Tremendous Tracey
To Be Mighty, You Must Be Smitey
Leadership requires us to confront sin—be it laziness, gossip, or outright sabotage—within our ranks. Evil doesn't rest, and neither can we. Strength across all areas ensures we're ready for whatever enemy lies in wait, and our preparedness often ensures those enemies never even step through the door.
Leadership Lessons Learned from a Bird
This Thanksgiving, I experienced something new: I cooked my very first turkey! I know, I know—hard to believe, right? You're thinking, Come on Tracey, you've been to war, traveled the globe, gone on TV with four dogs and a cat, walked where Jesus walked, and you've never cooked a turkey? That is correct! For as long as I can remember, my mother—our family's own Martha Stewart—held the honor. When she immigrated to heaven, that sacred duty passed to my sister, Candy.
A Thanksgiving Reflection: The True Gift of Giving
This Thanksgiving, let's reflect on how we can give—truly give—without expectation. Whether it's a kind word, an act of service, or simply our time, giving from the heart changes us. It allows us to see the needs of others and respond with love and compassion.
Experience, Application, and the Tremendous Call to Grow
During my doctoral research, I asked participants to rate their need to be developed on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest. It was discouraging to see so many leaders rank themselves at the lower end of the scale. Their reasons? “I’m a certain age and don’t need further certifications,” “I’m close to retirement,” or “I’m comfortable where I am.”
Suiting Up for Life's Battles: One Veteran’s Lessons from Service, Faith, and Lifelong Learning
In both military life and personal development, there's a call to "suit up"—to be prepared, steadfast, and resilient in the face of challenges. The...
Apply or Die: The Time to Act is Now!
I recently heard a powerful truth: If you don't put something into action within 72 hours, you likely never will. Research and countless conversations with successful people back this up. They call it the 72-hour rule—when you start within those first 72 hours, your chances of success skyrocket by 90%.
Unlock the Future of Leadership—Join Me on an Unmatched Journey, Reserved for a Select Few!
Last month, I was honored to receive the Excellence in Teaching Award from the American College of Financial Services. Today, I proudly earned the Certified Professional Business Leader (CPBL) designation with the Professional Business Coaches Alliance (PBCA). This intensive, three-module program is designed to elevate leaders like you, equipping you with the practical tools and strategic vision to drive transformative change.
Voting is Tremendous: Standing Up for Values in Every Election
Missional alignment is key to building trust in any leader. The media often tries to steer us toward strong opinions, sometimes even disdain for particular candidates. But that approach is shortsighted and, quite honestly, it’s idiotic. Let’s move beyond media-driven negativity and remember the wise words of George MacDonald: “To be trusted is a higher compliment than to be loved.” In voting, we’re not looking for a candidate we’d want to hang out with on the weekend. We’re looking for leaders we can trust based on their values—not their personalities or public personas shaped by others. Knowing a leader’s true values gives us the confidence to trust them, no matter what anyone else says.
The Watchman's Call: Reclaiming Our Voice in Business and Family
In business, being a Watchman means more than just managing day-to-day operations. It's about staying alert to potential threats to your organization's values, culture, and long-term health. Perhaps you're on a board, and you sense something amiss during a meeting. It may be a proposal that sounds financially lucrative but cuts ethical corners. Or it could be a shift in company culture that compromises integrity for expedience. Do you speak up when your spirit is pricked, and your conscience stirs? If you choose silence, you jeopardize your organization and risk the fallout of personal accountability.
The Most Tremendous Transition of All
Today, we often avoid death, preferring clinical detachment. Yet the wisdom of the Greeks reminds us that when we allow death to reclaim its place in the circle of life, we gain a fuller understanding of our existence. Embracing death can lead us to live with greater purpose, gratitude, and connection to life's rhythms.
Unleashing the Tremendous Power of Teaching
Over the years, I realized that experience alone has its limits. Responding to the world around us is powerful, but it only gets us so far. That realization propelled me into a doctoral program, where I learned, unlearned, and relearned for four intense years. I wanted to complement my practical experience with a foundation in theory. It was there that I truly understood that, sometimes, we have to be taught and not just caught.
Prioritizing Humanity or Inhumanity?
As I was celebrating the return of Mike's wallet, Messenger hit me with an unexpected blow—my Facebook account was suspended. A notification popped up on my phone stating that I had violated their policies. I knew this wasn't true. Someone had hacked my account, and just like that, I was blocked and erased. There was no warning, no explanation, and no way to reach a human for support. It was as if I never existed.
Critical Thinking: The Key to Success in Any Industry
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, critical thinking has become essential for professionals across all fields. Making sound decisions, solving problems effectively, and navigating complex challenges are crucial for driving success and staying competitive.
Ethics: Character Before Culture
Just as the Ten Commandments emerged carved in stone, an organization's values must also be set in an unshakable foundation. Without these guiding principles, any attempt at fostering an ethical culture becomes like building on shifting sands. These values are the cornerstone and nothing meaningful can be built without them.
Retention: The Million Dollar Question
We can only get it right with the right people; retention is about keeping them. Why do people keep showing up for work after they've decided to join your organization? Kevin's question struck at the heart of what we all need to consider: Employees come to work for one of two reasons—to transact or to transform. They are there for a paycheck, or they are there for a payback, to grow and make an impact, to evolve themselves or the enterprise.
