Paul and Rick crack open the top books on leadership and life. For this week's episode the book in the spotlight is a class, "Good to Great", written by best selling author Jim Collins. You don't want to miss this episode, and the power of a mentor leader.

Words matter. Words can either breath life, or tear us down. One of the more powerful words ever spoken was an excerpt from a Teddy Roosevelt speech titled Citizenship in a Republic that he gave in Paris, France in April 1910.

Perhaps you are familiar with it. Even if it is, I encourage you to read it again as if it’s the first time.

"It is not the critic who counts;
it’s not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles
or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
who strives valiantly;
who errs, who comes short again and again,
because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;

but who does actually strive to do the deeds;
who knows great enthusiasms,
the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause;
who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,
and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring...

Paul and Rick crack open the top books on leadership and life. For this week's episode the book in the spotlight is "The Mentor Leader", written by NFL Hall of Fame Coach, Tony Dungy. You don't want to miss this episode, and the power of a mentor leader.

Hi friends,

I recently shared the story that I have been so hesitant to share. It's my story. A story of challenge and pursuit as it relates to an unexpected medical diagnosis a few years back. If nothing else, I hope my story encourages you in some small way. Here it is.

I want to encourage you, don't let the obstacles and the set backs keep you from living forward. Continue to imagine. create. explore and discover :-). Continue to break average no matter what life throws your way. 

Background

I was honored to share this story from the John Maxwell IMC event stage with other speech finalists on Sept 1, 2021 - who I now call friends. They inspired and motivated me with their amazing stories. From them, I was reminded that we all have challenges that come our way. Life is not easy. But it is so worth it, if we just keep moving. Inside each of us we have a story like that to share. It's often a story of perseverance, which is the center point of all leadership.

Paul and Rick crack open the top books on leadership and life on the Breaking Average podcast. For this week's episode the book in the spotlight is "Outliers", written by Malcolm Gladwell.

You'll definitely want to watch this episode.  Share with us your favorite bits from the book.

If you had to pick a favorite month of the year, would November even be in your top 5?

Think about it. Most people would pick April, May, or June.  Then they’ll skip the hot months, and then pick September or October.  That’s their top 5. But November?  It often gets the short end of the stick. At least in the U.S. and Canada.

When you think November…

• You might think the coming cold.
• You might think fall time change and dark afternoons
• You might think about leaves to rake
• You might think about election flyers jamming your mailbox
• You might think about black Friday mayhem, or people not shaving.

But what if November was much more than those things?  What if November was YOUR favorite month?

Think of the magic that happens in November

There’s lots of reason to love it, like the color of the leaves, the beautiful mornings, the electric energy of football, the smell of hot chocolate, the breakout of sweaters, or the recognition of...

On the Breaking Average Podcast, we unpack a revolutionary book that has more impact now, then when it was first written.  It's Simon Sinek's book Leaders Eat Last. 

Join Paul and Rick as they share great insights from this book.  Also included below are some helpful resources to further unpack the book and podcast.   

We encourage to check out all the resources and online classes that Simon and his team offer by visiting their web site at SimonSinek.com.

We have a few resources inspired from the book that are highlighted below to help you unpack this even further.

This first view  reflects the goals of a good leader.   The desire is to create a circle a circle of safety with those in our care.  This is important component to breaking averaging.

This next view gives you a glimpse of the power of our neurotransmitters in creating this "circle of safety."   What we need to watch for our is the...

My wife and I recently binge watched all 9 episodes of Squid Games over the period of a week. We were introduced to it by our son and daughter-in-law, when we were visiting them in Boston.

The Squid Games offers three choices that I want to share with you that can shape your life and those around you. These are Take Aways that I encourage you to look out for and to use in life and leadership. These are some of redeeming elements from watching the series – to help you and me live with greater focus and passion – and greater success. I’ll do my best to not share any spoilers, but if I do – I will try to warn you first.

Here are the lessons:

#1 Practice Empathy

This Squid Games showed me the side of what life looks like when someone is down and out. It’s a biopic of our world in the midst of covid, and unrest. Each of the Green track suited characters in Squid Games (the players), including maybe even the Pink suited PlayStation / StormTrooper like workers...

Paul and Rick crack open the top books on leadership and life on the Breaking Average Podcast.

For this week's episode the book in the spotlight is "The Charisma Myth" written by Olivia Fox Cabane.   You don't want to mis this podcast. 

If a picture tells a thousand words, what about a drone shot video? 

I wanted to share with you my office view this week using a drone just above my family's modest mountain home in Colorado.  While the internet keeps me connected on critical work items, I've taken a few breaks every now and then to connect with my mom who has been with me, or breath in the mountain air.   One of those, was capturing some drone footage to start the day. 

Here's the video I created, featuring a song  by indie artist Ben Porter with his piece called "Quiet". I hope this encourages you in some small way today. 

Be Well,