Become a CMO...Chief Motivating Officer

Motivate Like a CEO...I love the title of the book that came across my desk recently, written by my colleague Suzanne Bates, but I was a bit skeptical as how this book would be relevant to folks outside of the corner office. However, as soon as I began to read Motivate Like a CEO, I realized that Suzanne's message is universal to anyone who needs to communicate and motivate a team to be more effective, productive, and creative. Communicating a strong sense of purpose, connection and shared goals creates an environment for inviting change and growth; qualities necessary in education, health care, business, politics, and life. For those in health care, think of how helpful it would be to be a more effective motivator and communicator with patients and families; helping to change behavior and lifestyle. For those in education, imagine the positive impact of inspiring students to work toward common goals. The opportunities to use these strategies are numerous and extend much farther than the traditional corner office. Motivate Like a CEO is clearly written and filled with strategies for becoming a CMO...Chief Motivating Officer. A must read for any leader or potential leader!

On Monday, January 26, Suzanne Bates and a number of experts and authors in the fields of business, communication, consulting, stress management, health care, and education will come together to offer special bonus gifts to those of you who purchase Motivate Like a CEO on that day. Stress Resources is pleased to be the stress management firm selected to offer a valuable bonus to book purchasers. What a great way to add an invaluable book, Motivate Like a CEO, to your business library, and also take advantage of a myriad of complimentary bonus gifts from noted experts. To find out more about this one day offer, click here: http://www.bates-communications.com/motivate-bonusoffer.php

Let's Get to Work

Today I joined with millions of others from around the block and around the world to witness an amazing moment of hope; of picking ourselves back up, dusting ourselves off, and beginning again the remaking of America. President Obama has set before us this challenge...will we accept it? I know I am up for the opportunity to help redefine our collective vision. Will you join me in making a difference? My good friend and colleague Dr. Harvey Zarren, president of the Integrative Medicine Alliance beautifully articulated what so many of us felt today. With Harvey's permission, I share with you his words:

"Know that now a torch has been passed, turning away from fear and into
hope, turning away from coercion and into invitation, turning away from
insulation and into brotherhood, and turning away from the oppression of
privilege and into the responsibility and possibility of
humankind.

The question is raised and the challenge has been
offered: can we, each of us, starting within ourselves and then in all our
relationships and all our positions, can we carry that vision forward with
courage and curiosity, persistence and humility, love and the conviction of all
possibilities?

Let's continue working at the new vision with all
the capabilities and all the energy that we possess and of which we can
conceive."

Thank you, President Obama, thank you, Harvey...now, let's get to work!

New Year...New Possibilities

"Now let us welcome the New Year,
Full of things that have never been."
Rainer Maria Rilke

Welcome to the new year, a year of new possibilities. Thank you to Pat T., who reminded me of the above quotation as the old year passed and the new year was born. As we in the north bundle ourselves under many outer layers, perhaps this can also be a time of examining the inner layers of our lives and exploring this new place of opportunity, of freshness, that exists in 2009. Inertia is easy, unfolding into new ways of being is challenging...I wish you a new year of challenging exploration!