The Lead Yourself First Blog

Cynics may say that you would never expect a public servant to give outrageously good customer service. So let me prove you wrong. Ross, who works at the USPS located in Point Roberts, WA provided incredible service…so good that he puts many corporate retailers to shame. Despite the fact that Canada Post has an outlet […]

re·solve verb \ri-ˈzälv, -ˈzȯlv also -ˈzäv or -ˈzȯv\ :To make a definite and serious decision to do something. Eat less. Exercise more. Get a new job. Start a savings plan. Ditch your partner…whatever lofty goal you decide to set for yourself, it is likely you will give up before the first month of 2015 comes […]

“My legs are swollen and I don’t feel like going up to the coffee shop today.” As soon as I heard my father utter those words on the telephone, thousands of miles away from his bed in the nursing home in Sydney, I knew that everything was different, even though I didn’t want to believe […]

When I came to North America more than 20 years ago, my bubble burst quickly and unexpectedly. Although I secured a good job within a very short time span, my encounter with my new boss, aka Attila The Hun left me disillusioned, disappointed and disheartened. I frequently found myself cowering in the restroom cubicle in […]

Leadership is always a subject that finds its way into the headlines. Unfortunately, we are witnessing a decline in the high standards that we expect to see from our leaders. Whether we are talking about sports, politics, business or religion, why are we so often profoundly disappointed in our leaders? Why do so many fall […]

Addressing the subject of change instills fear in many people. The very thought of disruption to the status quo brings up feelings of anxiety and distress in many individuals and organizations. Pending gloom and doom consumes the collective consciousness as people grapple with the new reality. Viewing change positively isn’t usually the norm, although it […]

While preparing my presentation set-up for a keynote at a recent conference, the meeting planner ran toward me in a panic, apologizing for being pulled in ten different directions, simultaneously.  She explained that there were several items demanding her immediate attention. Her committee were in a time crunch, trying to locate the whereabouts of one […]

I will always remember the antics of one of my co-workers whose desk was beside mine at my first corporate job. Dan would saunter into the office whenever it suited him and immediately announce his arrival to the entire staff. In a bellowing voice, he would ask the same question every morning: “Who can I […]

This month I had the privilege of working with the Institute of Career Advancement Needs and their client, Paypal. Their leadership conference attracted almost 400 delegates and all presenters were extremely well received. The client wished to demonstrate appreciation for their team of leaders, underscored by the ICAN philosophy: To understand leadership, you must understand people. To […]

The end of a year is always a time for reflection. As each one passes seemingly more quickly that the previous, we usher in a new year with the opportunity to pause and appreciate special moments that occurred over the past 365 days. Focusing on the positives sets the tone for anticipating good things.