It’s been four years since we launched Dave's Charm School’s online platform and many people have benefited from the courses, not least of which is the Communications 101 course covering active listening, body language, communicating respectfully, and more.

One of the lessons in the course is titled “Email, IM, Texting Standards” and includes my Dirty Dozen Email Rules. These rules are incredibly helpful for any executive, manager, or front-line employee that wants to present themselves professionally and communicate effectively via email.

Every rule may not apply to you, but most of them probably do. Feel free to copy and edit my list to create your own list that works at your company.

Soft skills. It’s a term you’ve probably heard before. From executives and consultants, to Seth Godin and Inc Magazine, people are talking about the importance of soft skills so much it feels like a new diet craze.

However, when you take some time to investigate, it becomes clear that “soft skills” just means “likeable”, “conscientious”, or “admirable”. It’s a broad term used to describe almost all non-technical skills.

A consistent training regimen is important for you and your team. Effective training provides new hires and existing employees with the skills and knowledge they need to not only do their job but improve their performance. However, like many companies, you may not be sure how to train your employees, when to train them, and when to retrain them on previous skills.

Are your days overflowing with firefighting, reacting to interruptions, and a lot of drama?

… As Charlie Brown would say, “AAUGH!”

When our lives are like this, time passes quickly.  Opportunities are lost.

Last year I read 13 books. It was the first year in which I kept track of the books I read. I stacked each one on top of my Ikea Kallax 4x4 shelf until all of them together created an unstable tower of literature by December 31st (ok fine, not that big of a tower, not that unstable).

This year one of my goals is to…

Last year you were unable to live some of your dreams. 

Hopefully you are thankful for what you were able to achieve.  No disappointment should block out the joy of sincere gratitude for what you have.

However, how can we improve our game this year?

Here is an option for you.

It’s the end of 2018.  Did you achieve all of your objectives this year professionally and personally? Did you even have objectives for 2018? If you are honest with yourself, the likely answer is no.

The good news is, you get another chance in 2019.

The bad news is, your unproductive habits are ready to sabotage 2019.

In the book, Flawless Execution, author and former U.S. Air Force pilot James Murphy describes how the Air Force uses a continuous improvement process to reduce errors, casualties, and losses.

Two of his recommendations struck me – how the Air Force prepares for missions, and how they learn from them – the debrief.  I think the debrief is a serious weakness in most companies.

Every year the effectiveness of your management team determines your results.

Managers don't just assign tasks and drive them to completion. They develop relationships with their team and counterparts. They comfort, console, instruct, and act as a guide. When your front-line employee encounters a crisis, the first person they turn to is not going to be the CEO, it's going to be their manager. The skills and wisdom of the manager will determine whether the crisis is averted or inflamed, and whether the employee is empowered or deflated.

What happens to the taste of a stew when you add something fiery hot, meaty, and so overpowering that it can stand on its own?

Last Spring the Golden State Warriors, winners of 3 of the last 4 NBA Championships, announced they had acquired free agent DeMarcus Cousins.

Everybody has them, although a few of you may think you don't.

I'm talking about employees who do less than their best.

There are a variety of reasons for their behavior. It may be a lack of skill, poor communication, limited accountability or training, lack of engagement.

Do you have employees who want special recognition, increased compensation, or increased freedom without responsibility or results?

One way to describe this perspective is they have an "entitlement mentality."

Cory Kaufman is a member of our current Certified LEADER class that concludes in two weeks. He has been with his company, Assured Technology Solutions in Lake Oswego, Oregon for 16 years. About two years ago he was promoted to Office Manager.

Every leader has a slightly different path to move their career and team from one point to another, which qualifies as their definition of success.

How well have you defined your destination, path to get there, and are progressing towards it?

Ask any 6 year old about their dreams or what they want to be when they grow up.

None will say, “I want to be homeless, begging for money, and addicted to drugs.”

Yet... that’s reality for some people.

It wasn't the plan.

Do you want a real assessment of your performance?

Here is a simple exercise to get a glimpse of your current leadership strengths, weaknesses, and impact of your company culture. It takes less than 5 minutes.

The fact is you are your biggest obstacle. Gary Keller believes there are 6 lies and 4 thieves holding you back from pursuing 3 commitments that lead to a meaningful life without regrets.

How well are you focused today? Are you looking forward to your day with joy?

Part 1 in our webinar series on The ONE Thing by Gary Keller.

Every day we have too many options. However, the more you focus your time, the clearer you see the masses against you.