Burke Alder - Leadership and Business Blogs
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The other day, I was scrolling through my Apple Note App and came across leadership notes I took while listening to Carine Clark speak at the Grow Data Driven Summit a few years ago. Carine’s topic was about leadership principles she wished someone would have told her early in her career. Her words and advice were a breath of fresh air.
The other day I was scrolling through my LinkedIn feed and came across a video that highlighted 10 life lessons from Albert Einstein. Many of us have been inspired by his scientific life and have learned E=MC2 in our physics classes. Here is a little about his life before we discuss his 10 life lessons.
Today, I heard Jeremy Andrus, CEO of Traeger Pellet Grills, give the opening keynote at Grow's Data Driven Summit in Park City, Utah. His keynote was inspiring as he discussed strategies and tactics he uses to drive maniacal execution with his team.
So what are the secrets of the most productive people? Is it working more hours, staying later at work, or putting in more time towards a certain activity? Actually, the most productive people in the world make the most of their time. They are able to find the productivity zone often. They feel the daily adrenaline rush of getting things done. So if it's not working longer, what is their secret?
The other day I was scrolling through my Facebook feed and came across some inspiring leadership and business advice from Greg Butterfield. Greg Butterfield has had great business success in his life. I have been lucky enough to have spend time with Greg through out my business career and take away great advice each time we talk.
Thinking about these two important leadership characteristics, I am reminded of a story one of my friends told me about Arabian Horses. "It has long been said that horses in Arabia go through a rigorous selection process. To live in this hot, desert climate, one depends on unfailing obedience and loyalty of his horse. The horses are tested in order to select the very best.
Thanks for stoping by and reading my leadership blog. In this blog I cover leadership principles and business strategies that will help you succeed as a leader and entrepreneur. This week I've been inspired by the simple leadership teachings of the 14th Dalai Lama. His life and leadership principles are very simple to understand.
Over the past 12 years of building startups, I've learned that the X factor to growth and success is found in the team. The successful teams have clear metrics that show if they are winning or losing daily. They have the ability to develop strategies that drive results. They execute those strategies with passion to win and determination to quickly remove the roadblocks that stand in the way. Here is a matrix to help you determine if you have the right people on your team to drive big results.
Chasing Mavericks is a movie based on the true story of Jay Moriarity.'s journey to surf Mavericks, a big wave break in Northern California. Mavericks is a famous surf location about 2 miles from the shore outside Pillar Point Harbor, just north of the town of Half Moon Bay. Waves can routinely crest at over 25 feet and top out at over 60 feet. In the movie, Jay Moriarity's mentor (Frosty) Rick Hesson teaches him four pillars to survive and surf Mavericks. The four pillars can be applied to your life and help you set up for success.
Growing up in the world of competitive freestyle skiing, you learn very quickly that you can be good with your athleticism, but you need to be even stronger with your mental game. We have all heard the saying about how success in sports, life, or business is 90% mental and 10% skill. I believe that. My success in sports, life, and business have been when I've combined mental strength and preparedness with a foundation of skills.
Winston Churchill once said, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." These words are powerful. Failure is not fatal, unless you don't get up and you don't continue forward. I'm not sure anyone who has had success, hasn't failed. They have been fueled by it. To help prove my point, here are stories of famous people who have failed.
In our lives and in our careers we all have managers, coaches, and mentors. Our goal should be to surround ourselves with believers. It was 1943. There was a color barrier in baseball. Branch Rickey did not believe in color. He believed in talents and skills that would produce a winning result. That was his focus with Jackie Robinson. In 1943, Rickey got approval from the Dodgers Board of Directors to begin the search for "the right man".
The other day I was scrolling through my Facebook feed and came across an image that outlined ten things successful people do that unsuccessful people don't. I really liked the list and I thought you might also. Successful people compliment others while unsuccessful people criticize others. Successful people forgive others while unsuccessful people hold grudges. Successful people embrace change while unsuccessful people fear change.
I'm a big fan of the Olympics and the amazing stories that emerge. Each Olympic story teaches lessons we can apply to life and business. Whether it's an individual or team event, the training culture of each Olympic athlete has a big impact on their success. During the 2012 Olympics, there was a tight race for gold between the USA and Russia for the women's gymnastic team competition. As I watched the drama of the event unfold, I heard the announcer discuss the training cultures of the two teams.
Life tends to have ups and downs. It’s easy to be happy when life’s great, but it takes a different approach when you’re faced with a tough challenge. When you're faced with a tough challenge, start moving forward with a positive attitude. You'll need to tell yourself that you’re going to rise of above it, that you’ll overcome the challenge. During a difficult time in my life, I heard the song “Riser” by Dierks Bentley. The songs talks about being a riser. Having a riser attitude will help you positively take on the challenges of life.
I'll start with one question about your business work day, "How many hours do you work uninterrupted? When I mean uninterrupted, I am not just talking about people that stop by your office or desk looking to chat, collaborate, or just ask an important question. There are other distractions or productivity killers that can cause each of us to lose our productivity, distract us, drain our energy, and make us feel like we're running around in circles. Here are seven ways to increase your personal producitivty.
