Category: Leadership

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365 Coaching Tips: 160th, 161st and 162nd

June 9th Coaching Tip: Heads Up, Need Your Help.

Wasn’t feeling the best. Gave my colleagues a heads up. They stepped up. Don’t be afraid to wave the white flag every now and then.

June 10th Coaching Tip: Defuse. Pick Your Battles.

Wise elders like grandmothers and grandfathers might say to their family members, “pick your battles” or “don’t die on every hill” or “their problem isn’t your problem”. What does this mean actually? Recently, some of my colleagues were disturbed about the amount of untimely and unnecessary emails and requests. What’s the big deal, it’s just an email, right? Some of them were feeling untrusted and micromanaged, others simply ignored the emails, and then some just did the request and moved right on. Remember, it might just take less time than it would take to complain about something. Sometimes “running up the hill, even slowly” is better than “dying on the hill”. Pick your battles and help others defuse their anger.  

June 11th Coaching Tip: Just Get It Done.

Estimated federal taxes are due June 16th. It’s on my mind, so I just paid them. Who cares really if I paid them a couple days early. It’s now off of my mind; it’s done, and checking things off the list brings satisfaction and relief. Sometimes it is just best to just get it done. I don’t make it a habit of paying bills early, however I do make it a habit of paying them on-time or a day or two prior to help with my trustworthy reputation and also my credit score. With the busy-ness of the end of May and early June this year, I just decided to get those estimated taxes paid and be done with it.

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365 Coaching Tips: 163rd, 164th and 165th

June 12th Coaching Tip: Get Insurance Proof.

Ever hire a contractor and ask them, “can you please provide a copy of your valid insurance?” If you don’t, you should. Recently, we hired a contractor to remove some dead and splitting trees. Before he started, I requested a quote in writing and a copy of his insurance. Fast forward to the day that the contractor and his crew were working in the trees. And yes, you guessed it, the lead man was up in the tree when the other side of the tree started going down (these trees were splitting and the threat of them coming down unexpectedly is exactly why I was having them removed). The lead man was taken down as the entire tree came crashing down. Immediately, the entire job stopped; thankfully, the crew quickly called for an ambulance, the lead man was checked out at the hospital and released with nothing more than a scrape. Everyone was ok and for that we are all grateful. A couple days later, a copy of the valid insurance was emailed to me. Lesson learned: ask and receive insurance before contractors work on your job.

June 13th Coaching Tip: Go Til Then End.

It’s game four in the best of seven game series in the NBA Finals. The Indiana Pacers have a 2-1 lead in the series, they are playing at home in this 4th game, the crowd is roaring and the Pacers are winning by 5 points starting the final quarter. But something happened, and the Pacers lost their mojo. The OK City Thunder reached deep and tied the game with eight minutes remaining. Then Indiana made a run with three minutes left. But then the Pacers let the game slip away again in the last couple minutes and ended up losing by seven points. Think thru this: up four, lost by seven, which is an 11-point swing in a matter of minutes. Leaders, teams, people, kids, and everyone else: go til the end. It’s never over until it’s over. Be resilient and keep your dream of winning alive. Note: That loss led to OK City winning the next 3 of 4 games and helping them win the NBA championship.

June 14th Coaching Tip: Connect.

Mom and I made a plan of connecting and heading to my brother (Grant) and his wife’s home on the lake nearby. Three of his daughters and their men joined us for a yummy early Father’s Day afternoon dinner. Then Mom wanted to go see her horses race at Hoosier Park. Instead of just the two of going, I decided to reach out to friends and we had a total of nine of us at the track. Although the horses didn’t win, we had a full day of connection with family and friends who really matter. Was it on “Father’s Day”? Nope, it was the day before. But we made it work. On Father’s Day, we intentionally drove out to visit the cemetery where my father is buried. We connected with him, the good Lord, family and friends this weekend. Connect. Being isolated and reducing social connections can lead to dire situations; instead, intentionally connect, with purpose, and it may just bring you better health, resilience and wellness.

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365 Coaching Tips: 172nd, 173rd and 174th

June 21st Coaching Tip: Six Weeks of Practice.

Today I shot basketball for 30 minutes. Practicing my basket shooting will be a priority daily since it’s just six more weeks until the National Senior Games in Des Moines, Iowa. I’m registered to shoot in the free throw shooting contest (I will shoot 25 consecutive FT’s) and the 3-point shooting contest (I will shoot three shots from five locations at 19’9″ three-point line). The key here is consecutive. Although 25 and 15 consecutive shots doesn’t sound like a lot, I’m noticing that as I practice, these amounts can become fatiguing. My goal is to hit over 80% of my FT’s and 50% from 3-pt line at the competition. I’ve got some practicing to do, but I’m committed to do it for six more weeks.

June 22nd Coaching Tip: Stay Cool, Heat Kills.

Yesterday and today were dangerously hot in the Midwest and it’s expected to continue until June 26th. We are avid watchers of The Weather Channel and learn so much. We learned this weekend that more people die annually due to excessively high temperatures than tornadoes, hurricanes, and water/flooding. We stayed in throughout the day or in the shade; we said no to friends who wanted to go out on the lake during middle of the afternoon. We drank alot (water, tea, vitamin water, etc.) and did activities in the early evening, before the sunset. Stay cool, stay hydrated, stay charged up (your cell phone or device), and stay in touch. Excessively hot temperatures are nothing to mess around with: heat kills. Be intentional about staying cool when it’s dangerously hot; it’s not worth the risk.

June 23rd Coaching Tip: Plan The Midyear Review.

Today a coaching discussion revolved around a team that is looking to develop a new career path for one of their colleagues. This teammate doesn’t know it’s about to happen, nor does the office leadership team. The team’s leaders were leveraging me and our confidential prep conversation to start figuring out how they were going to message this to their colleague and their office leadership team. Immediately in to our conversation, I could tell that they were not thinking through this “exception” as an exception. For example, when you are asking for an exception, you had better have put together a rock solid, exceptional business case justification. They had not done that at all. They were assuming a lot and being secretive.

We worked together on this situation with focused purpose for approximately 45 minutes; we agreed for them to work on it some more and then come up with a timeline on when they would present it and to whom. More to come, but it’s midyear. Don’t be surprised; be ready and prepped for those midyear reviews.

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365 Coaching Tips: 157th, 158th and 159th

June 6th Coaching Tip: Get Your Sleep.

Tomorrow is a big day. I’ve been training for months to hopefully compete and run faster than I did one year ago in my first ever Indiana Senior Games. This being my second time, I knew that I needed to eat properly, hydrate well, and get my sleep (over 7 hours). When I left my house for the 3-hour drive, I loaded up the cooler with “my food and my drinks” and checked in to the hotel around 6pm. And I was resting, in bed, by 8 pm, and woke up the next morning with exceptional sleep and resilience.

Prioritize your sleep for top performance. Lack of sleep can have many side effects, including reducing your life longevity. Get your sleep.

June 7th Coaching Tip: Compete With Yourself.

I challenged myself and competed against no one. That’s correct. No one.  BUT, I ran faster in the 100m, 200m and 400m than I did last year (June 2024) at the Indiana Senior Games. Sure, we had competition, but I had no one in my exact age bracket (60-64 years old) to compete against, so I just set out to beat myself. And that I did. I ran the 100m nearly two full seconds faster than my 2024 time, and I ran the 200m two seconds faster while running the 400m almost four seconds faster. So proud of myself for improving even though I’m a year older. It’s amazing what you can do, if you simply compete with yourself in a healthy manner.

June 8th Coaching Tip: Talk It Over.

Lots to do? Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Having a hard time prioritizing? Maybe your stuck? Talk it over with your partner or friend or spouse, and you may be surprised just how quickly a plan comes together. Why is that? Because most of us know exactly what we need to do and sometimes, we just need to say it out loud to someone we trust. Research indicates that when we write down priorities, and then share them with someone, we are much more likely to complete them. We feel this innate responsibility to honor the commit to thy self and your trusted person. In my situation recently, my partner had a lot going on, a lot. We were able to get my partner’s three key to do’s done in less than an afternoon. Although I wasn’t feeling the best (lil exhausted from the senior games), me simply allowing my partner to talk it over helped out bunches. Talk it over. 

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365 Coaching Tips: 154th, 155th and 156th

June 3rd Coaching Tip: Falling Behind Happens.

Ever felt like you are falling behind? That’s how I feel right now about this daily blog. I’m behind, but I will catch up, bit by bit. How is the real question? Making it a priority again for 15 minutes over the next couple weeks, since I am not traveling. I have no reason to be distracted, none. Since June 3rd, I traveled to southern Indiana for the Indiana Senior Games, then got a bit sick, flew to Florida, then to Bloomington three times over the last three weeks to check on the house remodel project there, then to New York for a three-day work trip. Falling behind happens, but now it’s time to catch up. And I will, bit by bit. My strengths of discipline and focus, along with responsibility, will kick me back in to success.

June 4th Coaching Tip: Softball is Soaring!

The NCAA Women’s College World Series has viewership; eyes are on the game and I’m thrilled for these gals. They sure deserve it. And now, Major League Baseball is doubling down on softball, announced on May 29th, for the inaugural season for Women’s Pro Softball. Why is this important? Because women are playing and watching softball…and those same eyes just might watch MLB baseball more in the future, too. And men are watching women’s college softball, too.

What’s soaring in your life? What should you invest in? Right now, MLB thinks it’s wise to invest in women’s softball, purchasing a stake in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League and I agree 100% with their support. Viewership matters, and they will show some editorial stories, enhance and embrace their social media, and even show some AUSL games on MLB TV.

June 5th Coaching Tip: Plants Need You.

Water those plants. Fertilize those plants; get them the proper amount of sun. Keep the bugs away, and for sure, pull out the weeks.

As you lead your team, which colleague needs some water; are you noticing that they are a bit drained? Which teammate needs some sunshine, and given the ability to be on stage to shine a bit more? Which person needs a few weeds pulled around them, removing barriers and providing support so that they can soar?

As a leader, are you paying enough attention to what every person on your team needs? If not, go home and do some checking on your plants. They need you, and so does your team.

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365 Coaching Tips: 151st, 152nd and 153rd

May 31st Coaching Tip: Introduce Yourself.

We joined our friends yesterday for dinner at a private club that they recently joined. As we were seated, I noticed that one of the restaurant greeters at the club had injured her right arm. After we were seated and ordered drinks and appetizers, I got up to go back and introduce myself to her. Why? Because I felt bad for her arm injury and wanted to learn more about her. She told me what happened and what are the next steps; she impressed me with her positive outlook and that she’s getting a pink cast for the summertime. We then discussed my 2007 injury when I broke both wrists on a fall; shared with her how important the three people were who cared for with expertise and empathy. We had much in common with our wrist/arm injuries. I’m so glad that I went to talk to here; I could have simply ignored her and walked on.

Then this morning on a short walk, I met a college guy that is staying in a condo for a couple month’s while he completes an internship. He was curious about the area, where to go to meet people, and real estate. He asked me what I did for work, and I told him alot, i.e. Caterpillar then to Merrill Lynch, and now investing in the market and real estateg. I’m so glad that I met Mo today; he’s from Toledo and this is his first time away from Toledo. We’ll keep an eye out for him now that we both introduced ourselves. Be intentional, kind and introduce yourself.

June 1st Coaching Tip: 529’s.

If you don’t understand 529’s, join the crowd. I’m NOT a financial advisor and I’m not giving you 529 advice nor investment advice. I am encouraging you to understand what a 529 is, how it might help someone with education costs, or how it might help someone in the future with their retirement. Get informed regarding what is available for people that are important to you. 529’s are worth understanding.

June 2nd Coaching Tip: Returning From Vacation.

On Sunday evening before I returned to work on Monday (after taking a week off), I quickly checked my work calendar and then also quickly checked my email inbox. This helped me get into the proper mindset to ease back in to work on Monday. Plus, in reviewing my emails, I could tell that one of the most important items that needed to be completed while I was out, welp, it didn’t get done. It sat idle for 4 workdays. Thank goodness I spotted this on Sunday evening, as it allowed me to prioritize this first thing Monday morning. I also blocked my calendar to take time to get caught up, connect with some colleagues, and remind/confirm others of upcoming appointments that are happening this and next week. How do you return from vacation? Do you have a process? My Sunday, intentional, quick check-in sure works for me.

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365 Coaching Tips: 148th, 149th and 150th

May 28th Coaching Tip: Six Questions for Your Budget.

Talked to my godson recently and he mentioned how important it was that I taught him how to budget in minutes. It was one of those many moments for me that I actually don’t actually recall ever having with him; however, for him it was a moment that definitely impacted him, and he’s shared the budgeting tips with his friends for years now.

Let’s get the ball rolling here by answering these questions about your income and expenses to help you establish your budget. 1) What is your total income? 2) What is your net income (after taxes, 401K, health insurance and social security are deducted from your paycheck, if applicable), 3) What do you want to save for and why? i.e. $5,000 emergency savings account or $40,000 for a home downpayment or $15,000 for a few months off to study or travel. 4) What are your monthly mandatory bills, i.e. food, housing, utilities, cell phone, and car or transportation expenses. 5) What are your discretionary monthly bills, i.e. health insurance, dining out, clothing, entertainment, gifts/parties, etc. 6) What is your monthly debt that is NOT housing, i.e. Visa, Mastercard, loan payback to parents and friends, etc.

Once you understand these six questions, take five to ten minutes to answer them. Your MONTHTLY net income needs to be MORE than all of your MONTHLY mandatory expenses, discretionary expenses and your debt. If you are positive, then you have the ability to save even more. If your expenses are higher than your net income, then you must a) find ways to increase your income (work a second job, have a side hustle, etc.) and b) also find ways to reduce your expenses. For example, during my 25 years at Caterpillar, I made my lunch in the morning and took it to work most days that I was in the office. Let’s assume that I saved $7/lunch during the 25 years, working in the office those days that I brought my lunch of 180 days equates to a $31,500 savings just by bringing my own lunch. Another cost saver that we still implement is that we go only out to eat one evening a week. And, since I’ve been 21 years old, I have contributed to my company’s 401K and all the companies have matched my contribution partially or fully. Experts call this, “pay yourself first” by having savings automatically deducted from your paycheck. When it’s auto-deducted, you tend not to notice it since it never becomes a part of your discretionary budget. Know how to answer these six questions on your budget.

May 29th Coaching Tip: Get Yourself A Mentor.

Yes, I’m 60 and I found my mentor for my next couple decades. We met back in 2012 when he hired me to be the VP of Marketing for a tech startup. Fast forward to 2025, he has been working with a number of tech startup companies, helping 20-30 year old entrepreneurs build up their company and grow it, to ultimately sell. He’s 10 years older than me and I look forward to learning what he did from 60 to 70 years old, and then implementing many of his tips and tactics. He’s family oriented, enjoys makes memories, very healthy and sports focused, lives in the same areas (Naples, FL and Carmel, IN) as me, etc. I look forward to learning from my mentor, as we both agree, our best chapters in our life’s book are ahead of us. Get yourself a mentor.

May 30th Coaching Tip: Celebrate Your Wins.

After selling two homes recently, it was time to celebrate. One of the homes in Westfield, IN, was sold to a couple who was well prepared, and we closed on a price $6,000 over list price (we had 4 offers in 48 hours of the listing) in just two weeks. The other home in Delray Beach, FL, also sold to a young couple at list price; although they were not as prepared, my realtor helped them actually get their financing completed to finalize the closing before the end of May.

Why celebrate? Because I challenged myself to buy both of these homes during COVID when times were a bit weird and unknown. Fast forward to 5 years later, by selling these two homes is allowing me to do another project closer to my college home of Indiana University. We are in the midst of remodeling a 95-year-old farmhouse with a green metal roof; the nearly 10 acres has a couple barns, a “she-shed”, and a chicken coup. We will celebrate there soon with a house and barn warming party, complete with a DJ playing music, and having fun with the indoor pickleball and basketball courts. Celebrate Your Wins!

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365 Coaching Tips: 142nd, 143rd & 144th

May 22nd Coaching Tip: Our High School Class.

Thanks to some of the gals from our 1982 high school graduating class, they have created a group for our class on Facebook. Not only do they keep us up to date on our classmates and their parents, but they also post positive and uplifting messages. Our class was special in high school from 1978 to 1982…and still is special. Even when we were teenagers, we bonded together. I don’t remember fighting; I remember support, fun times, community involvement, fellowship and Christian activities, high achievers, and academic as well as athletic accomplishments. If you are in touch with your high school classmates, good for you. Keep it rolling! If not, can YOU be the one that brings the classmates back together? Our high school class continues on our tradition of caring, now four to five decades later.

May 23rd Coaching Tip: Know Your Boss.

As an employee, it’s to your benefit to understand and know your boss. Of course, you’re already thinking that “no, it’s their responsibility to get to know me and get me!” For the relationship to work, it should actually work both ways. For example, my boss mentioned to me that she appreciates how I email her a summary of what’s going on prior to our monthly one-on-one. Now I do that summary email the day before we meet, so that she can has more time to read it before our one-on-one. Plus, she remembers it better, too. And during our one-on-one, since we both are more prepared and on the same page, it goes quicker, it gives me time to ask her what she needs me to do for her and the team. This two-way share is important to us both; we’re on the same page. Take time to get to know your boss and how they like to operate.

May 24th Coaching Tip: 112th Birthday Wishes.

Today would have been my grandmother’s 112th birthday. Although she passed in 2003, some 22 years ago, we had sweet memories of her today that my brothers and I shared with our mom. Our grandmother was a stunning gal, married a dapper guy from East Chicago Emerson and the Univ. of Michigan. She was a stay-at-home mother with two kids and also was a substitute teacher (she attended the Indiana Teachers College), got involved in local politics, the Red Cross, had some real estate holdings, and was widowed at 50 years old. She didn’t stop. She kept right on going and gave us three grandkids one on one time that we were reminiscing about today. It was sweet to share these memories with our own mother and to acknowledge her heavenly birthday.

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365 Coaching Tips: 133rd, 134th and 135th

May 13th Coaching Tip: The Pacers Are A Team.

By now, you are probably realizing that my love for basketball allows me to utilize basketball analogies in some of my coaching tips. Last night, the Indiana Pacers soundly won their 7-game series versus the #1 seed, Cleveland Cavaliers. Very few of the NBA experts selected the Pacers. But the Pacers have pulled together since the NBA All-Star break in February and have been on a winning roll. They are winning! How? From my point of view, they each understand their role, their bench celebrates wildly and regularly, and five to seven players each night score in double figures. They are a TEAM, achieving more than any of the experts expected. They have a couple NBA all-stars on their team, but they have a number of role players who are stepping up, accepting their role, and executing under pressure at a high level. Leave it to a team to get it done!

May 14th Coaching Tip: Your Network Matters.

It’s one thing to have “Facebook friends” and “Linked In” connections, but it’s a whole different level when you can reach out to important people in your network to get a meeting with them. That happened today and yesterday. I wanted to gather some insights and feedback on an idea that I have, so I quickly shared why I wanted time with them, and they agreed to meet with me…and were also prepared to discuss the idea with me.

Over 14 years ago when I exited Caterpillar, my career coach was instrumental in making me really leverage people in my network that can make a difference. And sure enough, one of those key people helped connect me with my current role at Merrill. It was pure timing. He and I had just connected on what I wanted to do, and then a week or two later, an opportunity was discussed while he was at dinner. He recommended that I would be a great fit for an internal coaching role, then called me the next day to let me know that he had recommended me. The rest is history; I’ve been at Merrill for nearly 13 years. Your network matters!

May 15th Coaching Tip: Thank you notes.

Today, I received the nicest thank you note from a former colleague who reached out to me for some help. She was wanting to implement a number of technology and process changes with her team this week. After I heard about her successes with the team already and also hearing her say that there may be some resistance, she and I discussed her strategy; we landed on B & B, i.e. to get their Buy-in, give it to them in Bite sizes. So we worked on a timeline of what the team had already accomplished, reminded her to celebrate those wins, recognize the team, and then share what further process and tech changes were planned to be implemented over the next few months…in bite sizes…not all at once. Wanting her to be successful, I shared with her a quick seven-minute video that might just help her know what she was truly requesting and I also connected her with another leader who had already successfully implemented these tech and process changes. It worked! She thanked me today for helping her think over her initial plan, nudging her to slow down just a little and give them B & B with a timeline and examples. I played a small part in her success but was smiling when I got her thank you note.

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365 Coaching Tips: 124th, 125th and 126th

May 4th Coaching Tip: Read The Fine Print.

Since 2013, I’ve owned 33 properties in my real estate companies. I’ve rented many of these homes multiple times and sold a number of them. Today, my realtor hosted an open house for a home we listed for sale just two days ago. In receiving four offers quickly, my realtor and I closely read thru the offers, i.e. the fine print. In three of the four offers, the realtor was trying to increase their fee amount from 2% to 3%. In one of the offers, the escrow amount wasn’t even 1%. We asked them to increase it, and they did quickly. Another offer had just 5% down, with 95% mortgage. I’m not interested in that. The first offer we got a couple days ago was asking for a home warranty, the 3% realtor fee, and then a $4,000 closing credit. That offer was a no way, absolutely no way.

Take time to read the details and truly understand the impact on the contract. The fine print matters; don’t peruse over it. It matters.

May 5th Coaching Tip: Follow Up After In-Person Meetings.

In my coaching work, some of the teams and businesses will host events. They might spend months planning the event, fine tuning the speakers, their speeches, and the invite list. And yet, follow up is typically not thought of thoroughly. Recently we had an international meeting with 15 teams who manage a significant amount of business. At the end of both days of the conference and also the first day upon their return home, the leader summarized a handful of items as expected next steps. Then, he asked his admin team to develop a matrix to track who is making progress on these next steps.

This was an elite case of ensuring follow up will most likely happen. Following up after these valuable (and expensive) in-person encounters in life or with business meetings can really show others that you care and are paying attention. Follow up!

May 6th Coaching Tip: Weather Changes.

As we wrap up this week in our Florida home before we head north to enjoy the Indiana and Midwest summer and fall weather, we are prepping for the weather changes. It’s not IF a hurricane will come close to our Naples, FL home in the next few months, it’s WHEN a hurricane / severe storm will come. Thus, we are planning ahead for the warmer and stormier weather in Florida. The outdoor furniture is inside the home. The water will be shut off along with things like the water heater, bidets, Tesla charger, and washer & dryer. Many of the electrical plugs will be unplugged. The thermostat will be on 78 degrees most of the time. We have thoughtfully utilized almost everything in our refrigerator over the last 2-3 weeks, to enjoy it now and reduce waste.

As we head north, the weather is changing up there, too. The month of May can be tornadic, so we will always be charged up and have shoes on if tornadoes arise. We also plan to be on the lake regularly this summer to enjoy the sunsets. We will ensure we have proper lighting on the boat to return to the dock safely. My hope is that you, too, prepare ahead for the changes in weather. Don’t be caught off guard due to weather changes!