Years ago, I spent a hot Texas afternoon helping my father build a fence on his small ranch near Stockdale. It was honest, back-breaking work: post hole diggers, an iron bar, and soil that felt more like rock than dirt. Working alongside us was an older...
When I was a young switchman in the Southern Pacific yards, I noticed something right away. The man with the title wasn’t always the one who got the crew moving. Sometimes, it was the storyteller. Sometimes, it was the one who simply listened. We’re drowning in...
You know, most leaders I’ve run across — whether it was in a rail yard, a factory, or a boardroom — they’ve all got instincts. We’ve all got a gut feeling about what makes somebody effective, or what makes a team tick. The thing is, instincts without...
From Broken Machines to Better Leaders: What an Old ATV Taught Me About Life and Leadership A couple of weeks ago, I found myself working harder physically than I had in years. My muscles were sore, my hands were covered in grease, and in front of me sat a 1999...
There’s a moment almost every leader dreads. You delegate something. You explain it clearly (or so you think). The other person nods and says, “Got it.” Then… they go do something completely different. Now you’re behind. You’re...
Ever tried growing tomatoes and ended up with a jungle of weeds instead? That’s what leadership feels like sometimes—especially when you're pouring into your team but nothing’s growing the way you expected. Here’s the truth most leaders miss: You're...
Most business owners believe happiness is something they’ll earn once the chaos settles. Once they’ve hit their goals. Once the team “gets it together.” Once they’ve grown big enough to finally step back. But here’s the truth: Happiness isn’t...
Let’s be real. You’ve probably said this before. Or at least thought it: “I can’t trust my team.” And I get it. They don’t move fast enough. They forget small things. You have to remind them again and again. That’s...
In the summer of 1966, I came home from a life-changing trip to South America—wide-eyed, broke, and looking for work. I had just earned my commercial driver’s license and dreamed of driving a truck. But reality had other plans. Holiday Rock and Stone...
1966–1967 We all have defining moments — not the ones that get headlines, but the quiet, behind-the-scenes sparks that ignite a fire deep inside. For me, the school year of 1966–1967 was one of those moments. A New School, A New Start A brand-new high...
In the summer of 1966, the world cracked wide open for me. I had been chosen to play in the All-American Youth Honor Concert Band for a South American Tour — a high honor for a young man who had worked hard to master the tuba and the sousaphone. I wasn’t just a...
If you're constantly asking yourself... 👉 “Why can’t my team just think for themselves?” 👉 “Why do I have to double-check everything?” 👉 “Why am I the only one who cares about the details?” Then let me tell you something...
You didn’t build your business just to be stuck babysitting your team and putting out fires all day. Yet here you are—successful on paper, but constantly checking, fixing, and following up. It feels like if you’re not involved, everything slows down. Or worse,...
What is situational leadership? You might find your company is at an impasse and stuck in classical thinking and approaches when a more radical treatment will produce the change needed. This situational leadership offers a more flexible approach to leadership. Instead...