My new business book, Get Better! will soon be released. A book represents a relationship between the author and the reader. To strengthen those ties, I thought it would be good to share the introduction and give you a better idea of what the book is about.
As with my previous book, Stuck On Yellow, it’s designed to offer you practical insights, real-world cases, and is easy read. Enjoy and Get Better!
Get Better! Introduction
I remember the day when I grew tired of billionaire success stories. Please understand that I often find tales of super successful people and mega corporations to be interesting and inspiring.
But, in most cases, while I admire them all, I can’t relate to them in my everyday life. In these stories, success is usually tied to some kind of unique advantage or simply being in the right place at the right time.
There’s nothing relatable or repeatable about their success recipe, other than perhaps a catchy slogan or a simplistic solution. It’s unattainable good fortune.
Today’s Workplace
I know a lot of people who are struggling at work. They are searching for actionable advice, as their days are full of unexpected change, new demands, doing more with less, and endless requests to innovate.
Meanwhile, they feel increasingly disconnected from their workplace culture. They like the kind of work that they do but are starving for motivation and encouragement.
I also know some leaders are struggling with their pep talks. Simply saying, “You’ll be fine,” as someone had to do the work of two positions, is not effective.
And saying an extremely successful person told you to “Reach for the stars,” or “Turn your first million into five million,” doesn’t help and quickly becomes a turnoff.
These professionals find themselves in a radically different workplace. They can sense that something is just off with their work world. But they don’t know what to do to improve and there seems to be no end to their suffering.
The Idea
I started thinking about the times when a few words of advice were game-changing for me. I realized that some of the best advice I’ve ever received came from ordinary moments, from everyday people.
None of them had climbed mountains, scored Super Bowl touchdowns, or created mega companies. But while their bank accounts may not have million or billion dollar balances, each one offered me something priceless and memorable.
This book is full of those stories. Granted, it is not a magic wand for every workplace problem. But it’s a start.
You’re going to meet some very interesting people who approach their lives and jobs differently. Their lessons can improve our lives.
Where did I meet them? I’ve collected their stories during my time spent in broadcast news, hurricane relief, and even professional ballet. And today, as a motivational keynote speaker, I’ve added to the collection, as my presentations give me a great opportunity to meet interesting people offstage.
Some of the popular stories I share with audiences see me reenact being attacked by a police dog (while wearing a padded suit) or use a ballet move to demonstrate the concept of trust. These are physical and visual lessons that I love to share but understand they don’t have the same impact on the printed page, so you won’t find them in this book. But if you need a keynote for your next event…
The stories in this book are perfect in chapter form. In some cases, I’m able to add some extra elements that don’t fit, when I’m telling them on stage.
A Book for the Busy
This book was written with the busy professional in mind. Let’s face it, who doesn’t have a growing to-do list and not enough hours in the day.
As with my previous book, Stuck On Yellow, you can read the chapters in any order. Some chose to read a chapter a day and make the book part of their daily or weekly ritual. Others assign chapters to their teams and discuss the lessons at staff meetings.
I also like how these stories are my discoveries and are new to you. They won’t come up in a Google search. At least not yet! They came from personal interactions.
And while there’s power in a good story, I felt this book also needed some kind of next step or action plan. There’s power in memorable and actionable advice.
In this book, you’ll get a combo plate of advice. Each chapter will highlight a specific story. Then we’ll cover the big picture takeaways. Finally, you’ll be empowered with next steps or important questions that you might want to ask yourself or your team.
I throw a curveball in the final chapter. That one highlights some real examples of bad behavior or habits that you want to avoid. While I tried to give this book a very positive tone, there are some lessons to be learned from those who are coming up short.
Before You Ask
People want to know, “Are these stories real?” The people are real and the things that happened, are like they happened. Names and certain details have been changed to protect privacy.
Pay attention to what’s happening around you, as you might be missing some great stories. When the events in this book took place, there were no trumpets sounding, letting me know something important was occurring.
Fortunately, I’m good at taking notes and remembering a random thing might have some value down the road.
Enjoy the stories. Grow and get better from the advice.
Let’s Create a Memorable Meeting
