All men make mistakes, but a wise man learns from his mistakes. So today, I’d like to share with you a few common mistakes men make in life that we can all learn from and avoid. First, men often make the mistake of not listening well. And a lack of listening leads to a lack of trust in relationships. Second, there’s the mistake of thinking we don’t need any help. But, in reality, accepting help demonstrates a...

Each day, maybe 16,000 words or more come out of our mouths.  Odds are that some of these words will end up offending the people around us.  So how do you react when you’ve offended someone?  Here are several common reactions.  First, we become defensive.  We move the blame onto the very person we’ve offended by saying things like, “If only you hadn’t been so sensitive.” Instead of defending yourself, it’s often...

Change is easy, transition is not. Let me explain. Change in relationships can be easy to talk about, desire and even envision. It’s the transition from point A to point B that trips people up and keeps them from reaching their destination of real change. The transition…how we get there…is the tough part. So how can we make the transition process easier so that real change will occur in our relationships? First,...

It’s the gift of listening to others. In his new book, A Leader’s Gift, author Barry Banther shares that when we’re speaking with someone, we often “wonder whether the other person is really listening or just waiting to respond. Few people are actually listening to understand.” I’m definitely guilty…I often find myself not really listening to the other person; I’m just thinking about what I want to say. Banther...

I’ve got a confession to make. I’m much, much quicker to criticize than compliment. Unfortunately, when I see something or hear something, I often start with what’s wrong with it rather than what’s right with it. Can you relate? Mark Twain once said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” Here are some things you can do to increase your compliment to criticism ratio. First, put a reminder on your...

The world seems to provide us an easy solution to every problem.  Whether it’s organizing our work or schedule plans, we find tons of resources at our fingertips.  However, when it comes to improving our relationships, there’s not always a clear set of steps to take.  Relationships can’t be built overnight.  They take time, effort, and love.  Rather than chase after the next new app, I’d encourage you to build and...

Recently, my friend Danny and I were talking when he suddenly stopped me and asked, “Mark, how are you wired?”  I replied, “Well, I have to write down just about everything to make sure I do it. Let’s put it this way, if I need to encourage someone, I have to write it at the top of my calendar.” Danny couldn’t believe it. “You are really that robotic?” he said. “I never knew that about you.” He then suggested that...