARD, WORK.
Why so difficult?  Because we’re after a very specific movement.  Not movement that is random or simply [...]

Crazy hard…

Leading anyone is crazy hard.  The heart of the leaders dilemma is around a really simple truth.  People perform at their best when they are confident, convicted, and clear about the objective.  The leaders job is to build the confidence, conviction, and clarity of those around them.
AND, we know that another key to exceptional performance [...]

A couple “whys” toward clarity…

One of my favorite homework assignments to give a client that has been with me awhile is to have them write out the following:
Write “why” you LOVE your work.   AND…
Write “why” you LOVE your team.
When a leader has clarity, conviction, and can connect you and I to these two simple truths, we follow him [...]