verversiocompanyThe sign, which reads ’we all quit’ and ’sorry for the inconvenience,’ was put up by angry staff members trying to send a message to upper management. Picture: Rachael Flores/Twitter  “We All Quit” read the sign at the Burger King eatery after a group of employees all quit together, but before leaving they made sure […] The post 7 Habits of Ineffective Leaders appeared first on Andres Valdes ..read more

One of the first things we noticed on our first game drive was that some of the trees had their outer layer ripped off leaving the core of the trunk exposed. The trees looked like giant peeled bananas. Our guide explained that those were the Marula trees that produce flowers, sweet fruit, and sap. The […] The post Leadership Lessons From The South African Savanah (Bush) – Part 3 of 3 appeared first on Andres Valdes ..read more

Image credit Jean Wimmerlin on Unsplash Your Unfair Advantage All of a sudden, the driver of our safari truck steps on the gas pedal and we take off! He’s anxiously speaking with the guide in their native language. This is an evening safari drive and it’s dark the only things we can see are the […] The post Leadership Lessons From The South African Savanah – Part 2 of 3 appeared first on Andres Valdes ..read more

Waking up at 5:00 AM while on vacation is probably not what most people would consider an ideal vacation, but this a different kind of trip. It’s a safari. Our guides, dressed in green military-like uniforms are waiting for us with hot chocolate and coffee. We’ve been on several safaris in South Africa, but this […] The post Leadership Lessons From The South African Savanah – Part 1 of 3 appeared first on Andres Valdes ..read more

Nice leaders have a major weakness. They prioritize acceptance over effectiveness. How do I know? I learned it from personal experience. Years ago, after joining the Foreign Service, they sent me to Kigali, Rwanda for my first assignment. Fresh out of graduate school, I had some work experience but never supervised anyone. Yet, I found […] The post Good Leaders Aren’t So Nice appeared first on Andres Valdes ..read more

Image courtesy of http://www.ranzey.com/generators/bart/index.html January 1st is in the rearview mirror. Do you remember the goals and resolutions you made in January? I’m human too so I know what it’s like to start the year with great life-changing goals and resolutions only to see them fizzle out after a few weeks. You’re not alone; this […] The post 5 Ways To Stay Focused On Your Goals Year-Round appeared first on Andres Valdes ..read more

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash Zig Ziglar said, “Paper remembers and people forget.”  I want to remember what I learned in 2020 so I’m writing and sharing it.  Here we go…. Keep The Choas Outside, Not Inside Throughout 2020 I was healthy; I was never sick, not even a simple cold. No one in […] The post Four Things I Learned in 2020 About Life appeared first on Andres Valdes ..read more

Photo by Riccardo Annandale on Unsplash “It’s vision.” That’s what Lewis Howes, the entrepreneur and host of the “School of Greatness” podcast answered when asked on the Bigger Pockets podcast what the greats have in common.  Howes has interviewed hundreds of people who have achieved remarkable things so when he says something like this I […] The post How To Spark A Compelling Life Vision? appeared first on Andres Valdes ..read more

 Image Credit: Howard Bouchevereau on Unsplash For years there’s been one ongoing debate in the basketball world. Who is the GOAT? Is it Michael Jordan or Lebron James? Sports broadcasters debate this on-air, athletes argue about it in locker rooms, and even friendships are strained because of how passionately basketball fans feel about this question. […] The post Lebron James is the GOAT? appeared first on Andres Valdes ..read more

Image credit: Zbysiu Rodak on Unsplash Recently, I’ve had a few conversations with people who seem defeated as they describe all of the problems we are witnessing today like global instability, war, wealth inequality, political infighting, the environment, etc. They’re so disappointed that the world doesn’t have the right leaders to solve these problems. I’d […] The post Wanted: Superheroes To Save Us appeared first on Andres Valdes ..read more