“People don’t know what you’re thinking. You have to have the courage to go tell them.” If you want to advance in your career there are times that you need the courage to ask for the opportunities you’re seeking. Don’t let yourself continue to feel stuck or typecast in your role. The best way to shift toward your next opportunity is by making yourself visible and showing your value to leadership. Often, employees assume their hard work will automatically be recognized and rewarded. The reality is that it’s not always the case. It is crucial to be proactive about your aspirations. Have an ope ..read more

“Include others that have been there and are doing the work. They know what works. If you ask their opinion and listen with an open mind, you don’t need to know much yourself. And you can still make a good decision.” Leaders can get more clarity during times of uncertainty by involving employees in decision-making. Never underestimate the value of frontline employee and customer insights. This is one of those skills that can impact all aspects of life. I was reminded of this as I transition from executive vice president of Walt Disney World to a retired husband. There is a bit of a distincti ..read more

“We sometimes, worry about telling people hard things or things that’ll disappoint them. But in the end, if you do it, and you do it the right way, and tell them the truth with good reason, then there shouldn’t be an issue.” No one looks forward to delivering disappointing news to job candidates. Unfortunately some people avoid those difficult conversations altogether. This is a crucial step to maintain positive relationships and uphold a company’s reputation. Anyone in a leadership role should be well trained on how to handle informing qualified, yet unsuccessful, candidates that they didn ..read more

“Your children have to know what you believe in, what you stand for, what the family is, what ethics are, and honesty, and what the expectations are in a family. It’s the same in the workplace.” There can be a number of challenges that come up when you are managing a work environment with cultural differences. It is important to know how to address such situations effectively. Creating a culture of respect and inclusion includes setting clear expectations for behavior and taking swift action when necessary. When leaders take a stand in the workplace they are setting the tone for the culture ..read more

 “You can brag that you have a 99.5 safety rating on your rides, but what if you’re the family member of the point 5% that something bad happens to? That’s just not acceptable and therefore, there is no wiggle room.” There is a delicate balance between prioritizing customer service and maintaining safety in a customer-facing role. As a leader it critical that you keep safety a priority. You have to stick to safety protocols, even in the face of unrealistic customer expectations. As a frontline worker or manager, it’s crucial to have the support of management when enforcing safety polici ..read more

“This will take someone from feeling like they know nothing all the way through becoming quite successful. And it is done in such a way that the story itself kept the reader’s hearts involved and the teaching was strong.” Bob Burg and Jeff West have teamed up to write a new book, “Streetwise to Saleswise: Become Objection Proof and Beat the Sales Blues.” They join Jody and I for a conversation on the valuable principles this book teaches about sales, rejection, and overcoming objections. There are many themes in this book that relate to experiences in leadership, management, and customer ser ..read more

“If you’ve hired the right people and they’re committed and loyal and they are trained and they know how to do their job, you can get them ready for you to be gone for a little while.” Part of being a leader is developing your team and empowering them to make decisions when someone is on a leave of absence. A member of the Cockerell Academy recently asked a great question about minimizing the impact of taking time off for medical issues. This question highlights another reason to hire right, train them right, and treat them right. When you have the right people in place you can confiden ..read more

“Create products based on the problems you are good at solving and you like solving.” It is not impossible to become a successful coach that turns your expertise into a profitable career. Donald Miller returns to talk about the world of coaching and his new book, “Coach Builder: How to Turn Your Expertise Into a Profitable Coaching Career.” He shares valuable insights on how to start and run a profitable coaching business. During this episode we discuss: When starting a coaching business, it’s essential to design a menu of products and offerings rather than being vague about your servi ..read more

“Maybe it’s time to pivot your career and start pouring into other people all the wisdom that you’ve gotten to save them a heck of a lot of trouble that they could get into.” – Donald Miller Donald Miller is a renowned author and expert in business coaching. He returns to the podcast for another conversation about how business leaders unlock their full potential. This time by building a coaching business. We also discuss his new book, “Coach Builder: How to Turn Your Expertise into a Profitable Coaching Career.” There are a lot of opportunities in the world of coaching, especially once you u ..read more

“Make sure you reach and research a subject to understand it. Become an expert, and you’ll probably come off as an expert.” It is important to compose yourself as your work on building credibility, especially when you have limited experience in a new management role.  This is especially true if you want to nail your executive presence and create credibility in front of your leaders. Collect information and ideas from others, practice speaking up, and be fearless in presenting new concepts to executives. Continuous learning and preparation are the easiest way to build credibility. Enhanc ..read more