Start With What You’ll Finish 🚀...

These words feel especially true as we stand on the edge of a new year.

On this last day of 2025, reflection hangs in the air. We look back on what we did, what we didn’t, what we’re proud of, and what we wish we’d handled differently. We look forward to what might be — the hopes, the plans, the quiet promises we make to ourselves when no one is listening.

As you prepare for the New Year, be gentle and realistic in your planning. Resolutions are wonderful, but only if they’re doable. Ask yourself honestly: Will you truly spend time every day doing this? Can you comfortably give up all of that?

Even the most righteous resolutions must reflect your interests, your style, your life. Just because you

can doesn’t mean you should — although sometimes, because you can, you absolutely should.

Start with one simple resolution: that you will keep the resolutions you make. Let that commitment shape the rest. Let the desire to finish what you start inspire you to carry through. Let “so beautiful or so what” guide you — a reminder that meaning is something you create, not something that happens to you.

As the year turns, may you choose the beautiful. And when you can’t, may you at least choose the honest.

Here’s to a year you make your own. Start by finalizing your resolutions today.

Paul Simon (born 1941): American singer-songwriter and guitarist, known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel.   

Your Next Level Starts with One Brave Step 🚀...

As the year comes to a close, remember that your personal and professional journeys don’t reset on January 1. They continue, shaped by your priorities, your preparation, and your persistence. Your goals may evolve, but the work carries forward.

That’s why clarity matters. I often encourage people to conduct a simple yet personal SWOT analysis — assessing their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats — to establish a baseline and create a personal roadmap. It’s a practical way to understand where you stand today and identify what you want to sustain, adjust, or pursue in the year ahead.

Yet even the best plans require something deeper: grit. Life is a marathon, not a sprint, and progress depends on steady, deliberate effort. When I lived near the 14‑mile marker of the New York City Marathon, I saw firsthand how preparation, pacing, and resilience carried runners forward. Most of us will never run an actual marathon, but life itself can often feel like one.

Success — in life, leadership, and career — demands long‑term conditioning. It requires pacing yourself through highs and lows, collaborating effectively, and reassessing your goals with honesty and intention. And while support from family, colleagues, and leaders is invaluable, it’s your determination that ultimately moves you forward. Just remember this: the race continues and so should you today.

Angela Duckworth (born 1970): American academic, psychologist, and popular author. [1]

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[1] She is the Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, where she studies grit and self-control. She is the founder and former CEO of Character Lab, a not-for-profit whose mission is to advance the science and practice of character development.

 

Innovation Has Always Been a Team Sport...

Innovation has never been a solo act. Nearly 400,000 years ago, early humans in England learned to strike flint against iron pyrite to create sparks. It wasn’t instant brilliance. It was trial and error, shared frustration, shared discovery, and—most importantly—shared effort. That same dynamic still fuels every breakthrough today.

As leaders, we know that communication is the oxygen of innovation. The most successful teams don’t just exchange information; they engage in:

·      Open brainstorming to explore possibilities

·      Clear conversations to define roles and responsibilities

·     Collaborative planning to align on direction

·    Real‑time debate to refine ideas

·    Honest debriefs to learn, adjust, and grow

Whether you lead a large division or a small team, your role is pivotal in setting the tone for these conversations. Some teams need structured guidance; others thrive with more autonomy. But all teams—without exception—need clarity, connection, and a shared commitment to communicate.

Innovation rarely comes from one person working alone. It comes from people who choose to work together with intention. It comes from teams who agree on how they’ll collaborate, how they’ll make decisions, and how they’ll keep communication flowing even when the work gets messy.

Just like those early fire‑starters, our greatest sparks come from partnership. As you guide your teams, encourage them to lean into one another, to share ideas freely, and to embrace the creative friction that leads to real progress today.

Louisa May Alcott: (1832 – 1888) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known for writing the novel Little Women and its sequels Good Wives, Little Men, and Jo's Boys.

🚀 Leadership Starts With Ownership. Success Starts With Your Team. 🙌

Eisenhower’s quote is a principle that remains essential at every level of leadership — from the C‑suite to frontline management.

Organizations succeed when people understand what needs to be done and are empowered to do it. They struggle when leaders fail to plan effectively, communicate clearly, or delegate with intention. Not always, but often enough that leadership must be treated as a discipline, not an instinct.

What effective leaders at every level must master:

·       Clear vision and direction: Leaders must understand where the organization is headed, build on its strengths, and anticipate or mitigate its weaknesses.

·       Consistent communication: Leaders must articulate the vision, explain the strategy, and ensure alignment across teams and functions.

·       Defined roles and empowered execution: Leaders must clarify responsibilities, remove obstacles, and trust people to act with autonomy and accountability.

These fundamentals sound simple, yet many leaders only learn them through trial and error. Coaching, mentorship, and intentional development accelerate that learning — and help leaders internalize Eisenhower’s principle: take responsibility for failures and give credit for successes. This mindset builds trust, loyalty, and a culture where people are motivated to perform at their best.

As the year winds down and you consider your goals for the year ahead, reflect on how you plan, communicate, and delegate. Whether you lead a division or a team of five, strengthening these capabilities will elevate your impact and the performance of those you lead. Leadership growth is a choice — and the responsibility to pursue it begins today.

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890 – 1969): American five-star General of the Army34th, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary force in Europe during WWII, and President of the United States (1953-1961). 

Merry Christmas☀️🎅

Christmas doesn’t have to be grand gestures or cinematic moments. Sometimes the “little something extra” is:

·       a kind word you didn’t have to say

·       a moment of patience you choose to give

·       a small act of generosity that ripples farther than you realize

Those little choices can shift someone’s whole day.

If you’re feeling inspired, you could:

·       send a quick message to someone who’s been on your mind

·       offer a bit of help to someone who’s overwhelmed

·       give a compliment that feels oddly overdue

·       or share a moment of genuine attention

It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just should be real. Go ahead: do a little something extra for someone today.

Charles Schulz (1922 – 2000): American cartoonist who created the comic strip Peanuts, featuring the characters Charlie Brown and Snoopy.

Kindness doesn’t require translation 💬❤️ ...

Everywhere we went this season, the spirit of Christmas was unmistakable. During recent travels to Nashville, Tennessee, and Asheville, North Carolina, we were met with holiday cheer at every turn — in airports, restaurants, music halls, gift shops, and even gas stations. “Merry Christmas” flowed naturally from friends and strangers alike. Decorations, music, and goodwill created an atmosphere where, for a moment, nothing else seemed to matter. Christmas, after all, is more than a season; it’s a feeling.

At home, we keep a basket of snacks and water by the door for the many delivery drivers who help make the holidays possible. When a package arrived last night, I invited the driver to take something from the basket. He didn’t seem to understand my words, but he offered a warm smile and wished me a Merry Christmas. It was a simple exchange, yet a reminder that kindness is a universal language.

Years ago, when I first joined the Golden Nugget, I was asked to form an employee choir to perform throughout the hotel during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Employees from every department and background came together, singing as though they had known one another for years. The sense of unity and shared purpose was unmistakable. It brought us — and those we sang for — together in a way that still resonates with me after all these years.

Christmas isn’t just a holiday — it’s a way of showing up for each other.  Let’s carry that forward today.

 

Edna Ferber (1885 – 1968): American novelist, short story writer and playwright.

🌱 Excellence Is Intrinsic: it can’t be forced; it must be sparked 🔥

Anything great that people accomplish begins with their own desire to excel. Training can build competence and experience can prepare employees for their responsibilities, but exceptional performance is ultimately driven from within. Workplace culture can inspire, and teamwork can support, but the true drive for excellence is personal.

 

Leaders provide the vision that defines organizational goals, and HR creates the systems that support development and motivation. Yet it is the front-line managers who play the critical role of coaching, guiding, and inspiring employees every day. When these elements align, micromanagement becomes unnecessary — excellence emerges naturally from employees who bring skill, optimism, flexibility, resilience, and grit to their work.

 

Leaders can create an environment that encourages excellence, but they cannot demand it. They can build systems that point employees toward success, but they cannot force motivation. Effective leadership recognizes that motivation is the art of getting people to do what needs to be done because they want to do it.

 

The hard-driving, command-and-control leaders of the past must give way to visionary, empathetic leaders who guide rather than push, support rather than criticize, and coach rather than command. The workplace continues to evolve with each new generation, and leadership must evolve with it to bring out the best in their workforce today.

 

Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower[a] (1890 – 1969): American 5-Star Army General, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in WWII, and 34th president of the United States.