Tag: success

Leaving our lives to fate isn’t the path to success

by Dan Oswald Over the weekend, I watched a movie with my wife. I won’t say which movie because my guy friends will make fun of me. But in my defense, this past weekend included Valentine’s Day. Anyway, the movie talked a lot about fate and destiny and got me thinking about how much of […]

Workplace success isn’t a spectator sport

by Dan Oswald The great Jackie Robinson, who in 1947 broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier, once said, “Life is not a spectator sport. If you’re going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you’re wasting your life.” Robinson certainly wasn’t content to be just a […]

My holiday wish for you

by Dan Oswald As 2014 winds to an end, it’s good to reflect on all you have accomplished this past year. Think back across the last 12 months and consider all you have done both personally and professionally. Consider the goals you set for yourself that you have crossed off the list. Examine the work […]

Give thanks for those who help bring success to your business

by Dan Oswald Fall is my favorite time of year. The weather cools, the leaves turn a beautiful array of colors, and the holiday season is here. This week we celebrate Thanksgiving, gathering with friends and family to give thanks for all the blessings in our lives. It’s more than just turkey and football or […]

Don’t let fear keep you from achieving your goals

by Dan Oswald “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” I came across that question in a book the other day, and it really got me thinking. I firmly believe there are many things we don’t try because we’re convinced we won’t succeed. The thinking goes, “Why even go […]

What are you afraid of?

by Dan Oswald It sounds like a childhood taunt. “What are you afraid of?” If you close your eyes for a minute, chances are you can go back in time and recall a situation in which you were asked that exact question. Someone was trying to push you into doing something you really didn’t want […]

You don’t have to be Einstein to succeed or lead

by Dan Oswald In my last post, I wrote about an article that appeared in the June issue of Harvard Business Review (“The Big Idea: 21st-Century Talent Spotting”). The subject of the article was hiring for potential. Of course, to do so, one must know how to determine a person’s potential. The article’s author, Claudio […]

Hitting the trifecta: 3 things you need in your team members

by Dan Oswald In a recent conversation with an organizational psychologist, I was asked, “What are the top three things you look for in the members of your management team?” That’s a big and important question. Yet I was able to answer it quickly and easily: “Trustworthiness, compatibility, and talent.” The next sentence I uttered […]

Learn important lessons from Lombardi’s eight-hour session

by Dan Oswald Over the weekend, I was watching a piece on legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. The documentary chronicled Lombardi’s life growing up in Brooklyn through his storied years as a championship coach with the Packers. As a Packers fan, I’ve read biographies on Lombardi and other books that have discussed the […]

With commitment, the only way out is forward

by Dan Oswald A man is in a restroom standing in front of a urinal when he finds himself with a dilemma. He has somehow dropped a $5 bill into the urinal. As he is contemplating what he should do about his five bucks, another man enters the restroom. The second man quickly sees the […]