Posts Tagged ‘from turmoil to triumph’
Seek the Mission First: The Miracle on the Hudson Survivor’s Case for Purpose Over Profit
I did not choose my mission. It chose me, on a river, on a Thursday afternoon in January, when I was the last passenger off US Airways Flight 1549. I had spent years building a career in enterprise sales leadership, and none of it prepared me for what I learned standing in that aisle. Five…
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What Would You Do? A Powerful Leadership Lesson From Flight 1549
On January 15, 2009, I was the last passenger out of US Airways Flight 1549. The plane was sinking into the Hudson River, and I had a choice standing in that aisle. I could feed the panic, or I could feed the plan. Every person on that plane was watching someone. And what I chose…
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Turn the Discomfort of Discipline into the Satisfaction of Success
Nobody tells you the discomfort comes first. They sell you the ending. Nobody shows you the middle part when you’re on the ground with a torn knee ligament. In a hospital hallway, there is no blueprint for what happens next. You cannot finish one length of a swimming pool. I have lived all three of…
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Why Delayed Gratification Builds Leaders Who Perform Under Pressure
I want to tell you something that took me most of my life to fully understand. Every result worth having made me wait for it. Not because the universe was being cruel. Because the waiting was the preparation. Because the season between the intention and the outcome was where the character was being built that…
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What Would You Do in a Crisis? The Leadership Lessons That Prepared Me for the Miracle on the Hudson
What Would I Do? That is the question. Not the one people ask me most often. Not the logistical questions about the water temperature or how long the aircraft was in the air or what it felt like when the engines went silent over New York City. The question people ask themselves when they hear…
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The Greatest Gift Tony Robbins Ever Gave Me
Tony Robbins would occasionally give me advice. He gave me something bigger than advice, and it changed the direction of my entire life. I want to tell you what that gift was. But first, I have to take you back to the night everything changed. The Night of January 15, 2009 A few hours after…
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What Lululemon’s New CEO can Learn from The Hudson River
When everything around you is uncertain, the worst thing a leader can do is react before they assess. Lululemon just named Heidi O’Neill as its new CEO. She steps into the role on September 8th. She is inheriting a brand that was once untouchable, a community-driven, premium powerhouse that turned yoga pants into a cultural…
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The Best Next Move for Spirit Airlines Employees
I want to speak directly to the men and women of Spirit Airlines. On May 2nd, at 3 a.m., the doors closed. The flights stopped. Health insurance is gone. Benefits disappeared. And for many of you, careers that spanned decades ended without warning. For people like Cindy Williams, a 27-year flight attendant who said…
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The Truth About Culture: Actions Speak Louder Than Mission Statements
I’ve spent a lot of time in boardrooms where values are framed on the wall. They look good.They sound right.They check a box. And then the meeting starts. Deadlines slip.Hard conversations get avoided.Decisions stall.People protect themselves instead of the mission. That’s when I know the truth. A value is not a belief.A value is a…
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How to Rebuild Your Ambition When You’ve Lost Your Drive
Most people don’t struggle with ambition. They struggle with time. That’s why when I speak, coach or conduct a workshop, I start with time. They set a goal, get fired up, and go hard for a few weeks.Then life happens.Pressure hits.The calendar fills.The fire fades. And what started as a big dream turns into a…
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