Our friend Cindy Lewis died recently at age 52 after 16 years battling cancer. Her memorial service had to be held in the local high school gym because over 500 people showed up. Per her wishes, a celebration was held after the service and as I circulated among the guests I was struck by something… Read more about The Power of Hope
A few months back I began a presentation on transformational leadership to 40 high-potential managers with a simple request: “May I borrow a one dollar bill?” After a little hesitation one guy waved a dollar in the air. I asked him to bring it and join me in front of the group, but he said… Read more about The High Cost of Assumptions
As I studied magic from the basement of our farmhouse in Michigan I was damn serious for an adolescent. So serious that I subscribed to a magic newsletter, “Abracadabra,” from England. This was a long time before the Internet so it was sent by airmail every week. When I was 14 years old I read… Read more about What You Believe Is What You See
Years ago when I was learning how to facilitate meetings, a colleague, Bob, gave me some feedback by asking me, “Do you realize how often you use the word, ‘but’?” He told me that almost every time I used “but” I was dismissing the person who made the comment preceding it and little by little… Read more about Watch Your Buts
Recently I was interviewed by Richard Rierson, host of the Dose of Leadership podcast. I’m proud of this interview and invite you to listen to it for free – no strings attached. In the interview I share how Ross Perot taught me what is possible with great leadership and how to create cultures where ordinary… Read more about A Dose of Leadership
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a transformational leader with tremendous mastery of the three acts of magic: APPEAR, DISAPPEAR, AND RESTORE. We still have a long way to go to reach the dream he shared with millions, but he did so much to advance that dream through his courageous acts of leadership. What can we… Read more about Dr. King’s Transformational Magic
Experience of a lifetime today exploring Harry Houdini’s personal collection at the Library of Congress. They have nearly 4,000 items including correspondence, scrapbooks, paraphernalia, and books – the oldest, Reginald Scot’s Discoverie of Witchcraft from 1651, which we were able to hold in our bare hands. We were able to read letters Houdini wrote to… Read more about Houdini at the Library of Congress!
A 30-second spot during the Super Bowl is fetching between $3.7 and $4 million this year. Clearly advertisers place a very high value on getting into your thoughts. Leaders would do well to recognize this as a strategy for harnessing the potential of people. It is a strategic advantage when people have your organization’s goals… Read more about $4 Million For Your Thoughts
