Twenty seven years ago, a group of Theta Chi fraternity brothers from my Alma Mater, Presbyterian College, decided to go golfing for a weekend in Waynesville, NC. There were six of them, all in their twenties. That tradition continues today. Last weekend, we celebrated the 27th event. That's a long … Keep reading >>>
leadership
Fight for What You Believe is Right
Last month, a very close friend of mine lost their job. I had been instrumental in getting this person the job, so I was the first to be notified. While it was disappointing that the person lost the position, it was even more disappointing that they were not told why … Keep reading >>>
Grit: An In Depth Conversation with Michael Coles about “Disruption”
This interview with Michael Coles was originally published on The Combine's Blog. If you live in or near Atlanta you’ve most likely heard the name Michael Coles. In our quest to change the way large enterprises go about innovating and disrupting themselves and their industries, we reached out to Mr. … Keep reading >>>
Leaders add this ingredient to supercharge their team
Continuing from my post a couple of days ago about how Chick-fil-A decided on their definition of leadership, The Chicken also decided that they wanted to become a "team oriented organization." From that edict (Mark Miller related that Dan Cathy literally walked into Mark's office and said, "I want us … Keep reading >>>
What is YOUR definition of “leadership”?
I was blessed to have the opportunity to attend a Leadership Summit this past Saturday at Church of the Apostles in Buckhead. The keynote speaker was T. Mark Miller, author and Vice President of Leadership Development at Chick-Fil-A. In fact, Mark was corporate employe number 16 at "The Chicken", as … Keep reading >>>
Make this year new
I always enjoy the start of a new year. Technically, the only thing new is the last digit of the number in the year, but it's still new, and in the business world, that means you can start with a fresh annual P&L. Well, the same applies to individuals, too. … Keep reading >>>
Standing Still
As we reached the summit of Blood Mountain today, we all dropped our backpacks, shed a layer or two, and relaxed for a short time while we waited for the Scouts to boil the water for the traditional top-of-the-mountain hot chocolate. We engaged in lots of small talk and discussed … Keep reading >>>
Repetition is the key to success
Tomorrow morning, my son and I will head up to Blood Mountain with his Boy Scout Troop to do the annual rain or shine cold or warm day hike. As we planned and gathered our gear for this outing, I recalled all the things we do again and again, and … Keep reading >>>
Advice from An Old Farmer
I am not sure of the origin of these words, and I cannot take credit for any of them, but they are pure genius. This Christmas, live a little more simply. We get caught up in our tech, devices, Wi-Fi, startups, and everything else that detracts from actual living. Enjoy, … Keep reading >>>
Turn your meetings into pitch sessions
After 2+ years of Pitch Practice (almost) every Friday, my mind has often wondered what else we could accomplish in coaching entrepreneurs in how to more effectively deliver their message. Last week, as I gushed to the Village staff about how freaking awesome it is that they named the conference … Keep reading >>>