It’s tough to lead at the office. You have constant HR headaches, cash flow issues, and operational problems, just to name a few. But it’s a lot tougher to lead at home.  Why? First, you can’t fire your children. You’re a parent forever, no matter what your children say or do. Second, there is no paid or unpaid time off. You are always on the job, 24/7, doing their laundry, helping with homework, carpooling them...

Words matter.  I choose them carefully and look for the right words for the situation. But I’ve learned there’s a fine line between being curt and courteous. How we say the words is as important as what we say.  There are three things we need to remember about communicating with our spouse that make all the difference.  First, the way we use our body can change an innocent comment into the start of something bad. ...

You see your son every day.  But how often do you spend uninterrupted one-on-one time with him?  Love your son well by planning out a date for just the two of you.  Here are some great dates for moms and sons.  First, play a sport together.  Most boys love being active.  Even if you’re not the best athlete, be a good sport by going to the batting cages or basketball courts with him.  Second, chow down.  Surprise...

When it comes to relationships, communication can be emotional.  So it needs to be handled carefully. There are some basic truths that Susan and I try to keep in mind when we’re trying to sort through relational issues.  First, remember that we’re all made for relationships.  Maybe this is obvious, but we sometimes forget that life is not just all about “me.”  When we get stuck on ourselves, we lose perspective on...

Our daughters are under attack.  Everywhere they turn, culture is telling them that they aren’t good enough.  As fathers, we have an obligation to instill confidence, along with humility, into our daughters.  So here are some tips for raising daughters to be confident.  First, truly listen to her.  Listen more, lecture less. She needs to know she has your ear, you really understand her, and that you are there for...

Life can be routine, mundane and can feel like a washing machine going round and round. In the cycle of life, how can we make sure we are living a life that’s significant? NFL broadcaster JB Brown says one way to live significantly is to recognize your gift and perfect it. We’ve all been blessed with special gifts and talents and if we perfect them we can impact the world around us for good. By perfecting his...

I confess; I’m a porcupine…at least sometimes. The average porcupine has about 30,000 sharp quills that it raises up and shoots into another animal, or person, when it feels threatened or gets angry. Like a porcupine, when one of my trigger points is pulled, I can get pretty prickly, ornery and downright cranky.  One of those trigger points is unmet expectations. When I build up crazy high expectations for myself...