It was 6:00 AM on May 22nd, 2017 and I was out of bed before the alarm had begun ringing. On most days I hit snooze once or twice, but not today. Today was the first day of my internship at Quicken Loans, the largest mortgage lender in the country. It had been five months since I had signed my accep [Read More]
We all define success differently. While some measure success by the size of one’s bank account, investment portfolio or the square footage of one’s home, do those things really bring fulfillment and lasting happiness? What defines the indicators of real success? I believe true success is achieved w [Read More]
This Thanksgiving holiday we all have so much to be thankful for. I’m a firm believer that we are masters of our own destiny for the most part, personally and professionally, and there are defining moments in our lives that fundamentally shape who we are and allow us to realize our full potential. S [Read More]
Sponsors play a critical role in our careers but they are often confused with the role of a mentor (aka coach or counselor) and manager (aka supervisor or boss). But how are these roles different? Your manager provides oversight on the work you do. You have a reporting relationship to him or her and [Read More]
It is the day after the horrific attacks in Paris and the world is in shock. Paris holds a special place in my heart as I lived and worked there for a few months many years ago. I loved my time in Paris; the city oozes beauty, love, and dancing lights. Working in Paris, it was obvious to me that the [Read More]
This week is a bittersweet week for me. My friend, mentor and colleague – Brian Kelly – left EY to assume the role of Chief Security Officer (CSO) at Rackspace in San Antonio, Texas. I am thrilled for Brian at the prospect of new opportunities and conquests. Hands-down, I believe there is no one bet [Read More]
The other day I overheard a conversation in the airport. Sure, I overhear a lot of conversations at many airports but this one struck me as I waited to board my flight. A sharp-dressed older man in a blue Burberry sport coat, perfectly pressed tan slacks and a custom-tailored shirt was speaking with [Read More]
A few weeks back I was asked in a questionnaire "what is your favorite quote?" I really had to think long and hard about that one. There are so many great quotes and tattered books of underlined wisdom I have read over the years. Nailing it down to just one was really difficult. Just then, it cam [Read More]
One of my favorite places on earth is Maui. I'm not sure if it's the sun, ocean, humpback whales birthing/mating or just the constant island reggae, but whatever it is, Maui has a way of melting away the stress and the cares of the world. No trip to Maui would be complete without the obligatory tri [Read More]
Have you ever sent out an email you shouldn't have? It’s OK, we all do it. It's natural and these kinds of things make us human. Quite simply: we all make mistakes. As I sat back and reflected on some of the mistake emails I have sent in my lifetime, I thought about a common question asked in in [Read More]
Meet Dizzy. Dizzy is our 12-year old, five pound Maltese. My wife Kat and I raised Dizzy since she was a pup and she has filled our life with love and happiness. We named her Dizzy because of her boundless energy; when she was young she made you dizzy just watching her run around. Even today, as an [Read More]
This past March, I attended a fantastic leadership development experience organized by a company called Battlefield Leadership. The organization offers numerous programs but this one was called the Gettysburg Leadership Experience and focused on exploring the leadership lessons on the historic batt [Read More]
What is a leader? This question has been studied and written about at length. I usually kick off the leadership courses I teach asking the participants to think about a leader who has made a difference in his or her life. Coaches, parents, teachers, bosses, mentors and family are all common answers. [Read More]
I was thinking the other day about a speech I gave years ago titled Be the Spork where I talked to a group of incoming masters students about combining multiple competencies to make themselves indispensable and more attractive to their potential employers. I think this advice holds true for every on [Read More]
It has been said that everyone's favorite topic is themselves. After all, it's the topic we know the most about. Who better an expert about ourselves than ourselves? The irony of this observation is: in a conversation between two people who only discuss themselves, neither one gets to discuss their [Read More]
The concept of "corporate culture" has been described as a mythical creature by many business executives. A unicorn or leprechaun of sorts, that only appears on the odd occasion at happy hours, team events or quarterly meetings. The truth is: culture is actually the bi-product of many aspects of an [Read More]
I was speaking with a colleague the other day and we were discussing practical leadership advice for our consultants. Sometimes this kind of advice waxes on at length about the various skills and competencies one must master while moving up in the ranks of an organization but this advice was differ [Read More]
On February 28, 2009 incoming MSIS students and their families joined together for luncheon to celebrate their admission into the incoming MSIS class beginning this fall. I was one of the speakers welcoming the incoming and shared some words of wisdom in a speech I coined “Be the Spork.” The spork i [Read More]
