We heard from best-selling author Patrick Lencioni on the temptations of a leader. Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith answered questions about leadership on and off the field and Dr. Bertice Berry made us laugh as she shared her experiences and thoughts on finding purpose.

Didn’t get to attend this year? Get some of the leadership lessons we heard today in just a few seconds from some of the tweets from the day’s event.

Thanks to everyone who attended, to our speakers, and to those who helped make the event such a success! Until next time, get more leadership tips and ideas right here on www.Refreshleadership.com.

I can’t remember the last time I was able to sit and be still. When I’m not in meetings, checking off my daily to-do list, answering phone calls and emails, or dealing with office politics, my mind is going a million miles a minute thinking about the next project – or the next ten projects. It’s all so loud!

What about you? When’s the last time you stopped to just be still. When’s the last time your environment slowed down? Every day you put out fires at work. You deal with HR issues, offer your employees’ advice, and listen on and on to various pitches and arguments in meetings. More than likely, even on the commute to and from work, you’re thinking about work or what you have to get done for the day. Or, maybe you’re thinking about what you didn’t get done at the end of the day.

If any of this is sounding familiar, you could be ready for a quiet time too. Someone once told me, “Where ever you are, be all there,” but that’s hard to do when you have so much noise going on. So, every day take a little time to relax and just breathe. Sit still and shut out all the interruptions. You’ll be surprised how much it helps you de-stress, and gain perspective and clarity – all of which will help you focus better on the tasks at hand whether your mentoring an employee or overseeing a new project.

The top Gen. Y retention method, according to the poll, is “providing new learning opportunities to expand their skills,” which is consistent with most current research available on the differences in the various generations in the workforce. Education is a top Gen. Y priority. In fact, according to a Pew Research Center report, 1 in 5 are college graduates and an additional 26% are currently in school and plan to graduate in the next few years. That drive for education and opportunities to increase skills and knowledge persists, so companies who invest in learning programs will be better positioned to keep their Millennial workers.

Beyond providing new learning opportunities:

• 15% of respondents said they were increasing Gen. Y employees’ responsibilities to include more higher-profile tasks
• 13% said they were offering flextime, telecommuting, or customized scheduling
• 12% are implementing pay-for-performance compensation packages
• 8% have begun allowing some work time to be spent on community service projects. 

Gen. Y In a Nutshell

Check out this informational snapshot of Gen. Y developed by Flowtown, a blog about small business marketing strategies, tools, and tactics.

Who are the Millennials?

Have you experienced issues with keeping your Gen. Y employees engaged? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

As you read these words on the page of a newspaper, magazine, or the screen of your computer, I am embarrassed to say that there was a time in my life when I couldn’t have stated emphatically that I had ever read an entire book, cover to cover. Ironically, I did not discover the gift of reading until after losing my sight. Now, as a blind person—thanks to high speed digitally-recorded books—I am able to read an entire book virtually every day. Exposure to these literally thousands of books has given me knowledge, wisdom, perspective, and virtually everything I have ever wanted in my life. 

Recent news reports might lead you to believe that people are not reading as much as they once were. In reality, even in the midst of movies, TV, and the online bombardment of information, statistics show that since 2008, net unit sales of print books are up 3.5 percent. The amazing statistic indicates that during the same period of time, digital book sales are up over 1,000 percent. 

The ability to download books and read them from your computer or portable device screen has made the process faster, simpler, and easier. But the process of reading a book and the treasures that it offers hasn’t changed in hundreds of years.

I remember studying an insightful report done after interviewing the top executives from the Fortune 500 companies. The study was conducted to see what these successful business leaders had in common. The thought was if you could discover what the most successful people did to get to the top of their field, you could follow in their footsteps. A long and exhaustive study of these top executives revealed that they have a variety of lifestyles, hobbies, interests, political and religious beliefs, and ideas on how they became successful. The one thing they seem to have in common was that these top performing professionals read or listened to motivational, inspirational, or educational material on a daily basis.

If you want to judge a person’s potential for success, one of the most accurate indicators would be the number of books they read on an annual, monthly, or weekly basis. It is not as important what you read as it is important that you do read. 

I have learned a great deal from people I disagree with or books that contain ideas and philosophies that I totally reject. Many times, studying what you don’t believe helps you to clarify and confirm what you do believe. The most wise and successful people who have ever populated our world are ready, willing, and able to share their greatest secrets with you between the covers of a book.

As you go through your day today, do what the most successful people do, and read a book.

Today’s the day!

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by e-mail at Jim@JimStovall.com; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor.

As leaders, vision is a necessity, but it’s also important to communicate that vision to your employees. Sociologist and author, Dr. Bertice Berry, has been quoted as saying, “Without vision, people perish.” To have engaged, productive, and successful employees, your team has to know where you’re going together. It’s important that they understand and get behind that vision and know how their job impacts it.

Unfortunately it’s easy to get bogged down in the everyday hustle and bustle. You can lose sight of your ultimate goal when you’re drowning in a sea of meetings, emails, paperwork, management issues, and more. If you’re struggling with your team’s vision, it might be time to get refreshed.

Join Express Employment Professionals for the Refresh Leadership Live simulcast on Wednesday, May 16. To register for a location near you, visit www.refreshleadership.com/live today. You’ll hear from leadership experts like Dr. Berry, Patrick Lencioni, and more. Plus, it’s a great time to network with other leaders in your community.

Mother’s Day
While the roots of Mother’s Day can be traced back to a variety of ancient Greek and Roman festivals, today we celebrate moms and motherhood on the second Sunday in May. In addition to calling your own mom, don’t forget to take a little time to recognize all the hardworking moms among your workforce.

Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. The meaning behind the holiday has transformed outside of Mexico into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, and it’s a great opportunity to set aside some time to treat your staff to a much needed fiesta!

Have a Meeting Outside
May is one of the best months to be outside. The winter lows are gone and the summer highs have yet to arrive. As a special treat to help boost morale, try taking a few office meetings outside. Vitamin D is important for maintaining a healthy immune system and a deficiency has been linked to anxiety and depression. Luckily, the best source for a Vitamin D boost is good old fashioned sunshine.

National Bike to Work Day
Whether you want to help prevent heart disease or you’re striving to save the environment, parking the car and hopping on a bike is a great way to do both. May 18 is National Bike to Work Day and a great opportunity to organize a group of coworkers to swear off petroleum and opt for pure manpower for a few days, at least.

Spring Cleaning
Face it. It has to be done. But you don’t have to treat spring cleaning as some dreaded task that is going to take every ounce of willpower you can muster to accomplish. Instead, make it an event and combine cleaning tasks with team building activities among your employees. Not only will you make the workplace shine, but you’ll be encouraging your staff to get a little closer.

So, in this month’s poll question, we want to know what are the most difficult attributes to assess during an interview?

Recently, The New York Times reported that in one year, it made approximately 3,500 errors in the print edition of its daily newspaper. It went on to report that, nationally, 60% of all newspaper articles contain at least one error or inaccuracy, but only 2% of these mistakes are ever corrected in the form of a printed retraction. 

In the film Absence of Malice, Paul Newman plays a character falsely accused by a major metropolitan newspaper. He confronts the reporter by saying, “You don’t print the truth.  You just print accurately what some guy said.” The words of Mr. Newman’s character ring true today.

When you read that “a highly-placed source stated,” this brings a number of variables into play. First, who does the reporter believe constitutes a highly-placed source, and are they, indeed, highly placed? Secondly, did the reporter convey the quote accurately, and did the newspaper print it properly? And third, did the person quoted have any idea what they were talking about.

When you read words in a newspaper, magazine, or online publication—including these words—you need to take them as an indicator or direction to explore further and not as an absolute fact. 

Recently, I heard one of the candidates running for President say, “America can be energy independent within a decade.” On the same day, a Whitehouse spokesperson said, “America uses 20% of the world’s oil but produces only 2%, and we can never be energy independent through fossil fuel.” This begs the questions:  Are both statements accurate; is either accurate; and where does the truth really lie? 

It’s difficult to judge the viability of someone’s words until you understand their motive and perspective. One person might honestly tell you it’s the hottest summer in 10 years. Another might tell you it’s the coolest summer ever. They both might be experiencing the same weather, and they both might be accurate or in error. If the first person was reporting from Boston and the second from Phoenix, they might both be telling the truth as they understand it and actually be correct. Before you judge anyone’s words, you must know their perspective, their motives, and what they mean by what they say. 

I love my friends, my family, my country, my city, the St. Louis Cardinals, and hot dogs. But not in the same way, to the same extent, and for the same reason. 

As you go through your day today, realize you can only make good decisions with good information. Be sure its reliable, dependable, and accurate before you leap.

Today’s the day!

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by e-mail at Jim@JimStovall.com; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor.

What it takes to be a great leader in today’s business world is a lot like what it takes to be a football legend. It takes blood, sweat, and tears. It takes determination, strategy, and teamwork.

You’ll get knocked about and even knocked out at times. You’ll win some and lose some. Fans will cheer you on. Others will try to tear you down. There will be training sessions and team huddles, passes and blocks. You’ll have to play defense and offence.  And along the way, you’ll keep growing and learning, building up your team. You’ll inspire those who follow you, and that’s what will make you a legendary leader.

Now’s your chance to learn from the greats! Express’ Refresh Leadership Live Simulcast is coming up on Wednesday, May 16 and features legendary Dallas Cowboy and Hall of Fame members Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith who will answer questions and offer tips and advice on leadership. Other speakers include authors Patrick Lencioni and Dr. Bertice Berry. You don’t want to miss out so, make a dash for www.refreshleadership.com/live to sign up. And while your there find out how you could score an Apple iPad.

And just like completely rebranding a business – or remodeling a house – refreshing your brand requires a great deal of strategy and planning in order to be successful. Here are a few points to consider to help guide your refresh efforts.

Clearly define why a brand refresh is necessary
What spurred the idea to refresh your brand? If your company has been around for a while, maybe you’ve decided it’s time to revitalize your dated look. Or, perhaps you’re targeting a new audience and want a brand with a broader appeal. Whatever the reason, it’s important to clearly define why it’s necessary and, most importantly, share your reasoning with your workforce and other key company stakeholders to encourage buy in.

Don’t rush through planning and research
To go back to the remodeling metaphor, you wouldn’t grab a hammer and just start knocking down walls around your house without a blueprint. There’s a whole cavalcade of architects, contractors, materials, and permits that must be in place first before work can begin. And the same holds true for refreshing your brand. Do you have a timeline in place? Have you considered what other components of your business will be affected, such as marketing materials, logos, or office décor? Have you developed a budget? These are all important questions to ask yourself during the planning and research phase of a brand refresh.

Think long term
You don’t want to invest in a major brand refresh only to have to do it again a couple years down the road. Stay away from the flavor of the month or trends that are popular in the moment, but don’t necessarily have the longevity to keep your brand current long term. It may be a good idea to consult with marketing and design experts who have a good pulse on fleeting trends vs. concepts that are built to last.

Keep your customers informed
Your customers will be the ultimate test for whether or not your brand refresh was a success. Keep them informed about the changes and how it will affect the level of service they have come to expect. If possible, it’s also a good idea to get customer feedback about your brand refresh ideas or input about the changes they would like to see.

Refreshing your brand is no small feat. It takes a lot of preparation and hard work to do it right, but can yield big results by helping to ensure your brand stays fresh and continues to resonate with your customers.