In 2010 the Harvard Business Review did a study on Best Buy and their employee engagement rates.  Best Buy had landed on something truly unique setting them apart from many other companies and upping their staff productivity by 35 percent. They found that when they were able to increase employee engagement it increased productivity and revenue within the company. Employee engagement characterized as emotional attachment you feel to your work that influences your desire to further the organization’s interests. “An engaged employee gives you their discretionary...

At the most demanding period of my college career, second semester of my junior year, I decided to take God up on a challenge.  I would give him one whole hour of my day.  Every day.  It may not seem like a big deal, but to me it was huge.  I would easily spend fifty hours a week just on homework outside of class, in addition to my part time job.   My social times were limited to Saturday 9-12pm and Sunday morning church.  An hour a day was a sacrifice.    I convinced myself that nothing would get in the way.  Not an assignment, not a test, not a...

Sometimes leadership feels like a game.    It feels like a formula that must be perfected, a series of steps to be memorized and completed.    In theory it’s confusing and in person it’s challenging. As a leader it’s hard not to crack under the pressure when staring into the face of dissatisfaction and discouragement. It’s a chore in itself to ask the right questions instead of presenting the answer that feels so obvious – the clearly quicker route to success. (At least that’s what it feels like.)    And although...

In December, I don't want to look back at my year and see that I am still relatively the same person. I want to grow in so many different ways. I don't want to see myself doing the same ole things, working in the same ole way, and going home with the same knowledge I possess now.  I want to start now in forming the better me. I want to begin my year by instilling habits that flow through my life for 2013 and even in the years to come. In 1989 Stephen Covey wrote The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Around Adventures, this book is extremely popular as a handbook...

It's that proverbial time of year when we all take time to reflect and decide who we want the new and improved versions of ourselves to be. As a teenager I can recall my parents frequently sending me to my room for 30-minute increments to take time and reflect. At the time I thought it ridiculous, but as I round out my twenties, I’ve come to appreciate the discipline. Here are some of the questions you might ask: 1. What did you do that was worthwhile in 2012?  2. What did you do that moved me closer to my long-term goals? 3. What was your happiest memory? 4. What was the...

7:30- Wake up, get ready for work.   9:15- Arrive at work, answer emails and catch up with co-workers.   10- Begin to write or edit a video.   10:30- Stop answering Skype messages long enough to begin actually writing/editing   11- Meeting   11:45- Finish meeting, answer emails that arrived since the last time I checked   12:30- Lunch   1:30- Tired from lunch, get back to work   1:45- Begin to write/edit again   2:05- Get interrupted by a Skype message that pops into my window- respond   3- Meeting   4- Realize how much work I still...