“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” - John Wooden In a world where negativity can sometimes seem overwhelming, the simple act of blessing others has tremendous transformative power. Blessing someone – through kind words, supportive actions, and/or prayers – creates a significant ripple effect of positivity and...
YOUR FAITH, EXPRESSED THROUGH HOW YOU WORK AND RELATE WITH OTHERS, WILL UNDOUBTEDLY SET YOU APART AND LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION. Graduating from College and finding the first "real job" is the quintessential rite of passage. This new chapter is no doubt unnerving, exciting, and somewhat exhausting. In the workplace, a new graduate will likely face much higher expectations, more...
One of the greatest speeches ever given was Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech given on August 28th, 1963. It is arguably one of the greatest—if not the greatest-- speeches ever given on racial harmony. HARMONY A positive state of inner peace, calmness, and balance, as well as being tuned in with the world; a pattern of sound...
TO THOSE I CARE ABOUT: Abilene Christian University invited me to a special night with Dr. Phil with 50 of ACU's Top Friends. It was held up in Fort Worth, and he gave us some of the greatest insights I have ever heard—right up there with Coach John Wooden and my friend, Kerr Taylor. Like them, Dr. Phil is...
There is a great truth to the adage: “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” - Diane Kalen Sukra Over the past forty years, I’ve been in consulting; an adaptive processing mindset is one of the most significant skill sets needed to be successful. However, I find it highly frustrating that schools are not...
"Loyalty is what makes us trust. Trust is what makes us stay. Staying is what makes us love. And love is what gives us hope!" I believe the art and power of loyalty are being lost, and it's crucial to how we live, build our families, create "community,” and exist in the purposefulness of hope and happiness. What is...
"Motivating employees to work at their full potential is the main premise of successful management.” - Eraldo Banovac The concept of hiring and retaining employees has changed over the decades, with the revolution beginning in the 1980s when a severe recession forced companies to lay off managerial and support personnel as more people were fired in the name of profits,...
It’s supposed to link high levels of performance to the bottom line. But in reality, it can foster internal conflict and encourage mediocrity. Were you ever in a college honors class and informed by the teacher that the grading system for the semester would be based on a “bell-shaped curve” distribution? Have you ever thought it curious that you are...
In June of 2023, New York passed non-compete legislation banning almost all non-competes in the state. New York joins many other states that already have a full or partial ban on non-competes. “Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts.” -- Nelson Mandela There I was in an important board meeting with one of the nation’s largest...
“It is impossible to live without failing at something unless you live so cautiously that you might have not have lived at all… in which case, you failed by default.” -- J.K.Rowling * * * I truly had the greatest dad ever – “Big Jim” Longnecker – four-sport, four-year letterman in college and recruited by the Cleveland Indians and Tris...
“Sometimes reality is too complex. Stories give it form.” – Jean Luc Godard I remember reading that people crave and seek out stories almost as much as food, clothing, and shelter. This is so true! I am a storyteller; always have been – always will be. It is the primary way I communicate, whether with my family, my clients, and/or...
I still remember the phone call like it was yesterday; I was 30 years old and in line to be a partner at KPMG Peat Marwick up in Dallas. The voice on the other end said: “Mr. Longnecker, Herb Kelleher, Southwest Airlines, I hear you are the best executive compensation consultant in Texas.” He paused. I thought for sure that...
