First, it’s not the corner office, or the title, perks, bonuses, corporate cards or cars. While all of those are nice to have (and will need to be addressed during interviews), they shouldn’t be your primary areas of focus. Instead, begin by focusing on earning the opportunity to get as close as possible to the core mission of the business you will be joining. Once you are in the mix of the very reason why that business exists, you will need to contribute and deliver value. Be creative, innovative, take (calculated at first) risks and help others (and the business overall) succeed.

Once that value has been delivered consistently, all the things mentioned above will begin to come your way. Work hard, yet remain patient and focused on your goals. Good luck!

Fear of regret is GREATER than fear of failure, always remember this.

Here are a few general areas of focus and attention for those priviledged enough to lead people:

1. Listen
2. Ask questions
3. Be honest and transparent
4. Empower them to succeed, yet allow them to fail
5. Repeat

Why the best never “win”

We are all guilty of empty promises, talk that wasn’t followed by action and we all know that that will get us nowhere. As they say, talk is cheap, it’s the action that matters and it is what distinguishes those who achieve and accomplish their goals and those who don’t.

Additionally, please don’t wait for your environment to be perfect as that doesn’t exist. There are no perfect leaders, teams, perfect business plans, perfect funding, perfect strategies, perfect execution…you learn as you go, you adapt, iterate, get better and make progress. Go do!

Winners win, that’s what they do. They take change of their lives and their careers and they actively drive change and progress towards goals and ultimate success. On this journey, they don’t whine, complain or blame others for where they are, but rather take their responsibilities seriously and own their actions and decisions.

This is your life, please live it your way. Stop following others without thinking about what your thoughts are on a particular topic, idea or a goal. Stand up and speak up for what you believe in, even if it challenges the norm or commonly accepted beliefs. Be true to your self in all aspects of life and career. Remember, we have one life…make it your own!

While most of us spend at least 40 hours/week working, many of us are spending a lot more than that, and as such, we should really consider the environment we work in and leadership we work for. Why do we tolerate workplaces that are making people sick, that are stressing people out? Why is this OK; why is this taken as a norm in today’s society across so many countries?

• If you are unhappy every Sunday because Monday is coming, you need to leave
• If you are living for a Friday afternoon, you need to leave
• If you are lost at work due to lack of leadership and direction, you need to leave
• If your organizational culture is unhealthy, you need to leave
• If you are putting up with nonsense so that you can “enjoy” after retirement, you need to leave

No matter how large your business might be, it can always benefit and see value from a select number of strategic partnerships. These partnerships are larger and deeper than simple vendor relationships and as such they should be formed and entered carefully, thoughtfully and with a mutually beneficial outcome in mind. Think about your future and your distant goals and surround yourself with people and businesses who can be supportive of that direction and strategy. Also, along this journey, make sure to provide value to others as well.