Mission is about a very big question: what are you here on earth to do? This is a difficult question, which all of us ponder at some point in our lives, and it’s one of the most difficult to answer. Recently the former Michigan football star running back Vincent Smith presented to my undergraduate class at the UM Ross School of Business about a nonprofit organization he has started called Team Gardens. The students excitedly connected to the mission of Team …
A big step on the way to a more balanced life is assembling the best leadership team. This requires recognition that it really isn’t all about you. If the members of your team are talented and trustworthy, they will be effective and you will be able to delegate with confidence. You’ll be free to do the things you are exceptional at and you will have more free time—capital that you can spend as you like. I heard Hall of Famer Joe …
Great leaders constantly strive to strike a balance between work and the other realms of their lives. Great leaders share a passion: They want to make a difference in the world. These two things go hand in hand. The most successful leaders are the ones who work the hardest at balancing all aspects of their lives. And when they do, they find that they really do make a difference. With that in mind, I today offer ideas on how you …
I was thrilled and delighted last week to have my 18 month-old grand daughter, Ada, visit us. For much of the week she was preoccupied, trying to learn a very difficult task: putting on her high-top baby shoes by herself. She tried forwards, backwards, undoing the laces, and finally just trying to jam her foot inside the shoe. Even though she did not succeed, I know she eventually will because she is learning the crucial skill of persistence. She will keep …
Six weeks into the new academic year, and here comes the stress. Sunlight fading, holidays almost upon us, end of the year financial pressures: it’s a full court press state of stress. Here are Dr. Rob’s favorite tips for managing the stress of fall. First of all, recognize that stress itself won’t kill you – it’s how you think about stress that’s the problem. 2. Recognize that applied appropriately, stress can be positive as a motivator to take care of …
More and more we are all looking for tools to help us deal with the ever-increasing demands on our time and energy. We’re trying to keep four or five balls in the air – and living in fear that if we drop one, all will come tumbling down. As Americans, we don’t have a good track record on juggling. Traditionally, we’ve focused too much on work, while ignoring the fact that if we drop that ball – if we lose …