Refresh Leadership | Fresh Ideas for Today's Business Leaders

Benjamin Franklin on Mentorship

January 23rd, 2015

In a study by the American Society of Training and Development, 75% of executives said mentoring was directly related to their success, and inversely, 35% of employees who don’t receive mentoring search for new jobs within the next year. Employers and employees alike understand the importance mentoring has on their personal journeys. However, according to the Society for Human Resource Management, 64% of employees who are willing to change jobs say their employer isn’t involved in their employee development.

If employees aren’t receiving the training, development, and mentoring they need, they are sure to become disengaged. Benjamin Franklin, American statesman, founding father, and great thinker, once penned the phrase:

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

Mentoring isn’t a training session. It isn’t a crash course on a subject. It’s a lifestyle. It is a specific way you involve your employees to raise them up to be the next leaders in your organization. Are you frustrated at your team’s production? Take a look at how you have trained your workforce. People are more likely to work for a common goal when they feel they are involved in the overall process. Read More→

Peak Performer’s Life: How to Build Self Confidence

January 21st, 2015

This week on Peak Performer’s Life, Walter Bond continues the discussion on the importance of committing to excellence by building commitment in other people. He explains that if you want to build a successful business, you have to work on building commitment in others—which starts not just with your external customers, but with your internal customers.

According to Walter:

“If you have employees … you need to make sure you breed confidence, that you exude confidence. People love to be led by confident people. And nothing breeds confidence better than expertise. I tell you, people will buy into your confidence, because people need to be led by confident leaders.”

What do you do to breed confidence in others? How has your expertise in your field helped you develop confidence in yourself? Let us know in the comments section below.

New messages each week!
Walter Bond and Peak Performer’s Life is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals. Don’t forget to check back each Wednesday for a new message from Walter Bond. If you missed an episode of Peak Performer’s Life, visit the archive to catch up.

About Walter Bond
A former American professional basketball player, Walter Bond’s NBA career included 153 games with the Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, and Detroit Pistons. Now, Walter takes what he learned from his life on the court and translates it into motivational and educational messages for thriving businesses and careers. For more information, visit WalterBond.com.

Refresh Leadership is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Infographic: What Business Owners Wish They’d Done Differently

January 20th, 2015

Starting your own business can be an exciting and rewarding endeavor, but it isn’t easy. For many enterprising professionals, the hardest part is not knowing what they don’t know. Check out this infographic from The Alternative Board, a business coaching and advisory company, for some insight into what many business owners wish they would have known when they first struck out on their own. Read More→

The Results Are In: Business Performance Predictions for 2015

January 15th, 2015

In December, we asked about your business performance predictions for the new year, and according to the results of our poll, there’s a lot of optimism surrounding 2015.

Of those who participated in the poll, 46% expect to see exponential business growth this year, while 31% expect their business performance to remain steady, but unchanged from 2014. And, 17% of respondents said they believe they would see a decrease in business volume, which is up from last year.

Another 6% of respondents selected the “Other” option and submitted their own predictions, including:

Uncertain, but hopeful
Will experience additional growth, but only in some areas of business
Soft economy ups and downs throughout the year, but no substantial growth Read More→

Peak Performer’s Life: People Will Pay a Lot for Excellence

January 14th, 2015

This week on Peak Performer’s Life, Walter Bond continues the discussion on the importance of committing to excellence. He explains that though everyone has a different definition of excellence, one doesn’t truly understand what it means until one experiences it. Walter says “your definition is all based on your exposure to excellence.”

According to Walter:

“People will pay a lot for excellence. As a business leader, you need to make sure you create an expectation for your customers to experience excellence every single time they enjoy your product or your service. ”

Great Mentor Relationships Throughout History

January 13th, 2015

From the beginning of time, men and women alike have had the insight to learn from those who came before them. Passing down knowledge of a skill or trade from one generation to the next is a time-honored tradition. The relationship between the master craftsman and the apprentice was the best training a young adolescent could hope for—and a training that every parent could appreciate. In a time where one had to choose a trade at an early age, apprenticeship was the most effective schooling to prepare for a lifelong career. And within the art of mentorship, there were several relationships throughout history that still teach us the value, power, and importance of this sort of training. From artists to scientists and philosophers to businessmen, these mentorships shaped the lives of many through the accomplishments of the mentored.

Henri Becquerel and Marie Curie
Marie Curie was one of the most influential physicists in history. She helped discover radioactive substances in radium and was the first to isolate radium and determine its atomic weight. In 1903, she, her husband, Pierre, and her mentor, Henri Becquerel, received the Nobel Prize in Physics for their research on radiation. She was the first female to receive a Nobel Prize, and later received a second Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Curie was greatly influenced by Becquerel’s work on uranium compounds and rays, which helped expedite her discovery of radium. Marie Curie teaches us that a mentorship can help give us the much-needed foreknowledge to make further discoveries and achieve success in our fields. Read More→

Going to the Well

January 8th, 2015

It’s been said that leaders are readers, and readers are leaders. This is true as the most common characteristic among top executives and millionaire entrepreneurs is the fact that they consistently read instructional, inspirational, or motivational books.

Throughout the years, there have been many great success-oriented authors. Many of them will quote successful people they have known or read about from the past. If you read enough of these books, you will experience an author quoting a previous author, who is also quoting a previous author, who is also referring to something he read, that was originally said by an historical or successful individual. While it’s good to read what other people think about someone else’s feelings regarding another person’s perspective, I believe if you want the pure water, you’ve got to go to the well.

I believe the greatest success writer of the last century would probably be Napoleon Hill, and the greatest orator may well have been Winston Churchill. While I enjoy reading other people quoting these giants, I always try to get back to the well periodically and read Napoleon Hill and listen to Winston Churchill. Somehow, when others are trying to use these legends as an example or something to build upon, they often inadvertently dilute the meaning or power. Read More→

Peak Performer’s Life: Are You Committed?

January 7th, 2015

This week on Peak Performer’s Life, Walter Bond discusses the importance of committing to excellence. He explains that when you commit to a goal, and give it “your mind, body, soul, and emotions,” you will innovate and create.

According to Walter:

“People take the word commit very, very lightly. When you are committed to something you will always have consistent actions that line up with your commitment. When you’re committed, you never quit.”

What do you do to achieve full commitment to your goals? How has an all-out commitment affected your life? Let us know in the comments section below. Read More→

4 Big Mistakes Mentors Make and a Few Tips on How to Address Them

January 5th, 2015

The passing of knowledge from the old guard to the next generation of professionals is a time-honored, workplace tradition. From the earliest examples of apprenticeship to more structured leadership development programs, mentorships can come in all shapes and sizes.

Becoming a mentor to a bright up-and-comer is a big responsibility and one that should be considered an honor. If you’ve been asked to mentor a young professional in the early stages of their career, it’s because you’ve already proven your prowess and others have recognized there is much to learn from your experience and expertise.

Remember: No one is infallible
In mentorships, the potential for growth isn’t one sided. Even if you know you’re prepared and well-equipped for the task of taking on a mentee, it doesn’t mean you aren’t susceptible to making a mistake or two along the way. In fact, some of the best knowledge you can impart upon an eager corporate ladder climber is how to properly address failures and shortcomings.

Whether you’re already in an established mentorship or thinking about taking on your first mentee, here are a few big mistakes many mentors make to keep in mind. Read More→

Peak Performer’s Life: 8 Keys for Success in 2015

December 31st, 2014

This week on Peak Performer’s Life, Walter Bond lays out his eight keys for success in 2015.

According to Walter:
“What I want to do right now is be your friend and I want to give you some great information to make sure your new year is awesome. I want you to take everything about your life to the next level.”

Check out Walter’s inspirational message: