The plague

7 Ailments of Organizations

To one form or another most organizations suffer from one or more of the following.

1.      Blindness. Evidenced by lack of vision. Failure to face reality, the facts. Failure to see a changed new world.

2.      Gossip. Caused by lack of communication, integrity, courage, honesty, transparency, and so on.

3.      Pessimism. Spread by those crossing the days on the calendar until retirement. Plenty of complaining, criticizing, and condemning going on amongst the ranks.

4.      Boring. Little excitement going on. Employees are not engaged, just going through the motions. Just a job to pay my bills.

5.      Hypocrisy. Words and deeds don’t match. Overpromise and under deliver. Presence of false leaders that keep moving fast through organizations.

6.      Greed. The few at the top of the pyramid take the glory and the money. The working bees tolerate for fear of losing their jobs and those benefits. The workers and the market conditions take the blame.

7.      Arrogance. The presence of untouchables. The country club members/dictators and the yes people that faithfully serve them.

Solution for the above is leadership, pure and simple. A true leader will fix it!

Thank you for reading and reflecting on today’s nuggets. Share them with others.   

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Another Nudge

New Year Resolutions

Instead of being like everybody else about your new year’s resolutions why not think different and come up with something new, exciting, and somewhat challenging for 2015. The results we want are often the byproducts of who we are. What we chase is a consequence of our actions. Resolve to be more instead of simply doing more and see what kind of New Year you will have. Don’t you want a new year instead of another old year? Always remember no pain, no change and no gain. No struggle, no story. 

Here are a few ideas to get your juices flowing so you can come up with some fresh resolutions instead of the typical, lose weight, stop smoking, start exercising, etc. (you will get to these next year!!!).

1.      Read.  Read 15 minutes each day. Imagine you reading 12 great books in 2015 and putting one million words into your brain. What is easy to do; it is even easier not to do it.

2.      Apologize.  Apologize to every person you do wrong. Do it immediately and be sincere about it. Swallow the ego and just do it! It is uncomfortable and that is the point. Perhaps next time you will think twice about doing wrong onto others.

3.      Smile.  Greet everyone you meet with a smile. It takes less energy to smile than to frown. Be a good sport. Lighten up. Others may just want to hang around you. A great smile tells others you have a positive outlook on things.

4.      Laugh.  Laughter is the best stress reliever. Don’t be a fake, with a cheese laugh or plastic laugh. Learn how to laugh and laugh out loud to release any poison you may have built inside you.

5.      Respond.  You are free will to respond instead of reacting to your daily challenges. Always remember that between stimulus and response we have the freedom to choose. Choose your responses wisely after taking a deep breath of fresh air.

6.      Question.  Question yourself every time you are about to make a decision. Keep a long term perspective.  Learn how to ask great questions. Make your questions always bigger than your answers and eventually you will have great answers.

7.      Love.  Love is a decision and a choice. Resolve to love more. See the good in others instead of finding faults with them. Listen to their needs and help them. Be a friend and master the art of friendship.

Share your resolutions with those you trust. It helps you to be accountable and hold onto your new resolutions throughout the New Year.

Thank you for reading and reflecting on today’s nuggets. Please pass them on to others.     

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Yes, it's about money

Financial Fitness Resolutions

Are you ready to gain total control of your personal finances? It takes courage to tackle your personal finances and that is why so many people are slaves of their money.  Financial freedom is not for everyone, it is only for those who have the courage to do what the common person is not willing to do. If you are not willing to dig into your finances than financial freedom is not in your future. If you are sick and tired of being broke then today’s nuggets may be for you. Resolve to have the following done in 2015:

1.      Invest in your financial education. Invest in tools to understand and take control of your money. For most people money is a mystery. Money, like life, is a game. In any game there is offense, defense, and rules to obey. Follow the three overriding principles of money; long term thinking, delayed gratification, and the power of compounding.

2.      Have a financial action plan. Have detailed financial goals for one, five, and ten years. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Start with small goals than increase them as time goes on.

3.      Know all your sources of income. Include all income from salaries, dividends, etc.

4.      Know all your sources of expenses. There are more sources of expenses than one thinks like periodic expenses and the little money expenses like the stops at convenience stores.

5.      Know your net worth. Subtract all your assets from your liabilities.

6.      Have and follow a monthly budget. Have a clear picture of your cash inflows and outflows. Are you making more than you are spending? Are you spending less than you are making? This is not brain science!!!

7.      Have a plan to pay all your debts. Include all debts from credit cards, store cards, etc.

As you start making progress, don’t forget to share the blessings with others.

Thank you for reading and reflecting on today’s nuggets. Please pass them on to others.     

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Need a little help?

Keeping Your Resolutions

You took the time to make them, why not benefiting from them. 

If it was easy then anyone would keep their resolutions. What is easy to do it is even easier not to do. If you are sick and tired of making resolutions and not being able to keep them, you are not different than 95% of the people that quit on their resolutions. Be in the 5% that makes them and keeps them. Here are a few thoughts to help you.

1.      Program your elephant. Create crystal clear mental pictures of the results you want into your subconscious mind. Run the pictures over and over until they are firmly lodged in your mind.

2.      Tap into your willpower. Focus on the rewards. Keep the pictures in front of you.

3.      Tackle one resolution at a time. Break each one into small doable steps. Reward yourself for being consistent at first, then for making progress and securing small gains.

4.      Don’t give up. Resist to temptations to revert to your old self. You will regret giving up.

5.      Change requires commitment. Be honest with yourself. Don’t be self-deceived.

6.      No pain, no gain. Expect ups and downs. Leverage your emotions. Make them your allies.

7.      Be open for learning. Have fun. Learning and growing into a new self is fun.

Thank you for reading and reflecting on today’s nuggets. Please pass them on to others.     

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Making it stick

Making New Resolutions Stick

Here are a few thoughts as you sit down to make your new year’s resolutions:

1.      Find the good in what has happened for you so far. Count your blessings from your past.

2.      Let go of things you can’t control. Free your mind of what is holding you back.

3.      It is the time to take the chance in doing something that really matters. Think “this is my chance” and go for it.

4.      Realize every challenge is a necessary step towards a better destination. Just down your goals in a SMART format. Example: Lose weight: weigh 175 lbs by June 30, 2015. 

5.      Keep going and believe in the power of compounding small increments. Understand that little results are visible in the beginning.

6.      Expect resistance as you get started. New habits are hard to form and easy to break. Stay consistent.

7.      There will be smiles and tears. Learn to live with ambiguity and frustration; all champions have lived through peaks and valleys.

Thank you for reading and reflecting on today’s nuggets. Please pass them on to others.     

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

It is our duty

How to lead the youth of today

Leadership is a dying art, that’s why it is something we all need to work on. Do you love them enough to lead them? If you need them, you can't lead them.

1.      We, the adults, are the cause of the problems with kids today. Could the youth be suffering from the same technology addictions we have?

2.      Kids will do what we ask them to do if they respect and trust us. Getting the kids to trust us is the main job of a leader.

3.      Discipline is the greatest form of love. Lack of focus leads to lack of passion. Look for potential talent and make them read the right books. The young leaders will influence others to follow.

4.      Reward consistency until good habits are formed. There are so many options today; too many things taxing on the youth’s minds. Help them find something they are passionate about and master it.

5.      Watch out for all the technology intrusions in your life. Don’t hide behind technology as an excuse. Nothing takes place of looking at someone in the eye and telling how you feel.

6.      Be dumb enough to believe you can win big and they will believe it too. Emotional belief is the most powerful force in the universe.

7.      Leadership and self-deception cannot co-exist. Lack of self-evaluation in kids leads to lack self-motivation and self-deception. How can you improve if you think you are the best already?

Thank you for reading and reflecting today’s nuggets. Go ahead and pass them on to others.         

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Happy Birthday

Why did He come?

This is that time of the year we take time to reflect on the past, to be grateful for the present, and to think about the future. This is the time of the year many of us renew our faith. We renew our beliefs in what’s to come. You may be asking the same question as I am. Why did He come? Or what does He mean to me? Why not take a leap of faith and trust the greatest leader that ever lived? He came to show us the way to His father. The world has never been the same since He was born, raised, led, and died for us. We can never say there is no role model to follow. We can never measure up but we can strive to be like Him. Happy Birthday, Jesus Christ.

1.      He gave Himself away. The greatest present we can ever give is the gift of self.

2.      He engaged those around Him. He told compelling stories never to be forgotten.

3.      He equipped the hungry. He fed them the right brain and soul food.

4.      He empowered those close to Him. He gave away His power to those who followed Him. Why not tap into His source of power?

5.      He sent them out to preach His message. A message of love for all of God’s creations. We are all in Ministry, in one form or another.

6.      He showed us true love. True love always involves sacrifice.

7.      He showed us how to serve. We can all love because we can all serve.

Follow Him. Why? Don't you want to spend eternity in the right place? Eternity is a long time to be wrong.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Thank you for reading and reflecting.

Pass these nuggets on to others.    

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

NO, YES, or MAYBE

Just say and mean it.

It is OK to Say NO and mean it.

Do you have a hard time saying “no”? Are you always trying to be nice to others instead of just telling the truth? It is amazing the extent people go to prevent saying no. People don’t realize others know when they are white lying. I would rather have a plain sincere no than a fake yes. On the other hand, people say no and mean yes; women, in particular. Here is what people say instead of just saying no, period.

1.      “I will try” or “maybe.” It means a NO.

2.      “I can’t commit right now.” It means NO. When will you commit?

3.      “I would have to do my research.” It means going to the internet to be misinformed.

4.      “I would want to know all the details before I commit.” That means never.

5.      “I’d love to do this, but …” I don’t have time, money, knowledge, experience, etc., etc. Those darn buts… all mean NO.

6.      “Let me think about it and pray first, and then I’ll get back to you.” Right! Will you get back?

7.      “Now is not a good time, but can I call you when I am not so busy.” When will it be a good time?

Pass these nuggets on to others.    

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

When actions speak

Let your action do the speaking

1.      Act timely. There is time to think, time to plan, and time to prepare, but when the time to plant comes, get your seeds in the ground. The right conditions aren’t present all the time but it pays to pull the trigger when they are.

2.      Worry not. Have faith about the future for when it comes you will be prepared to deal with it. Don’t worry, be prepared to act.

3.      Not pretty. Our greatest victories will not look pretty when the fight is over but they sure make us feel great to be on the victorious side. Have great endings to your ugly battles.

4.      Not easy. Success comes not from dealing with simple problems but from tackling the difficult problems well. Don’t ask for easy, ask for worthy.

5.      Die to self. In a way we all die at night to be reborn in the morning. Are you wiser, healthier, and wealthier in the morning? Let the ego RIP.

6.      Start digging. Our genius will never manifest itself unless we believe it is there and chip away daily until others start coming to see it. No problem with withstand the constant attack of a tenacious man.

7.      Deserve it. In life we don’t get what we deserve, we get what we picture. Let you subconscious mind see your future in clear pictures.

Pass these nuggets on to others.    

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Beyond existence

Beyond existence

Don’t just exist, truly live.

1.      The road to wisdom is paved with reflections. Reflect.

2.      Help others to have deep roots and flexible wings. Serve.

3.      Like money, we can serve time or make time serve us. Be the master.

4.      The greatest loss in life is to die at 25 and wait to be buried at 85. Learn and grow.

5.      The great secret of success is making your passions your vacations. Live passionately.

6.      Learn to rediscover life instead of retiring to an empty state of existence. Rediscover life.

7.      Experience comes to those who do something with what happens to them. 

       Build experiences.

8.      Are you investing your time or are you letting other people spend it for you? 

      Take control.

9.      There is no future in jobs; the future lies in the individual who does productive work. 

      Be productive.

10.  We notice the greatest increase in our parents’ wisdom when we go from 15 to 25 years old. 

      Be humble.

Pass these nuggets on to others.    

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy