Category: Wellness

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365 Coaching Tips: 199th, 200th & 201st

July 18th Coaching Tip: Early Dinner, then Walk.

As we wrapped up the week, we decided to do our early Friday evening dinner. Eating earlier in the evenings and enjoying lighter foods helps us both 1) feel better, 2) sleep more soundly, and 3) spend less money. When we arrived back home, it was only 6:00pm. I headed out on a walk and grabbed my phone to give a call to my mom to check up on her. Why walk after a meal? It’s a new routine/habit that I have implemented after wearing my glucose monitor this past Spring and also learning about ways to help reduce glucose spikes after eating. A stroll of three to five to up to 15 minutes helps me bring the spike back into the normal range. And since I grabbed my phone, I got two things done.

Wellness is more than going to the gym. It’s connecting with those that matter; it’s taking a stroll after eating; it’s winding down with friends on a sunset cruise. My tip for today is eat earlier and eat less, then go on a walk. You never know, you might even begin to notice that you see your neighbors outside more, too.

July 19th Coaching Tip: Laugh Daily.

We all have “stuff” that hits us daily or weekly, at the very least. We make it a point to laugh daily, especially as we are getting older and been together for eight years now. We don’t want to become the crusty, grouchy old people. We want to embrace life and what comes at us, but we also are making the choice to laugh a lot every single day. For example, a couple nights ago, we stayed up until 11pm recapping the day, hysterically laughing about all the stuff that happened. We could have chosen to whine, be upset or even angry, and quietly go to bed. Today, I’ve laughed multiple times watching a funny video that was set up by the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team. Their two mascots went in to the crowd, acted like they were a couple, and then ducked when the “Kiss Cam” got them on camera. It’s now a national meme that the nation is laughing about, as a married CEO was embracing his company’s HR leader at a Coldplay concert in Boston; once they noticed they were on the “kiss cam” they both ducked and turned around. Oops! They got caught which is serious business. But the meme and set up for the Phillies’ mascot was downright hilarious. A must see for your daily laugh!

July 20th Coaching Tip: Two Weeks To Go.

In two weeks, we pack up the car and head to Des Moines, Iowa, for my first-time competing in five events at the National Senior Games. Yes, I’m a bit nervous because I’m doing my research on what it will take to advance in the 100m, 200m and 400m sprints. I’m also realizing that I will need to hit 23/25, 24/25 or possibly 25/25 free throws and more than 9/15 in the 3-point shooting to place in the top three or potentially win the basketball shooting contests.

What am I doing to reduce my nervousness? Prep, just like in my coaching. I’m practicing with more intention and higher demands of myself. I was shooting around 21/25 in my FT’s recently, but the last two days, I hit 23/25. That’s what it will take to medal, and I want to medal. In my running, I’m working on my start, relaxing my face and hands more as I’m “sprinting”, and I’m trying to run faster at the end of the sprint.

I’m not sure how this will all turn out, but in two weeks, I’ll have the results. I’ve put in the work for more than 18 months, and I hope to reward myself for all this practice and prep. Two weeks to go…is not the time to stop. Now is the time to make it ALL count.

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365 Coaching Tips: 196th, 197th & 198th

July 15th Coaching Tip: Safety First.

Although I wasn’t feeling well on Sunday (a couple days ago), I took the time to really go thru my life and evaluate where I could easily improve some things that might improve my personal safety as I head into August (and turn 61 years old). The first thing I noticed was that my tires on my Tesla had not been rotated for more than 22,000 miles. As the daughter of my father (who owned a tire and battery shop when he was in his 20’s-30’s), this was unacceptable risk. Get the tires rotated, this week. I quickly opened my Tesla app, scheduled an appointment and a technician came to the house and efficiently rotated the tires and checked the tire pressure…all while I was at work. Safety improved and it was easy for me.

I also was noticing that my Apple watch battery was running out of charge between 5-7pm, which is not a good time, as I’m out usually running errands, on a walk, or working out. Laying in bed on Sunday, I ordered a new watch and arranged to trade-in my old watch. The Apple watch is up and running, and the battery is lasting much longer. Trade in’s are in process.

My auto insurance is coming due in mid-August, so I transferred the money to get that paid on time, so there will be no lapse. I don’t want to be in a car wreck, nor do I want to hurt anyone if I cause a car accident. I do however want to ensure that I’m covered, as well as others.

In the last month, we switched our internet provider to save money and get faster speeds. In doing do, I needed to update a few things in the home with the new network. All things are now connected, which includes my ability to lock/unlock my front door, check the CO level, and temperature of the home. Take time to ensure safety is first in your life.

July 16th Coaching Tip: Leadership Styles.

A couple of my coaching conversations today were about leaders who knew that they needed help in how to develop others. I was so pleased they reached out to me for coaching and advice. As we learned more about these leaders, this leadership role was new territory for them. We discussed how they might clarify and role model their preferred leadership style, i.e. what type of leader do they want to be. I asked them some questions: do they want to be a “work hard, play hard” leader, a family-first leader, a results-oriented leader, a magnet for talent leader, a laissez faire type leader, a collaborative leader, etc. As we worked thru these coaching calls, it was clear to them that before they develop others, they needed to work on themselves and role model what they wanted and expected in others. Leadership styles can influence the type of people that might be attracted to your team; it can also drive some people away. It was an important first step in many coaching sessions ahead for them.

July 17th Coaching Tip: Adjustments Are Necessary.

My mother has stated this numerous times: “getting old ain’t for wimps.” She has also stated to young couples: “don’t get old.” Her wisdom is spot on. As my partner and I are aging, we are very in tune with our bodies/exercise/wellness/nutrition/sleep/health. For example, over a year ago I realized that I could simplify my life, improve my health, get the calcium that I need for my osteoporosis if I made my own coffee at home in my trusted 12-cup brew machine, and then add ice and some Fairlife chocolate milk to it. Why the adjustment after five years from what I was drinking every morning (Califia almond milk latte cold brew)? First, Califia was difficult to find consistently in the grocery stores where we live and visit frequently. Second, it contained too much sugar for my liking. Third, it is bottled in plastic. And, fourth, it was approx. $5/bottle. This small adjustment had a multiplying positive effect: less costly, less sugar, easy to make, and readily available (with the Fairlife chocolate milk). My partner today announced a change/adjustment to her morning coffee routine, due to a noticeable change in her body when it is very humid. Due to a leaky valve, she is now going to reduce her caffeine and sugar intake, and make her own decaf coffee, add some of my regular coffee and chocolate milk. This too should help her with her heart health, much like my adjustment should help with my osteoporosis. Stay in tune with your body and make necessary and intentional adjustments for your ongoing wellness.

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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: 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: 139th, 140th and 141st

May 19th Coaching Tip: Parks are FREE.

What a way to introduce your kids to free entertainment by simply taking them to a park. Teach a child how to go find 10 different leaves or six different bugs or five different weeds or wildflowers. Ask them to go make a friend with someone else. Time them as they run to something or encourage them to go play with other kids. Parks are free and simply go underutilized.

I’m always amazed when I go to Central Park in NYC; no matter the time of the year, it’s busy and bustling. Mostly with adults. Adults realize how important it is to be outside, soaking up sunshine, laying on the grass, listening to the birds chirp, running or walking on the many paths. If we as adults get it, then let’s make sure that our children get those experiences early in their lives. Parks are free and might be one of the best educational experiences that kids can have. And the quality time visiting the parks is priceless.

May 20th Coaching Tip: Practice The Script.

Today I worked with a couple young advisors who are learning how to care for clients of their colleague, a senior advisor who is expecting to wrap up working in the next couple years. As these two are meeting the clients for the first time, they are simply listening and taking notes. For the second meeting, we are now working on scripting and practicing questions for them to ask these clients. They landed on asking them about their family tree. We agreed that who doesn’t like talking about their family tree. And the second question would be to ask permission to reconfirm the beneficiaries on record for their accounts. We practiced these questions and relief came to them with smiles. Then we added another part of the script. After these meetings with the clients, the young advisors would call clients back, at the request of the senior advisor. This ties the effort together, and the client is understanding that the senior advisor is still in charge, but delegating work to be done. Take time to practice the script. It will drive more confidence and comfort for all parties involved.

May 21st Coaching Tip: Stand Up to Greet People.

Recently as a client, I went into an office and was greeted warmly and professionally by a couple of the company’s colleagues. They both stood up and came out of their offices and workspace to greet me. But a third colleague just looked at me and stayed seated in his work cubicle. It immediately created an uncomfortable situation for the two who had greeted me, knowing that I was a client.

Coaching tip for today is simple: when a client approaches you, stand up and greet them. A simple handshake or even a quick standup and smile at them are both appreciated. If you don’t stand up, you may be sending a signal to that client that they don’t matter. Stand up.

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365 Coaching Tips: 121st, 122nd and 123rd

May 1st Coaching Tip: Listen Deeply.

It’s one thing to say, “Yeah, I’m a good listener.” But it’s another thing to demonstrate it. Today, a group of us listened to a business leader of 20 people share how his team embraces their purpose in their business by deeply listening to help improve the quality of (financial) lives of the families they serve. One of the attendees kinda smirked, raised his hand, and asked, “how do you listen deeply?” The leader thanked the attendee for the question and then shared with the entire room all the different exercises, training, and coaching that his team has invested in. Then to further make his point, he shared an amazing example that quieted the room, as he had everyone’s attention on the power of listening sharing how one of his teammates helped transform a challenging client relationship into a very satisfied client.

Listening is simple: ask questions that start with the words how, what, when, who, and where (try to stay away from why questions). Then, stay present as the questions are answered. Ask follow-up questions on what you heard, and try to only ask one questionat a time, so that the convo can go deeper. Refrain from compiling YOUR answer in your head. Listen, then ask for more info. Then a bit later, if necessary, you can ask for permission to provide a couple insights. However, by listening thoroughly, give yourself time to evaluate what you are hearing; sometimes, as the listener, you don’t have to say anything. The person speaking can many times figure out their gameplan, learn from their venting, proceed thoughtfully, and be thankful for your listening skills. Instead of listening to answer others, listen deeply.

May 2nd Coaching Tip: Psychological Safety.

In front of nearly 20 leaders, I had the opportunity to share what makes great teams perform better than other teams. With a compilation of research, I mentioned one of the top factors was that team members needed to feel safe to truly share their feelings about their work and their work environment. One of the leaders in the room (who tends to lead with a bit of the “stick” more than others in the room) interrupted our conversation and went on a rant about empathy. It was clear that he didn’t believe in empathy for others. When he was done ranting, I opened up the discussion in the room. Other leaders jumped in and said the best way to get people on your side and to gain buy-in is to first to understand them and their situation. One leader even indicated that if you check-in, listen, and follow up, you don’t even have to show empathy or act like you’re being empathetic. The fact that you checked in, listened, and followed up later on, shows that you care. These acts create psychological safety for them/team members to share with you when something important is on their mind and that pertains to the team’s improvement. Whether the going gets tough or the road is smooth and fast, give others the space and safety to respectfully share with you what’s really going on. This psychological safety will most likely help drive winning results for your team.

May 3rd Coaching Tip: Derby Day!

Although I grew up on a standardbred horse farm, I really love watching the Triple Crown thoroughbred races. Since today was Derby Day, felt it would be fun to celebrate a little bit by making some mint juleps in the mid-afternoon and invite the neighbors over. Connie and Tony came over; they had never made nor drank a mint julep. We got to work and had a blast doing it. We muddled fresh mint leaves with the simple syrup, then added the bourbon and ice. While shaking them, oops, we made a mess. We added more ingredients and more ice, then sat down to drink these yummy mint juleps, watching the pre-race chatter and races, and we really learned more and more about our next-door neighbors. After a couple mint juleps, I learned about their beloved grandkids and the business that their son now runs for them. As it approached closer to 5pm, off they went to get all dressed up for a Derby Party.

Celebrate life by making moments with your neighbors. It was Derby Day and now my neighbors know that I grew up on a horse farm in Indiana, with a deep love of horse racing and basketball. Celebrate traditions and make deeper relationships,,,It’s Derby Day.

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365 Coaching Tips: 115th, 116th and 117th

April 25th Coaching Tip: Flat Stanley Taught Us.

Our friend’s daughter sent me a package with the Flat Stanley instructions and a hand-colored Flat Stanley. If you are unfamiliar with Flat Stanley, join the club; I wasn’t either. However, the instructions were simple to understand and on one page. The essence of this game with Flat Stanley is to take him (hand-colored lil Flat Stanley) with you as you visit places, take photos of him, and then fill out a photo book with the photos that we took of Flat Stanley as he spent a couple days with us. Flat Stanley visited the beach, got to see some palm and banyan trees, visited where I work, saw a sunset, joined us for dinner, and even met our waiter, Mario. When I pulled out our Flat Stanley, Mario quickly said, “I vividly remember the Flat Stanley exercise in elementary.” Isn’t that amazing that an adult remembers this exercise so vividly over 20 years later?

Guess who else learned a bunch? We did. On the final page of the photo book was a number of questions about the state that Flat Stanley visited. We learned so much about Florida; the state bird is the Northern Mockingbird. The state tree is the cabbage palm. The state song is Suwanee River. The nickname is Sunshine State. The motto is “In God We Trust”. The largest city is Jacksonville, FL, with nearly 1 million people. The state is the 22nd largest (in square miles) in the USA. Flat Stanely helped us learn and it was a joy spending time with him and helping our friend’s daughter complete her school project. It’s all packaged up and ready to be mailed to her tomorrow. Flat Stanley taught us, too.

April 26th Coaching Tip: Play Til The End.

Last night during the Denver Nuggets playoff game at the LA Clippers, the score was tied with a few seconds remaining. The Clippers had mounted an incredible 32-9 run in the fourth quarter, putting Denver on its heels. With the score tied and six seconds remaining, Denver Nugget’s best player took a “last” shot which ended up being an airball. But, with the clock running down, another Nugget’s teammate, Aaron Gordon, saw that the shot was going to be short and jumped up to grab it and made a dunk…with .01 on the clock. That’s not ONE second; that’s .01 or 1/10th of a second! This was the perfect example of “playing to the very last moment, playing to the end.” How many times in life do we slow down at the end or we don’t do our job expecting others to execute or we think we will just do it tomorrow or we say, “let’s go into overtime.” Aaron Gordon taught us to play to the end!

April 27th Coaching Tip: Prioritize Recovery.

Yesterday was an intense day for my senior games preparation. (My goal is to compete (again) in the Indiana games on June 7, and then the National Senior Games in Des Moines in early August. The events are the 100m, 200m, 400m, and 800m runs; I’m also going to do the basketball shooting at Nationals.) After shooting baskets for 32 minutes, I headed to the nearby middle school’s track where I ran six-100m’s and two-200m’s, did some leg strengthening and took two walks. Burned nearly 1,000 calories; it was mid-day, about 85 degrees and a light breeze. Hydration and the hot tub were both priorities after that intense workout. As you might imagine, today is all about recovery. We scheduled an hour massage, after a slow morning walk. Now I’m heading to the pool to swim a couple laps…and take a nap by the pool. Our neighbors brought us some homemade spaghetti sauce and meatballs, so we don’t even have to do food prep today. Take time to keep your body healthy by prioritizing recovery after intense days. As a 60 year old, being fit and healthy for me is a blend of appropriate strength and cardio HIIT training, proper nutrition (80% of the time), 7+ hours of sleep, enjoying the work and purpose in our life, and allowing the brain and body to have time to recover. Your body (and mind) deserve it. Prioritize recovery.

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365 Coaching Tips: 100th, 101 and 102

April 10th Coaching Tip: 100.

Today I am pleased and thrilled to report that this is the 100th day that I have been writing coaching tips in 2025. Yep, 100 days straight of writing purposefully is a record for me. Now, I’m even more committed to doing it the entire year of 2025.

100 is also a goal for me; hoping to live and see myself as an active centenarian. Active for me means walking and using my brain. My grandmother died on Valentine’s Day, and lived to just short of 88; she smoked most of her adult life. My mother is socially active and is 84 managing a number of farms. My dad lived to 84, and his dad lived to 80; they both were active, driving, working on their farms, caring for their horses and happy doing it.

For right now though, I’m happy, healthy, and active at 60. And glad to be sharing coaching tips for the 100th day in a row. Thanks for reading and providing your feedback.

April 11th Coaching Tip: Relationships Matter.

My haircut appointment today was squeezed in to her 9am timeslot. Little did I know, I was the only person on her schedule for the entire day. She said, “only…for YOU!” I felt bad and good at the same time. Felt bad that she arranged her one and only appointment around my schedule. Felt good that she said, “only…for YOU!”

She knew I was back in town for a few days, and knew it was important to me to get me hair done. I remembered to ask her about her new condo, about her son’s rash and her daughter’s trip for Spring Break. Relationships are a two way street, and they can be beneficial for both people if we simply listen, remember, and ask again. Take time to listen to people and you’ll be surprised what can result. Make your relationships matter.

April 12th Coaching Tip: Let’s Go to Gas City, IN.

Four of us jumped into Michele’s new SUV and we headed out to dinner, and then on to Gas City, Indiana (yes, that’s actually the name of the town) to see Grammy-winning singer Amy Grant. We could have easily postponed it or not gone (we all were busy, had curve balls thrown at us this past week), but Michele had grabbed four tickets well in advance, and we were going out for an evening of fun.

Had any of us ever been to Gas City? Nope! But Gas City (population: 6,000) has invested in their town, county and school system, and worked with the state of Indiana on some economic development grants and they now have a new performing arts center (approx. $20mil investment) that seats over 1,800 people. Their goal is aimed at enriching the community with diverse entertainment and fine arts experiences. It seeks to inspire and foster artistic growth among the youth, positioning itself as a cultural cornerstone for Gas City, enhancing its reputation as a center for arts and creativity.

We had a blast! So glad we went, made memories, laughed, sang, and came home “full”. More importantly to me was how the community came together to take the risk and build a performing arts center. I wish them great success and also am thrilled for all ages to participate in keeping this new center thriving for years to come. Go to Gas City, IN.

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365 Coaching Tips: 82nd, 83rd and 84th

March 23rd Coaching Tip: Friends First.

As I watched my IU Hoosier women’s basketball team wrap up their loss to South Carolina, I noticed that one of our IU players stopped and truly hugged one of the SC players. And then, after all the players shook hands, that same SC player came back thru the line and hugged and quickly gave a sweet cheek-kiss to that IU player. Why would they do that, aren’t they competitors? Yes, of course they are competitors. But they are friends first and have been friends for years. It was a pleasant site to witness, and the TV cameras even showed the parents of both of these players hugging each other. As you compete, remember to remain friends with those who really are friends. I’ve learned that I now have friends that I competed against or with daily in practice, and I’m so glad that many are still my friends. Friends first!

March 24th Coaching Tip: Evolve.

My word for the year is Reduce. One of my colleague’s word is Evolve. I like it, because she is our senior coach, with incredible experience, and more senior than me and our manager. She wants to continue to evolve by embracing new ways of doing business, learning from others, and working a bit differently. If you were in the last few years or months of your career, how willing would you be to evolve?

Many of my elders have shared with me that when you stop learning and growing, you start slipping and dying. Now that I have more grey hairs, I am fully aware of this and now truly support this thinking. Tonight, we watched “The Americas” series on Peacock, narrated by Tom Hanks. We kept watching episode after episode, consuming all of the incredible cinematography as well as the education on all of these animals, insects, and species. Keep evolving.

March 25th Coaching Tip: No 2am Texts.

My mother and I talk and text every single day. We share a lot and are very close. Over the last month, she has shared with me that someone in our family has texted her at 2am on a couple occasions and has also sent an additional 8-10 texts since March 19.

This story has helped me pull together a coaching lesson on emotional intelligence: 1) when you want a senior/elderly/84-year-old woman to help you, don’t text them at 2am. 2) when you want help, maybe call them and ask how THEY are doing and really care about what is shared. 3) if you are sending an additional 8-10 texts, look in the mirror, and ask yourself, “why aren’t I getting any response?” (from the 84-year-old woman). 4) and don’t deny it when you are called out for sending 2am texts, i.e. don’t lie.

I have texted my family member twice now, and let them know that my mom is busy now through tax time (April 15) and managing over 10 farms. I also requested that the 2am texts stop. Due to a lack of emotional intelligence, the family member (of course) indicated that they don’t text much, didn’t do the 2am texts, weren’t adding any stress to the situation, and indicated this was like high school drama. Bottom line: wake up, look in the mirror, own your errors, be more in tune with elderly people, and for goodness sakes, don’t be rude to them when you need a favor. Seniors (like my mother) have who multiple stents in their hearts and have had two hip surgeries in the last 2+ years, lost their husband of 63 years, keep their phone “on”, charged up, and nearby, and their Apple watch on their wrist…don’t need extra stress. Just stop and think, no 2am texts.

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365 Coaching Tips: 79th, 80th and 81st

March 20th Coaching Tip: Two Minute Test.

One of the most common coaching discussions that I have with leaders revolves around their inability to get buy-in from their teammates and colleagues. When I ask them to explain to me what they want to accomplish, many of these leaders have a challenge in clearly articulating what they want to get done and why. This question can also apply to people who lead groups or a family. Here’s an example in a family: “Our family listens and watches others, and that gives us confidence in how we execute. We take great pride in a preparation and calm execution, and that helps us know that we did our absolute best. We love. We learn.” You get the point.

Today I worked with two very talented leaders in Scranton and Philadelphia, PA. They have an incredible growth mindset, but are concerned that everyone around them are not as excited about the growth, which may mean more extra work and then the need to add new or untrained teammates, etc. My assignment for these two leaders, after listening to them for 45 minutes, was for them as the two leaders to be able to clearly and confidently articulate what they are building, and why, in two minutes. Looking forward to hearing them tighten up their message. Two minutes.

March 21st Coaching Tip: Move On.

The transfer portal in college sports is getting a lot of attention right now, since teams have now been selected for the NCAA and NIT tournaments. In today’s world of college sports, the transfer portal allows student athletes to enter a transfer portal quickly to let other schools know that they are ready to “move on.” The sooner that someone wants to move on, the better. This applies in business, too. If an employee or teammate wants to move on, search for a new job, try a new career, take a few months off, recommend and encourage them to move on. Why? Because it will be better for the remaining team members. Those that “stay” want to know who is on the team and who is ready to get to work to achieve great things together. Move on when you know it isn’t right, simply move on.

March 22nd Coaching Tip: Tech Help.

Today, one of my colleagues helped me with some quick tech issues quite efficiently. We were able to jump on a Zoom, share screen views, and got three to four items resolved quickly. If you need tech help, go to someone younger (typically) who is really good at it. They can do it rapidly and they kinda get a kick out of helping you. Makes them look good, and you get your problems solved…without being on a 1-800 tech support line for minutes, hours, etc.

Ask someone younger for your tech help. My mom does it frequently, and I can help her with almost every single item with her iphone, ipad, or laptop. My god daughter jumped in my Tesla the day I got it at the Tesla dealership nearly three years ago, and she quickly touched the screen and displayed the screen that would navigate us to multiple restaurants that were within a quick driving distances. She also was curious to many of the items on the Tesla dashboard/dashpad. She started touching and investigating, and in the process, I was learning. Get tech help.