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TEAM WORK EXCELLENCE
TEAM WORK EXCELLENCE
Episode Summary:
Tim chats with his cousin Dave Sweet, homicide detective, author, and consultant, on the overlapping themes between leadership in business and in the world of policing. You’ll hear fascinating insight... Episode Notes: Tim chats with his cousin Dave Sweet, homicide detective, author, and consultant, on the overlapping themes between leadership in business and in the world of policing. You’ll hear fascinating insights into how our minds manifest and manage fear and align with strategies to help your teams open up, give feedback, and share ideas. Whether it’s eliciting opinions during a board meeting or encouraging a witness to give a statement, when leaders empathize and give speakers the freedom to be honest, the more valuable the information given will be. Dave talks to Tim about the idea behind his book, why he pivoted to the world of consulting, and what is next on his horizon. Dave’s desire to show up as a leader, see people as they are, and serve the community is what drives him in his profession as a detective and as a writer. Tim confirms that his cousin is perfectly matched for his job and that as leaders when our work aligns with our passion, it no longer becomes work but a calling. This episode will have you assessing your leadership skills, inspired to improve your communication, and learning to overcome your irrational fears. Stay tuned for part two of this conversation coming soon.  Have you ever basked on a golden beach, your toes buried in the warm sand and your mind wandering to new horizons? Maybe in a place where saying "sorry" isn't a reflex? And suddenly, you're covertly checking out local real estate prices and potential jobs, seriously considering putting those French or Spanish lessons to real use, and fantasizing about a full-fledged relocation. It’s as if the break from routine opens up a window to a world of possibility, something fresh, exciting and unexplored. We’ve all been there. Yet, once the vacation ends and the tan begins to fade, so do those enticing dreams. But why? Let's explore the reasons and what we can do to capture the essence of those fleeting ambitions. The "I'm back to my 9-5" Syndrome
Actionable Insight: Create a roadmap for change. Start small, build momentum, and take calculated risks to explore the new path you're interested in. Leaders: Develop clear strategies within your organization to foster innovation and creativity. Empower team members to explore their dreams and align them with organizational goals.
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That moment when you were looking at the stars and felt an overwhelming sense of purpose? It was real, but now it feels like a distant echo. Without a clear plan, those emotions fade into the background noise of daily life. That dream felt so right on vacation but now seems as unclear mountains in a foggy morning. What was a clear goal a week ago moves far away, and becomes nebulous.
But you can recapture them. You can translate that nebulous dream into something tangible, something that fits into your life’s puzzle. You can make it real. |
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Actionable Insight: Climb through the clouds! Break down your dream into achievable actionable steps. Create a timeline. Make it tangible.
Leaders: Foster a culture of clear goal-setting and accountability within your organization. Guide your team into translating their dreams into actionable steps.
Leaders: Foster a culture of clear goal-setting and accountability within your organization. Guide your team into translating their dreams into actionable steps.
The "Just A Dream" issue
Remember that genius idea on vacation? Back home, it feels silly, out of touch with reality, and out of reach. We discount the idea as a flight of fancy - but maybe that quirky, unconventional idea, that spark of creativity, is just the innovative leap you've been waiting for within your organization. It deserves to be nurtured, not discarded. It takes courage to follow through, but I’ve seen the results – and they’re worth it!
Actionable Insight: Don't underestimate your vacation-self. Treat these "whims" as insights into what truly resonates with you. Explore them further, evaluate their feasibility, and seek expert advice if needed. Beavers are pretty smart; maybe you're onto something.
Leaders: Create platforms for brainstorming and exploration of new ideas within the organization. Don't dismiss unconventional ideas; they might be the next big innovation.
Leaders: Create platforms for brainstorming and exploration of new ideas within the organization. Don't dismiss unconventional ideas; they might be the next big innovation.
Carry a Compass
Venturing into uncharted territory? But guess what? There are seasoned navigators out there, people who've walked this path before and helped others find theirs. Seek them out. Find mentors, read books, attend seminars. Their views on what's possible can open doors you never knew existed. There's a guide who's been on similiar trails, who's been there, done that. If you've never been there before, lean on others' experience and expertise!
Actionable Insight: Reach out to mentors or experts who resonate with your goals. Absorb their wisdom, ask questions, and actively engage with their knowledge. Make connections, share goals, and learn.
Leaders: Encourage continuous learning within your organization. Promote mentorship and provide resources to help team members grow.
Leaders: Encourage continuous learning within your organization. Promote mentorship and provide resources to help team members grow.
Commitments Belong on the Calendar
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Finding time for change might feel like solving a complex puzzle. But it's time to take stock. What are your non-negotiable commitments, and what can be adjusted, or abandoned? You already have simple tools you can use to help you find room to maneuver. Juggling responsibilities is tough, but if it is real and important we give it space on our calendar.
To chase dreams, use this same logic in reverse. Put it on the calendar and it becomes real. It's an investment of time that will make dreams real. |
Relationships, Homes, Businesses, Passions... it's the time we spend on something that makes it real.
- Tim Sweet.
Actionable Insight: Evaluate your commitments and prioritize them. Strategize your moves. What can you pass on to make space for what what deserves a goal attempt?
Leaders: Support team members in achieving work-life balance. Encourage prioritization and help identify unnecessary commitments.
Leaders: Support team members in achieving work-life balance. Encourage prioritization and help identify unnecessary commitments.
Get others looking up.
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Your dreams may seem like solitary musings, but sharing them might bring unexpected treasures. Talk with family, friends, and co-workers about your dreams. Share your visions, like the excitement of showing someone the Northern Lights for the first time. Getting others excited will help you stay inspired, and illuminate your path and make your dreams a reality.
Keep in mind - your dreams may scare them, and they may try to protect you from what lies outside the box. Take time to process these fears and understand them - but don't blindly buy into them. You'll be stronger for it. |
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Actionable Insight: Open up to the wisdom of your network and keep the conversation glowing. If your network has no answers – it’s time to upgrade.
Leaders: Foster open communication within your organization. Create a safe space for team members to share their ideas and passions.
Leaders: Foster open communication within your organization. Create a safe space for team members to share their ideas and passions.
Finding True North
Creating harmony is about ensuring everything is oriented in the same direction. Each aspect of our life, from job to family to new venture are pointed at the same goals, and support the same values. It takes effort, but it's a game-changer.
Once you get a sense of the harmony needed to make sweet music, strings out of tune get more noticable. Don't become deaf to sourness, consider how you might tune your existing responsibilities to harmonize with your new desires.
Once you get a sense of the harmony needed to make sweet music, strings out of tune get more noticable. Don't become deaf to sourness, consider how you might tune your existing responsibilities to harmonize with your new desires.
Actionable Insight: Create balance in your life by aligning new desires with existing responsibilities. Don't lose sight of what resonates with you. Keep your dreams and responsibilities in tune. Don't drop the puck!
Leaders: Encourage a harmonious work environment. Support individual passions while maintaining alignment with organizational goals. Break down complex conflicts into parts so we can see what's in-tune or sour.
Leaders: Encourage a harmonious work environment. Support individual passions while maintaining alignment with organizational goals. Break down complex conflicts into parts so we can see what's in-tune or sour.
Beyond Fantasy: The Deep Dive into Meaning
Don't waste the urges that emerge when you're relaxed. While selling the farm for an island escape might be impossible - or is it a symbol of something deeper? Vacation epiphanies might be a call to action for something more profound.
You deserve to dive into what these fantasies mean. Perhaps it's the need for a change in career, relationships, or lifestyle? Get chunky and explore beyond the surface and discover the essence of your desires. Dive deeper, and you might find it's less about the location and more about the flavour of life you crave.
Your time on this planet is limited, so don't waste it living the wrong life.
You deserve to dive into what these fantasies mean. Perhaps it's the need for a change in career, relationships, or lifestyle? Get chunky and explore beyond the surface and discover the essence of your desires. Dive deeper, and you might find it's less about the location and more about the flavour of life you crave.
Your time on this planet is limited, so don't waste it living the wrong life.
Actionable Insight: Reflect on what's behind your dreams. Is there a deeper need or desire that's calling for your attention? Get to the root of your aspirations.
Leaders: Encourage self-reflection and exploration within your team. Recognize individual needs and align them with the organization's vision.
Leaders: Encourage self-reflection and exploration within your team. Recognize individual needs and align them with the organization's vision.
Feeling hot hot hot - Keep the vibe.
You don't have to move to the other side of the world to satisfy your needs. Small changes can make a significant difference in your life. Sometimes, we can resolve to keep elements that worked for us on vacation, these can bring a fresh breeze of change into your daily routine, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.
You don’t need a complete overhaul - changing the vibe can make a big difference.
You don’t need a complete overhaul - changing the vibe can make a big difference.
Actionable Insight: Identify small but meaningful changes you can make to improve your daily life. Embrace them and observe their impact. So, start with bite-sized tweaks and notice the difference they make.
Leaders: Promote a culture of continuous improvement within your organization. Encourage small changes that align with larger goals.
Leaders: Promote a culture of continuous improvement within your organization. Encourage small changes that align with larger goals.
In closing, take time to harness the power of dreams and those vacation "aha" moments. They’re more than just passing thoughts over a different sunset; they're potential life-changers. And remember, a vacation might be temporary, but the spark it ignites doesn’t have to be.
So, before you've washed the last of the sand out of your ears, and before the memory of that still morning when all was right in the world fades, make a real effort to put transformation in motion and commit to your dreams.
I hope you enjoyed this article, but it is no substitute for the real conversation, challenge, and commitment. So, if you ever decide to make that move, look me up.
Episode Summary
In this episode, host Tim Sweet invites Melanie Potro, a Business Stylist, to discuss the importance of personal style and its impact on leadership. Melanie helps leaders communicate effectively and develop a signature style that reflects their personal brand. They explore the significance of first impressions, the emergence of personal style in the post-pandemic era, and the differences in pursuing style for men, women and non-binary individuals. Melanie emphasizes the connection between authentic style and boosting confidence in leadership roles.
In this episode, host Tim Sweet invites Melanie Potro, a Business Stylist, to discuss the importance of personal style and its impact on leadership. Melanie helps leaders communicate effectively and develop a signature style that reflects their personal brand. They explore the significance of first impressions, the emergence of personal style in the post-pandemic era, and the differences in pursuing style for men, women and non-binary individuals. Melanie emphasizes the connection between authentic style and boosting confidence in leadership roles.
"Be grateful... today is especially delicious"
Try a team building meal that blows the buns off ordering in food!
Get a few volunteers (both frontline and management), dust off the ghetto blaster and put-on a free lunch for staff. The result is an inexpensive and memorable event that builds relationships.
Try a team building meal that blows the buns off ordering in food!
Get a few volunteers (both frontline and management), dust off the ghetto blaster and put-on a free lunch for staff. The result is an inexpensive and memorable event that builds relationships.
Elotes (Eh-LOH-tess) are a common street food throughout Latin America. This corn on a stick is boiled, roast or grilled. What makes Elotes great for groups is the fact that they can be easily prepared, held hot until
everyone is served and can be enjoyed standing up. This inexpensive meal is not only delicious to the North American palate but offers a real cultural experience. It takes advantage of the great corn grown here in Western Canada on sale from the backs of trucks everywhere. Don’t be surprised if after you try it, it becomes your favorite way to serve corn at home.
HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR 60 PEOPLE:
• 100-120 ears of good local corn (look for Taber or Jensen’s Trucks, or a local producer at a farmers market)
• 1 950g jar of REAL mayonnaise (I like the superstore NN brand, because it has more yolk, Don’t use Miracle Whip!)
• 2 750g containers of good sour cream (the best I’ve found is Olympic Premium, 14% MF)
• 6 limes (pick smooth heavy fruit, don’t use plastic limes)
• 2 tsp of Salt
FOR THE CONDIMENT TABLE
• Chili Powder (Make sure it is a FRESH bag or shaker, I like to by from the ‘Indian Cuisine’ section at the supermarket, as these inventories turn more frequently)
• Hot Sauce (an assortment of your favorites) MATERIALS NEEDED
• Paper plates (cheap and flexible), Napkins, Toothpicks
• Extra heavy skewers (almost pencil thickness) or bamboo chopsticks (1 per cob)
• Propane Picnic burner (commonly known as turkey fryers.) Check with employees (someone usually owns one of these) or buy from Canadian Tire or Wal-Mart
• A really, really big pot (often sold with the burner)
• A BBQ, coal or gas, pre heated and set low
• Full propane tanks for picnic burner and BBQ
• 2 Baking sheets or big roasting pans to hold the corn.
• A butchers block or stout table.
• Bowl, Whisk, Rubber Spatula
• Stereo (and Latin American music perhaps?)
• Garbage Cans
2 Hours before the event:
• Get the water boiling with the pot 2/3 full. Add enough salt to make the water taste like tears.
• Husk all the corn ahead of time, being careful to remove the silk.
• Make the dressing: Juice the limes, removing the pulp and seeds. Mix the juice with all the mayo, sour cream and 2 tsp of salt. DON’T ADD ANY CHILLI OR HOT SAUCE. Retain the containers. Blend completely with the whisk. Pour back into the empty containers (You’ll use these for dipping the corn). Refrigerate until needed.
½ Hour before event
• Start boiling the corn. The water should be a rolling boil when the corn goes in, and completely cover the corn. Get it in as fast as possible, as you want it to cook evenly.
• Light the BBQ, pre heat at medium, then set to low. Set the condiment table with spices, sauces, napkins and toothpicks.
• After 10 minutes since the last piece went in the water, remove all the corn and stack tightly on the cookie sheets or roasting pans
• Get water boiling, add water if necessary, and Add next batch of corn to the water and repeat
• Start to push the skewers into the end of the cobs. Holding the corn with a clean dry towel or oven mitt and use the cob as hammer. Drive 1/3 of the skewer into the center the corn by striking it against a solid surface.
10 Minutes before the event:
• Put corn on grill and slowly turn to toast and keep warm. When the first employee arrives
• Dip the corn into one a container of dressing covering the corn almost completely. Let the excess run back into the container. Don’t waste it.
• Put on a plate, and show the guest where the chili powders are (which they can add themselves based on taste and heat preference).
TURN UP THE MUSIC AND HAVE A GREAT TIME!
everyone is served and can be enjoyed standing up. This inexpensive meal is not only delicious to the North American palate but offers a real cultural experience. It takes advantage of the great corn grown here in Western Canada on sale from the backs of trucks everywhere. Don’t be surprised if after you try it, it becomes your favorite way to serve corn at home.
HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR 60 PEOPLE:
• 100-120 ears of good local corn (look for Taber or Jensen’s Trucks, or a local producer at a farmers market)
• 1 950g jar of REAL mayonnaise (I like the superstore NN brand, because it has more yolk, Don’t use Miracle Whip!)
• 2 750g containers of good sour cream (the best I’ve found is Olympic Premium, 14% MF)
• 6 limes (pick smooth heavy fruit, don’t use plastic limes)
• 2 tsp of Salt
FOR THE CONDIMENT TABLE
• Chili Powder (Make sure it is a FRESH bag or shaker, I like to by from the ‘Indian Cuisine’ section at the supermarket, as these inventories turn more frequently)
• Hot Sauce (an assortment of your favorites) MATERIALS NEEDED
• Paper plates (cheap and flexible), Napkins, Toothpicks
• Extra heavy skewers (almost pencil thickness) or bamboo chopsticks (1 per cob)
• Propane Picnic burner (commonly known as turkey fryers.) Check with employees (someone usually owns one of these) or buy from Canadian Tire or Wal-Mart
• A really, really big pot (often sold with the burner)
• A BBQ, coal or gas, pre heated and set low
• Full propane tanks for picnic burner and BBQ
• 2 Baking sheets or big roasting pans to hold the corn.
• A butchers block or stout table.
• Bowl, Whisk, Rubber Spatula
• Stereo (and Latin American music perhaps?)
• Garbage Cans
2 Hours before the event:
• Get the water boiling with the pot 2/3 full. Add enough salt to make the water taste like tears.
• Husk all the corn ahead of time, being careful to remove the silk.
• Make the dressing: Juice the limes, removing the pulp and seeds. Mix the juice with all the mayo, sour cream and 2 tsp of salt. DON’T ADD ANY CHILLI OR HOT SAUCE. Retain the containers. Blend completely with the whisk. Pour back into the empty containers (You’ll use these for dipping the corn). Refrigerate until needed.
½ Hour before event
• Start boiling the corn. The water should be a rolling boil when the corn goes in, and completely cover the corn. Get it in as fast as possible, as you want it to cook evenly.
• Light the BBQ, pre heat at medium, then set to low. Set the condiment table with spices, sauces, napkins and toothpicks.
• After 10 minutes since the last piece went in the water, remove all the corn and stack tightly on the cookie sheets or roasting pans
• Get water boiling, add water if necessary, and Add next batch of corn to the water and repeat
• Start to push the skewers into the end of the cobs. Holding the corn with a clean dry towel or oven mitt and use the cob as hammer. Drive 1/3 of the skewer into the center the corn by striking it against a solid surface.
10 Minutes before the event:
• Put corn on grill and slowly turn to toast and keep warm. When the first employee arrives
• Dip the corn into one a container of dressing covering the corn almost completely. Let the excess run back into the container. Don’t waste it.
• Put on a plate, and show the guest where the chili powders are (which they can add themselves based on taste and heat preference).
TURN UP THE MUSIC AND HAVE A GREAT TIME!
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