This evening I had the opportunity to be a guest speaker at Winona State University to help students learn the art of interviewing.  About a month ago I presented at Winona State to a group of Human Resources managers on how to start a career in HR.  In both cases I had fun and hope I was able to be a positive influence for the students.  I have two hopes from doing this.  One, that I help at least one student walk away with one idea that will help them find their future career.  The other hope is that I help light a spark in them to help others in the same way Tony Worley did for me.

As my college career was wrapping up back in 1999 and I was looking at career opportunities my dad hooked me up with a Sales Rep that he knew from the Twin Cities.  Tony was a pretty good guy and had offered to meet up with me and spend some time helping me learn how to write a resume and interview.  I’m sure part of his willingness to help was to help seal a sales deal with my dad, but based on his passion and enthusiasm I’m positive that there was more to it.

When Tony met with me he brought piles of old resumes, old interview notes, a book on interviewing, and tons of potential interview questions.  We spent the better part of a day discussing what worked and what didn’t in resume writing.  His thoughts were backed up with his experiences, of which he shared both positive and negative.  He was incredibly humble and candid while being very upbeat and optimistic.  There was no question that he was passionate about helping me be successful.  On the short term his help was a success, every interview I had (every single one) led to a job offer.

After we wrapped up we didn’t really speak afterwards.  It was before the days of email and LinkedIn and I was a foolish early twenties guy who didn’t realize the importance of maintaining relationships.  It is sad to admit, but I’m not even sure if I spelled his name correctly.   I’ve spent time looking him up online but to no avail.  Who knows, maybe someone who reads this blog will know someone who knows him and get it in front of him.

As I look back on where I am with my career and the successes I’ve had, I know they wouldn’t be quite the same without Tony’s help.  How crazy is it that one day with one person who I haven’t spoken with since helped to spark my passion for helping others with interviewing?  At the end of our time together I promised him that I would be sure to go out of my way to help someone else the way he helped me.  Little did either of us know that I would make a career out of it and work to inspire as many people as others to do the same.

Tony, wherever you are, thank you for the help and the advice.  Your time spent with me has started a ripple effect that I will continue to try to perpetuate.

Thanks!!!

We’ve been working on solving a challenge for one of our clients for a while now.  The situation is a little tough to explain without getting into confidential information, so let’s keep it at that.

In trying to find a solution we’ve had to look at several things in very different ways and we’ve brainstormed many ways to try to resolve the issue.  While we haven’t yet found the right solution we have had many very interesting and unique conversations as a result.

As we walk through some ideas we’re finding new ways to tackle some of our old challenges.  It’s kind of funny how you can solve something by focusing so hard on something completely different and all of a sudden BAM!!!  You see what you’ve been missing from the first situation.

It’s still frustrating that we haven’t been able to get things squared away on one front, but I’m thankful for going through the thinking processes that have led to many new ideas!

Thanks!!!

Audiobooks are pretty awesome, but talking several of my coaches is even more awesome.

While driving to Rice Lake today I had a great conversation with Norm.  We start off every Monday with a call to walk through the priorities for the week.  This week was focused on a couple of pretty specific things.  He did a great job of mixing up excellent questions, listening, pushing me to think differently, and helped me clarify some ideas and thoughts I had been working on recently.    As I got off the phone I was pretty surprised to see 30+ minutes had flown by in the blink of an eye.

On may from the Rice Lake office to Eau Claire I had a quick question so I dialed up Beth.  Recently back from a sweet vacation the happiness and high energy exuded from her even more than usual (which I didn’t even think was possible!).  We talked for a while about the benefits of unplugging from time to time to get our mindsets right and then jumped into business.  As always, she heard me out, offered up ideas, and supported my action plan.  More pumped and with a feeling of validation and some ways to improve my ideas, I drove  in silence so I could think.

A little while after talking with Beth the coaching calls were flipped and I got a call form Carolyn.  She had a relatively quick and easy question, but as most of you know, a short conversation with me is very much a rarity!  I had so much being able to listen to her team’s  successes with a recent new client – they did so well they have an opportunity to more than double their business with that client.  They’ve been working on this one for a very long time and seeing it come through had us all smiling from the sense of accomplishment.  To be honest, I’d been trying to land that same business ever since we opened her office over six years ago.  I am so happy for them and proud of their accomplishment.

As I was nearing Arcadia I got a phone call.  Normally I wait until I get through one of the dead spots on the other side of Arcadia, but when I saw it was Mark I answered.  He had a couple of ideas and questions and once we covered them we moved on to another topic.  We shared ideas, reminisced, and came up with new possible solutions.  Next thing we knew we were on another topic…  sharing ideas, remembering old war stories, and applying some of those ideas to some of today’s challenges.  Then we got on to another topic…  and so on, and so on.  Next thing I knew I had pulled into my driveway about 45 minutes after the call started.  It was awesome!  There’s just something about talking with Mark that leaves me feeling energized with new ideas, or in actuality, past ideas with a new twist that are very applicable to today’s situation.  Throw in the fact that he’s just flat out an awesome guy and I was smiling as we hung up.

While there have been so many things to be thankful for today, these coaching calls were an awesome surprise.  Having just finished one business audiobook, I had a new one loaded up and ready to go and that was going to be where my brain went for much of my road time today.  I’m very thankful that I was able to have some excellent mobile coaching calls instead!

Thanks!!!

Today was all about soccer.  Sure, it started with church (a sermon about gratitude was a pretty cool surprise!), but after that it was all soccer until I sat down to type up my blog tonight.  There was a time when I would have defined an all soccer day as a part of my personal hell, but now I really appreciate it.

The weather was a perfect fall day, light breeze, sun was out and it was just warm enough.  We had a pretty awesome view of the bluffs and the changing leaves while we were watching the games…  all four of them.  

First we had Gavin’s game at 11:00, which I I had to miss the beginning of because I was driving Dominic back home to grab the jersey he forgot).  Dominic’s game started at 11:45 so Becky walked over and then Gavin and I followed after his game.  Prior to the end of Dominic’s game Becky walked Gavin over to warm up for his second game.  She got back just in time to watch Dominic’s team tie it on a last second goal.  We then went back to Gavin’s game and watched him play some defense and a little goalie while Dominic ate and re-charged.  After that it was time to walk over to Dominic’s last game.  Gavin and I had time to wrestle for a while in the grass before watching Dominic’s team.

While at the field we had a lot of fun talking and joking around with all of the other soccer parents, many of whom were in a similar pattern of bouncing back and forth from field to field for kid to kid.  Not only are they friends of convenience (we see them all the time), but they are just flat out good people that are a lot of fun to spend time with.  I’m very thankful that we got such a great groups of fellow parents on our boys’ teams.

After the games were done we ran home, took care of the dogs and were off to a soccer party at the house of one of Dominic’s team members.  It was AWESOME!!!  Great food and drink, and the kids were entertained and having a blast the entire time.  Even some of us adults got into more by hopping on the rope swing and bouncing on the trampoline!  It was a great end to a great day of soccer with all of our soccer friends.

As it is all said and done I’m smiling remembering some of the plays, the conversations and the events of the party.  It was a great way to start winding down the season and I’m glad we got to spend it with our RUSH / CRUSA soccer friends.

Thanks!!!

Due to a flooded field in Madison Dominic’s soccer game was cancelled.  Turns out there were soccer refs needed in La Crosse so Dominic was able to jump in and help out.  Seeing as he is saving up for an iPod he was more than happy to tag in and make a few bucks.

After working four games of U8 players he was still smiling.  It looked like he was having a lot of fun, running with the players, keeping the whistle ready in his mouth, and even standing at the end of the line after the game to give both teams high fives as they ran by!

My mind is still having a tough time wrapping itself around the fact that we have a kid who is old enough to work.  Today is also the 17th anniversary of the first date Becky and I had, kind of wild to think that we’ve gone from a very nervous first date at Chi-Chi’s to having a kid that has a job (even if it was only for one day!).

It makes me think back to my first pay checks (or cash as it probably was) and the feeling of accomplishment for having earned something.  I’m thankful that he’s been able to get that same feeling.  I also hope that he continues to see that working is a great thing, a way to earn money for dreams and to have a sense of accomplishment.

Thanks!!!

I had two pretty cool experiences that combined in an unusual way to become what I’m thankful for today.  One was looking backwards to see where I’ve come from, the other giving me ideas for the future.

Early in the day I had to run to Target quick and as I was checking out I heard a very familiar voice say “Michael.”  As I spun around the voice rang a bell in my head and my brain connected the dots when I made eye contact.  “Mr. Brewer,” I said as I reached out to shake his hand.  Bob was one of the first clients I used to work with when I first came to Express.  He was the plant manager of our largest client and I learned a ton from my experiences with him.  In working with him I learned the importance of open and direct communication.  He also showed me how important it was to not dwell on service issues but to focus on immediately fixing them.  All in all he is one of the people that had a big impact on my Express career.  

Bob and I hadn’t seen each other in almost a decade.  The first thing out of his mouth was “are you still with Express?”  I went on to tell him about ownership and so on and he smiled and made a joke about buying “the big headaches.”  As we talked about his retirement and recent trip out east I couldn’t  help but smile.  He was in a spot that I am very much looking forward to.  After we left it really hit me just how far I’ve come over the past almost 17 years with Express.  I thought of the 23 year old kid that he had worked with. The one who had dreams of ownership but never knew if it would really happen.  It did!

Later in the day I was having a conversation with a friend of mine who is in his fifties and incredibly succcessful.  One of those people that as you learn more about them you can’t help but admire and try to learn more from.  As we were talking he shared an awesome dream that he’s in the process of making reality.  

To set the stage, when Kid’s Cup comes around every year I’m pretty happy to raise over $1,000.  I have ideas and aspirations for starting a non-profit organization (or several), but I haven’t done anything to kick start those dreams.

As we talked about his dream my mind was completely blown.  He’s going to embark on a solo canoe trip of the Mississippi River from source to ocean.  While on his trip he is raising money for a very noble goal that is incredibly close to his heart.  Did I mention the goal he has?  He is going to raise $2.5 million.  Holy crap!  There is no hesitation or fear in his eyes as he says it.  He will make it happen.  “I figure I just need 50,000 people to donate $50.”  How awesome is that?  As we talked he shared his plan, the marketing needed, working with the media, all the contacts that he was contacting, and so on.  It was very clear that he had thought this out, started planning, and has already started working on it.  Like I said, mind blown.  As I had my little dream kind of flickering in the back of my brain he showed the power of thinking way bigger and stoking that flame to really get it going.

That’s why I am thankful for people who remind me to dream bigger today.  In one case I had the base of reminding me that I am fully capable of accomplishing whatever I set my heart on.  In the other a reminder of how big a dream really can be.  Why settle for small when you can go for large?  Go big or go home, right?  I am also so thankful to have both of them in my life.  We may not talk often or even see each other but once a decade, but they have left and continue to leave impressions on me that make me better.

Thanks!!!

In a week filled with a flurry of activity at work helping people get jobs and helping businesses find people this note was shared with me.

It was an absolutely awesome reminder of why we all work as hard as we do.  At the end of the day the work my teams and I do has to have a very positive impact on many people in our communities.  With the craziness of our jobs it can be easy to lose sight of this at times and get frustrated.  A note like this means the world to us and reminds us why we do it.

Thanks!!!

Holy buckets today was a great day (as great as it can be on a day when I don’t see my family – just to clarify)!

When I woke up I thought about keeping my eyes open for things to be thankful for and started searching right away.  There were so many things that I was thankful for.  Here’s a short list of today’s options:

• A great night of sleep
• My bed at home
• Waking up to the chaos of my family
• Hotel breakfasts
• Starting work early and in a good mood
• Making progress quickly on a project
• Hearing songs I haven’t heard in a really long time that make me smile
• Getting things done and staying focused
• Enjoying time with my team
• The way that little things remind me of my friends
• The success of my teams hitting big goals
• Spending one on one time with my team members
• And the list goes on…

But as  I walked out of Target after working late it hit me.  I saw a sky similar to this…

I had totally lucked out and was looking west when it was that magical time of every day when you look one way and it is dark, you look the other ad the day is fading away.  There’s just something about the way the light and the colors look that just take my breath away.  Every time I see it I stop, take a deep breath and just soak it in.  To me it’s one of those moments that I can feel The Big Guy’s hand on my shoulder and hear Him whisper in my ear, “Dude, seriously, enjoy this.  It’s one of my greatest works of art.”

Through my years I’ve seen this countless times.  The landscape below it becomes totally irrelevant.  The colors in the sky, the dark reds and oranges, the dark blues and black just blow my mind every single time.  And while I know I’ve seen them so many times, I also realize that some day when I see it there won’t be a next time.  There will be a last time at some point.  While of course I’m hoping for a very long time out, I never know.  Seeing as I don’t know when the last one will be I’ll continue to soak this moment in every time and appreciate it as if it were the last.

Thanks!!!

Sometimes a guy just has to dive in.  Whether it be work, home, friends, family or a project, there are just some of those times when you have to jump in, get your hands dirty, push, and get done what needs to be done.

The funny thing is that when it’s time for me to do that I sometimes get a little wiggly and don’t want to.  I can make up a ton of reasons why I don’t have to or excuses not to.  It’s crazy, but once I’m in it’s usually a lot of fun and very enjoyable.  The work itself may be difficult, but it’s usually very rewarding.  I end up with new insights and more ideas as a result.

Here goes nothing!  Geronimo!

It seems like almost everyday is filled with chaos and noise.  I’m constantly running from one thing to the next and there’s a never ending race to get to the next event or to get the next project done.  Even when I should be relaxing and enjoying silence I usually fill it up with some type of activity that keeps me moving.  I have a vey hard time just enjoying the quiet and thinking.

There is one exception every single day.  At some point in the morning, afternoon, or evening I type my blog.  In order to do that I need to pause, reflect on the day, consider what I am thankful for, and then get my thoughts in order.  Have I been thankful about this before?  Why is this the thing I’m most thankful for today?  How should I write this, funny or serious?  What words will I choose in order to not bore the living crap out of everyone?  When should I write my post?  When will I know this is the right thing to blog about?  As I go through these questions each day it forces my brain to slow down, focus on one task, and think.  It is always more smooth when I have peace and quiet around me when I write so I’m usually somewhere without too much excitement.  Just me and my thoughts, some words and ideas aching to get out.

So today I’m thankful for one of the byproducts of this blog that I totally wasn’t expecting.  As a result of writing every single day I need to find, or more appropriately, create time in my schedule to take some time to think.  I love my family, I love the chaos, I love the daily crazy race, but I also really enjoy taking that quiet time to think each day.  It helps keep me balanced out.

Thanks!!!