Have the Courage to Touch the BUTT....

So far this blog has been based solely on Finding Nemo quotes, which in itself is awesome.  But while on the computer dealing with a technical issue I suddenly realized that at that moment I was channelling my inner ‘Anger’, like from the movie Inside Out and I thought, it’s not just finding Nemo that gives us amazing leadership lessons!  There are tons of them out there. So today I am expanding my scope.  So to start off.. let's go with the first Star Wars.  No, I don’t mean the newer one with that Jar Jar Binks guy, I mean the original.  If any of you were like me, the first time we met Luke we were wondering “how is this whiny guy going to do anything to save the universe?”  I mean really, his line  "But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!" That line alone made it hard to have much faith in the guy.  So here is where we get to the leadership lesson in all of this.  And it is one that is pretty good for life too. You can’t judge a

It’s the typical work day. You get up, dress yourself, drive to work, grab your morning coffee, go to your desk, check your emails, work on a couple projects, eat lunch, check more emails, watch the clock until the end of the day, and finally, you go home. Everyday is same same, but different. Which really puts a damper in things. You get stuck, you can’t think, you can’t brainstorm, you’re just in a rut. It feels like you are failing at everything! You’re trying things over and over and just can’t seem to get your creative juices flowing. So now what? Well, do you remember Dory - the blue fish with short term memory loss? Guess what she did to remind herself of 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney? She swam! She moved around! And as funny and as simple as it sounds, it truly works! So when you’re stuck in a rut and you feel like you’re getting nothing done, take a walk. When you have a chance to get that blood flowing, and get away from that computer screen you’ve been staring at ALL day

So you’re good at your job. You always have your projects in on time. You bring in money. And the customers love you. However, you love to do everything yourself! No delegation. No sharing. No nothing. Mine. Mine. Mine. We mean, sometimes in the short term, this is exactly what you need to do to get the job done. Sometimes you need to take action to make sure that everything is ready to present to your prospective clients, or even just complete a job that needs to be done in the office. But, in the long term, you will wear yourself down, be consistently tired, stress yourself out, and even stress your colleagues out! So take a step back, take a load off, and delegate! Find out which of your colleagues have the skills you need to get the job done. You don’t want to be known as one of those annoying seagulls, where everything is consistently “mine.” So just breathe, plan and strategize with your co-workers, split up the work, and trust that they can do just as great as you can, if

"I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine. If I am to change this image, I must first change myself. Fish are friends, not food.” ~ Bruce First of all. No matter what I’ve been told about sharks, there is no way I would ever get in the water with one. Common knowledge says that they are fast, have sharp teeth, and they can EAT YOU (despite the small percentage of shark attacks, with my luck I would be in the small percentile). Some may say the same thing about their managers, or their supervisors, or about the big fish running the show. And the sad truth is that there are boat loads of employees that would never swim in the same waters as their upper management. Why you may ask? Because of fear and lack of trust. Being high up in your company is a huge accomplishment! You are the shark! Just remember that you are a leader to those treading underneath you. Don’t be the stereotypical “mean, mindless eating machine,” strive to change this image by changing yourself! Reme

Have you ever had the opportunity to be a part of a dream team?… We mean a team where you all enjoy each other, accomplish tasks efficiently, and succeed with minimal issues? Let us tell you, these teams do exist! Whether you’re at the office, at home, at school, or inside of Dr. Phillip Sherman’s fish tank, there are communication skills that you can contribute to the group, to create your very own DREAM TEAM! First of all, effective communicate is key! If you’re a direct communicator in a group of expressive, emotional communicators, chances are, you need to change your communication style. Remember this, people will not change their communication styles for you, YOU need to change your style for them! Now, imagine this: You’re swimming in the great blue. There are only two of you. One with the name of Marlin, and one with the name of Dory. Now Marlin, he’s a cool guy - he’s a leader. BUT, he communicates with authority, he’s very to-the-point, and he’s determined to strive for succe

Picture this. You’re a little fish; for the sake of this blog we’ll call you Nemo and you’re at an obstacle in life. This obstacle is named choice, and it appears in the form of an underwater volcano called, Mount Wannahockaloogie. You’re given two choices, they are: 1.Swim through the Ring of Fire. With this choice, you do not know what opportunity lies on the other side. However, this choice gives you a chance to learn and grow no matter what the outcome is. or 2. Don’t swim through the Ring of Fire. This choice assures that you will be satisfied, as you know what the outcome will be.  Similar to everyday life, we are often faced with this hurdle in which we have to overcome. We have to make choices everyday even if it’s just a simple matter of what you’re having for lunch. If you’re a person who prefers the satisfaction of knowing where you’re going to end up rather than an adventurous person who has no clue, great! But, if you are wanting to grow in a pers