Michael Nichols

Oct 15 2018

My Quarterly Review Tool – Free Template!

So you know you need to set time away to reconnect with the things that are most important to you. But just getting away won’t cut it!

What are you going to do during your time away?

Earlier I wrote about The Importance of My Quarterly Review. Take a few moments to check out that post – it will add value to this one.

To help me be more productive when I get away for planning and reflection, I developed a template – a Quarterly Review Tool. And, today, I am giving you my template! More about that in a moment…

Oct 06 2018

The Importance of My Annual Review Template and Guide

Before you know it, a new year will be here. So it’s time for your annual review. Have you ever considered using an annual review template to keep you on track during your review?

It seems like the years get shorter and shorter with each passing year. And if you’re like me you’ve already identified several goals for the new year.

I’ve learned that, if I am going to live out the things that are most important to me, I must plan regular, purposeful time away to reflect on the past and look forward into the future.

Last week, I spent two days alone in East Texas conducting my annual review. While I was away, I spent time relaxing, reflecting, thinking, praying. And I made significant progress in a couple of areas in which my growth had stalled.

I am regularly asked what I do during this time away so in this post I’m going to give you my guide & template for how I prepare for my annual review.

Dec 02 2015

Are You Living and Working With Passion?

To play a wrong note is insignificant. To play without passion is inexcusable. – Beethoven

This is a guest post by Chris Patton, President of the Patton Auto Family, which represents seven new car franchises and employs more than 100 people. You can connect with Chris on his Blog or on Twitter.

From the moment I read this quote I’ve not stopped thinking about it. It has come up over and over again in my mind.

As a thought about its application to my life and work, I realized that it is really a litmus test to determine whether or not we are living and leading with passion. Here’s how…

Nov 23 2015

Moms are Leaders Too!

This is a guest post by Danielle Dyball – keynote speaker, author, and coach devoted to encouraging overwhelmed moms seeking an exceptional life. Danielle is a mom of 5, works full-time from home, homeschools her children, and cares for her disabled husband. You can find her at DanielleDyball.com.

Let’s face it – every mom in the world has an enormous job!

And while they are among the most amazing of leaders, how often do we view moms as leaders?

Sure, there are times when mom leads a group. What would it look like if moms were regularly acknowledged and praised as leaders? And what would it look like if moms viewed themselves as leaders.

Moms are leaders, it’s time to start acting like it. Here are 3 tips to be a great leader mom…

Sep 08 2015

5 Essential Character Traits of Great Team Members

The 5 Essential Character Traits of Great Team Members is a guest post by Rebecca Livermore. Rebecca is the founder of Professional Content Creation and the author of several books including the new book, Blogger’s Quick Guide to Working with a Team.

I’ll admit straight-up that I’m a pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps kind of person. My mantra has long been – Take initiative! Just do it! You’re responsible for your own success!

While I still believe that initiative and hard work are incredibly important, I had to own up to the fact that my do-it-myself personality impeded my growth and the success of my business.

Herbert Hoover beat the drum of rugged individualism during his presidency. He believed that the government’s involvement in the financial affairs of ordinary citizens would impede their growth. His fear was that if the government bailed people out during the Great Depression, people would lose initiative.

And if you’re trying to build your business or blog all on your own, it’s time to accept the fact that alone you’ll only be a fraction of the success that you could be with the help of others.

I know – the challenge is that it can take up to three years to fully integrate new members to the team. So it’s essential to hire the right team members.

One of the best ways to do so is to hire people of character. Here are 5 essential character traits to look for when hiring team members for your team…