Achievement is Timeless

It was so exciting to get another confirmation that recognition of exceptional achievement transcends time and generations.  Gar just texted that he was visiting with the former #1 athlete in a very competitive sport. I know from a previous conversation that this man is nearer my age than Gar's.  With so much media focus on the most current achievers, it's nice to realize that once one has reached the top of his or her game, there is multi-generational interest and appreciation for what it took to rise to the top.

Great Advice

We are all bombarded by unsolicited advice.  Some of it may be good to excellent, but if we're not receptive, it might as well be worthless, because we won't act upon it.  And some of the unsolicited advice is terrible to dangerous.  So, wise caution is prudent in evaluating and acting upon unsolicited advice.  The more we trust the source and her or his expertise, the more likely we are to accept it.  That is, unless we feel competitive with the adviser, be it parent, friend or colleague.

However, when we solicit the advice of a trusted source and are eager to embrace it, we often not only receive a tremendous gift, but give one as well.

Today was a banner day for solicited advice from me.  And in each of the five instances, the appreciation of the recipient was so gratifying.

Great advice is that which is knowledgeably given and enthusiastically acted upon.   Great advice appropriately shared and acknowledged makes the giver and receiver both realize that a gifted exchange has occurred.

88 Keys and Extraordinary Performance

Theresa Behenna is a remarkable motivational speaker who masterfully used 88 piano keys to encourage attendees at a recent Sterling Bank Women's Business Initiative luncheon  to strive for extraordinary performance.

She demonstrates that effectively using Passion, Attitude, Persistence, People and Attention leads to success.

Some of her Key messages include:
There is no place for mediocre skills. With 10,000 hours of study anyone can reach expert status. She began as a two finger pianist at age 5.

Cultivate great relationships with those you work with and serve. She shared the story of her urgent call to Sterling Bank 3 minutes before closing. Her banker spent 23 minutes with Theresa to ensure that her transaction was perfectly  handled. Theresa said she felt like royalty.

Fear is what we pass on the way to success.

Embrace a "Yes I Can" attitude.

Always leave people feeling good. She certainly left our appreciative audience feeling good!

Great Lifers

When I mentioned to a friend that my son was a lifer at Kinkaid, he, not being a Kinkaidian, laughed.  Lifers, at Kinkaid, are those special, fortunate students who enter in pre-K and exit at high school graduation after 14 delightful, challenging and memorable years. 

Though I don't have the exact statistics, my educated guess is that 20% of Gar's graduating class has been together since pre-K.  Unsung benefits of a loyal core are the ability to accept, recognize, overlook, forgive, applaud and recognize many class members as they really are, not as they might appear in any given circumstance, stage or year.   Additional benefits are the many keepers of the culture and traditions.

Kinkaid would benefit from recognizing the "almost lifers". Julia entered in Kindergarten, so her 13 excellent years didn't warrant special designation.  And how about recognizing "mid-lifers", all who have been Kinkaidians since the beginning of middle school? 

Productive longevity at any cherished institution makes a great lifer (my definition definitively excludes all who are justice system lifers).

Commitment is key. When we commit to a life of excellence, we excel regardless of our entry point.

Who Are You Trying To Please?

We must all adhere to the standard of the organizations to which we belong (work, volunteer organizations, families, neighborhoods). There is a break-through when we finally realize that we can only truly please ourselves. We all have a standard of excellence to which we adhere.

When we decide to give up trying to super-humanly please:
Parents
Families
Spouses
Children
Congregation
Co-workers
Neighbors
Community

We most often exceed their expectations and hopefully far exceed our own highest standards.

Household Celebrity - Fabulous Customer Service!

I'm always trying to find great speakers and engaging topics for our quarterly Sterling Bank Women's Business Initiative Luncheons. I generally ask community leaders who are most gracious to appear without compensation. Rarely, I reach out to paid speakers. In trying to find options for San Antonio, I remembered that Heloise lives there. I didn't want to regret failing to explore the possibility. So, I followed the instructions on her website and crafted a fax on our letterhead describing our program and kindly requesting that someone provide her fee schedule. I fully expected a call or email from one of her assistants. Imagine my surprise when I answered a call and the caller said, "This is Heloise." This was a special celebrity moment and resulted in a fabulous, memorable dialogue. She is gracious, communicative and engaged!

We all have numerous ways to present and respond. How often are we exceeding expectations and personally engaging our targets?