There is a beautiful, expensive candle sitting on our dining room table.
· It looks perfect
· It smells like almond
· It has a pristine, unburnt wick
It has been sitting there for two years.
My wife and I are waiting for a "special occasion" to light it.
Has this happened to you? Have you put off something or someone until the time is perfect?
Read MoreResilience is the ability to overcome obstacles by using them as stepping stones rather than accepting them as dead ends. It is the determination to stay the course despite setbacks involving people, resources, changing priorities, or other environmental factors.
In operating and managing resorts, plans rarely unfold exactly as expected. We face staffing shortages, equipment failures, financial constraints, dissatisfied guests, changing business demands, and decisions that do not produce the results we anticipated.
Read MoreThere are days, if not weeks, when we experience a loss.
Some losses happen at work.
· A guest complaint
· A project that fails
· A wrong decision
· A trusted team member resigns
· A computer crashes moments before an important presentation.
Other losses happen outside of work
Read MoreJust before sunrise on the Fourth of July, an old man and an army veteran walked into his front yard carrying a neatly folded American flag.
His granddaughter hurried beside him.
"Pop-Pop," she asked, "why do you always raise the flag before everyone else is awake?"
He smiled as he carefully attached it to the halyard.
"Because some things deserve our first thoughts, not our leftovers."
Together, they slowly raised the flag. As the first rays of sunlight touched the stars and stripes, it caught the morning breeze and began to wave.
Read MoreThis morning, I was searching frantically for my car keys.
I checked the kitchen counter where I always leave my keys
I checked my pockets
I checked my backpack
I even checked between the couch cushions in the living room.
“JoMaire (my wife), where are my keys?”
“Your keys are where you left them.” (said with a laugh)
Read MoreThe lower-level outside door hinge squeaks when you open or close it.
A high-pitched whine
A grating sound
A daily annoyance
For weeks, I ignored it.
For weeks, it continued to wince when I opened it.
For weeks, I told myself I would fix it. "I need to fix that before it breaks.”
Read MoreI was sitting in my home office chair yesterday, trying to send a simple e-mail to a friend from my phone.
I hit "send."
I waited.
The little circle on the screen just kept spinning—round and round.
no connection
no service
no "bars
Recently, I took my golf clubs out of the lower-level closet, found my golf shoes and golf glove, and headed to the golf course.
After convincing myself I only needed two sleeves of golf balls (it’s never enough), I teed up my favorite golf ball and took aim.
The ball was perfectly placed on the tee
My stance was perfect
Visions of glory were firmly in place
My swing felt smooth
The contact was solid
Today, guests will ask questions. Some questions will be in person; others will be via email, phone, text message, or social media.
Rest assured, guests will ask questions. Lots of questions!
I don’t think they will ask you how long or how hard you worked yesterday. I don’t think guests will ask you whether you work standing up or sitting down, or whether you spend time in meetings or online. I don’t think guests will ask whether you work at a resort, at a corporate office, or remotely.
Read MoreI made a cup of coffee this morning.
Not a fancy latte
Just regular drip coffee
With some cream
I set it on the counter.
I checked my e-mail.
I answered a text message.
Showered, shaved, and dressed for work.
Driving in my car to work, I remembered that cup of coffee that I left on the counter.
Read MoreAnswering an advertisement in a newspaper stating, "The Secret of Never Losing Another Game in Tennis for only $99.95" offered by the only "undefeated" tennis player alive, a young man cut out the reply address form, filled out his name and address, wrote out a check for $99.95, enclosed the reply address form and check into an envelope, and wrote the mailing address on envelope to a Post Office Box in Chicago, Illinois, stamped the envelope and placed the envelop in the mail.
Read MoreIt was a typical warm Florida afternoon—the sky turned black, and the heavens opened up just as I was leaving the Publix grocery store.
Everyone huddled under the outside roof, manning their grocery carts and checking their watches.
A young man, maybe twenty years old, looked out at the torrential downpour.
Read More"This makes absolutely no sense!"
I dropped the screwdriver onto the living room rug and stared at the pile of wooden boards, screws, nuts and a crumpled instruction booklet.
My wife, JoMarie, walked into the room.
"How is the new bookshelf coming along?" she asked with a slight smile.
“I am totally frustrated! Tab A does not fit into Slot B."
Read More"Professor, I need to talk to you about my grade."
The young man stood at the edge of my desk, clutching his syllabus like a shield.
"Okay, have a seat," I replied. "What seems to be the concern?"
"I got an 85 on the final project. I need at least a 92 to keep my A."
Read MoreI was sitting in my office very early in the morning. I love the mornings! The office is quiet, and my computer and the smell of coffee are my sole companions. My phone was sitting on the table, face up.
Suddenly, a tiny red circle appeared in the corner of an app.
The red dot was small
The red dot was silent
The red dot was persistent …
