Lessons from the past 2 weeks.

Lessons I learned in the past 2 weeks.
I had a great inspirational week doing what I love to do: Travel, take photos, make art and learn from my client and teacher. I went to Denver , Knoxville, Gatlinburg Tennessee, Montreal, Yorkton Saskatchewan, Calgary, Prince George, all in 5 1/2 days.
Things observed.

I came home last week on Friday afternoon after a week away for work and I felt that I made everybody angry in about 45 min. I was a little critical of my oldest sons lack of decision making and my youngest was mad at me for taking his cell phone and laptop away for 24hrs. All I could do was chuckle and laugh. Love always prevails, kindness, compassion and truth. Later that night both boys forgave me and were more receptive to my critical feedback because they understood we are on the same team.

I observed the oldest man I had ever meet he was 104 year old and was at Pearl Harbor during the attack 75 years ago. He was at the opening at the Ripley’s Aquarium in Gatlinburg of the Pearl Harbor exhibit. He had a lot of metals had a sense of honor and pride when he stood up and saluted to the national anthem, whenever anything interesting happen near him he had a great big smile and Happy interested look on his face. He had 3 or 4 loving grandchildren that were attending the ceremonies who had love and pride for their grandfather. In summary if he was slim, cheerful, had a loving family, pride, honor and loyalty in his heart, these are my observations only. Things just work out better if you’re optimistic and positive my favorite teachers are very optimistic encouraging and positive.

I found out indirectly that an amazing good man I know sponsors 200 hundred children in Africa that not only are orphans but they also have AIDS. I could not imagine a more difficult situation to grow up in with no parents and having a life-threatening illness in a third world country. It made me feel very blessed to be where I am today and how Lucky and Great it is to live here and now. I also felt blessed to know successful, humble, generous people that make the world a better place.
Business lessons I learned from a great client/ leader.

These may sound like very basic ideas I have heard before but I often have a deeper understanding of the thing I know when observing them in a different light.

When the business has a hard time the management makes sacrifices. They will forgo their bonus and any perks and significantly reduce they’re expenses. They encourage there team to keep at it and are 100% behind the manager.
Think positive, things always turn out better than one thinks, they always do for the positive minded honest hardworking person with a purpose.
-The first sign that the competition is gaining traction and winning customers – it’s time to make a change. Management must be able to take action and measure results.This new threat is real even if it is half way around the world. They have to find a way to overcome it in advance, managers do regular SWOT analysis.
Stay positive even after tough times, don’t be impatient. Quality relations are important; be interested in their lives, business, and how they’re feeling. Keep them focused though by concentrating on their goals as well as how they plan to achieve them.

Be honest about working hard. No substitution for hard work. Hardworking people see more opportunities.

Have fun while at work. Generally looking on the bright side and see the positive side of things even when a business is challenging and show encouragement because all businesses eventually have some problems. If you can encourage and grow the management team to take Innovative action then to fight problems before they get too big and threaten the actual survival of the business. This requires confidence in the management, encouraging them in the proper planning and action.

The internet has accelerated change in our society and this will only continue. When change comes, accept it embrace and see it as an opportunity to grow. The way to grow is to constantly innovate and look for opportunities and learn from one’s mistakes.

-It’s all about the people, great leaders genuinely love and care about people.

-If you are in a tough businesses, innovative management can make all the difference. I saw simple commodity products manufacturing business that made paper cups that even exported some of its products back to Asia. It’s usually the other way around. It was the innovative management that made the difference.

-Invest for the long-term growth of the business and examine the payback model on all major purchases.

I was invited by a Brazilian friend to go to the opening ceremonies of the Olympics broadcast live at the Rio Theatre, the room was full of Brazilians it was definitely one of the most memorable Opening Ceremonies because of the atmosphere I was grateful for the invitation. Brazilians are very warm and lively – there was a family atmosphere in the room.

Lessons I learned from a mother, “It would be great if we could only practice what we know with our family members.” That would be presence.

Attached are random photos from my cell phone from the last 2 weeks.

104 year old survivor from Pearl Harbor

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