Two Things Every Leader Should Avoid Like the Plague
Several years ago my friend, Dave Anderson, released his book, Up Your Business: 7 Steps to Fix, Build, or Stretch Your Organization. I remember reading it with excitement, and even developed a teaching on some of the most important lessons I learned from the book. There are so many good ideas that Dave presented, and…
Read MoreMark Cole: The IF Factor
Adversity is inevitable. Challenges, setbacks, disappointment, criticism – you won’t be able to avoid these for long. The most important question is how will you respond to adversity? If there is anyone with reason enough to respond to his circumstances with a negative attitude, it’s Rob Mendez. Rob was born with what they call tetra-amelia…
Read MoreThree Ways to Fan Your Flame and Avoid Burn-out
A few years ago, I was considering a crazy idea. I was thinking about retirement. I was in my late sixties, and things were going well. It was the right time for my team and myself to think about the future and what it was going to look like. As we talked, it seemed like…
Read MoreMark Cole: Choose the 10: A Recipe for Unity
The 4th of July was always an important holiday for the community where I grew up. I’ll always remember the anticipation waiting for the sun to go down and the real celebration to begin. Fireworks! I love fireworks for 2 reasons: 1) Everyone seems to love them, and 2) Nothing screams a unified celebration quite…
Read MoreFive Freedoms
Mark Twain once said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness…Broad, wholesome, charitable views of [people] and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” I’ve spent the past two weeks traveling around the globe, with stops in Vietnam, Oman, Myanmar, and Kish Island. It has…
Read MoreMark Cole: Lasting Impact
My dad was the first influence in my life to teach me the importance of relationships. In his words, “The only thing that will last is what you invest in people.” Acquisitions and possessions will all fade away, but what you place inside of the people around you will remain long after you are gone.…
Read MoreDevelop a Healthy IRA: Five Investments Every Leader Must Make
Do you have a good IRA? Before you answer, let me put things in context: this is not a blog post about traditional investment advice. This is a blog post about leadership investment advice. Good leaders are great investors. They understand not only where investments are necessary, but the type of investments required for success.…
Read MoreMark Cole: Can We Change the World?
Is it really possible for us to change the world? What a big question! Have you ever thought about it? John Maxwell and I are on a worldwide trip for the next few weeks with eight different stops, literally all over the globe, adding value to leaders who influence hundreds of thousands of people. As…
Read MoreSmart Voices in Your Ear
Today, I want to talk to the aspiring leader, someone who dreams of making a bigger impact on their world. The leader who may have never held a leadership position, or maybe has led before, but didn’t lead well and wants to prove they have what it takes. Or maybe you’re a leader who knows…
Read MoreMark Cole: You Got A Problem?
Everybody has problems. If you aren’t sure about that statement, just ask someone—most people will gladly tell you all about theirs! When it comes to problems, I agree with Lou Holtz’s humorous perspective, “Don’t tell your problems to people! 80% don’t care and the other 20% are glad you have them.” While most people don’t…
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