Good leaders are caring, generous, and understanding. The best leaders are all those things, but they’re also extremely efficient. Efficient leaders get things done. They waste less time, money, and manpower, and they typically see production more quickly. To be the best leaders we can be, we need to up our efficiency, learning how to […] The post 5 Moves Efficient Leaders Master appeared first on Mark Merrill ..read more

When I first married Susan, we were different in many ways. I liked many of those things about her, but I also thought only I did things the right way, the way they should be done. I assumed our relationship would be easier if I could get her to be more like me. When she […] The post 5 Changes That Make Marriages More Selfless appeared first on Mark Merrill ..read more

If you want to live longer, get off the couch. I’m no fitness expert, but I think this is pretty sound advice. It’s obvious that exercise is good for us, yet only 28% of Americans do the recommended 150 minutes per week of physical activity. The National Institutes of Health concluded you can extend your […] The post 5 Body Parts to Keep in Shape For Your Spouse appeared first on Mark Merrill ..read more

On June 4, 1919, the United States Congress passed the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. It was ratified on August 18, 1920, guaranteeing women the right to vote, marking a monumental shift in American life after years of protest and debate. Women deserved to use their voices, and this legislation made it possible. Women should […] The post 7 Rights People You Lead Should Have appeared first on Mark Merrill ..read more

I remember June 1, 2011 like it was yesterday. I got a terrible phone call from the Tampa Fire Department. Our under-construction roof had caved in during heavy summer rains. When I arrived, I found chunks of plaster all over the ground and ruined furniture everywhere. I was shocked. If I could have grabbed a […] The post 3 Ways to Become More Feeler Than Fixer in Marriage appeared first on Mark Merrill ..read more

I have been blessed to work alongside some great people. One of them is Tony Dungy. We first met in the mid-1990s when he was coaching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We bonded over our mutual love of family and desire to see dads involved in their kids’ lives. In fostering a friendship with one another, […] The post 4 Actions That Produce Lasting Relationships appeared first on Mark Merrill ..read more

Harry Markopolos saw the red flags, but nobody wanted to listen. He spent years investigating Bernie Madoff’s financial successes and uncovered a lot of fraud. He went to the authorities multiple times to alert them to Madoff’s suspicious activity. Finally, only after his kids came forward, Madoff admitted to turning his wealth management business into […] The post 6 Red Flags That Should Catch Every Leader’s Ear appeared first on Mark Merrill ..read more

In 2015, my alma mater, the University of Florida, conducted a study about human interaction. The study found that people who encountered rude behavior at work were often quick to respond rudely back. That’s because many behaviors are contagious. Knowing this, what if we committed to modeling positive behaviors in our relationships instead of negative […] The post 3 Moves That Build an Inspiring Marriage appeared first on Mark Merrill ..read more

One of the most motivational people I have ever known is Truett Cathy. In 1946, he started his chicken sandwich empire by selling his car in order to scrape together enough money to open a restaurant. He eventually became the founder of Chick-fil-A. Despite massive success, he made it a point to always look people in the eye, tell them what they needed to hear, and leave them feeling energized. He was a master motivator with some priceless motivational techniques. He wasn’t loud. He wasn’t rude. Mr. Cathy simply challenged people to try their best and do it with kindness. It was effective, and ..read more

Legendary NFL quarterback Joe Montana revealed something interesting in a documentary. Talking about his playing days, Montana said he would call his wife during football games from the sidelines just to check in to see how her day was going. He was clearly busy, but not too busy to have his wife’s wellbeing on his mind. It’s so important to check in with people. Companies conduct annual reviews with employees. Kids get report cards. It’s not a bad idea to do a marriage review either, but you don’t have to wait until the end of the year to work on your relationship. Regularly asking how things ..read more