have you ever thought about why CEOs get divorced I have I think about this stuff
divorced I have I think about this stuff
divorced I have I think about this stuff every semester have several CEOs come
every semester have several CEOs come
every semester have several CEOs come and speak to my MBA students at
and speak to my MBA students at
and speak to my MBA students at cu-boulder
cu-boulder
cu-boulder in the Colorado State University the
in the Colorado State University the
in the Colorado State University the CEOs typically focused on their
CEOs typically focused on their
CEOs typically focused on their commitment to work and the students ask
commitment to work and the students ask
commitment to work and the students ask questions about how the CEOs achieved
questions about how the CEOs achieved
questions about how the CEOs achieved financial success
financial success
financial success last semester the questions took a
last semester the questions took a
last semester the questions took a different turn at the end of each
different turn at the end of each
different turn at the end of each presentation the students asked a
presentation the students asked a
presentation the students asked a personal question they asked are you
personal question they asked are you
personal question they asked are you still married unfortunately every CEO
still married unfortunately every CEO
still married unfortunately every CEO responded by saying they’ve had at least
responded by saying they’ve had at least
responded by saying they’ve had at least one divorce and they attributed their
one divorce and they attributed their
one divorce and they attributed their divorce to their work or their company
divorce to their work or their company
divorce to their work or their company impacting the relationship with their
impacting the relationship with their
impacting the relationship with their spouse and their children
spouse and their children
spouse and their children I wondered given that why don’t CEO
I wondered given that why don’t CEO
I wondered given that why don’t CEO spent more time creating environment at
spent more time creating environment at
spent more time creating environment at work that positively impacts employees
work that positively impacts employees
work that positively impacts employees personal lives so that they can they can
personal lives so that they can they can
personal lives so that they can they can engage at work at home and in their
engage at work at home and in their
engage at work at home and in their communities
communities
communities since my CEOs were baby boomers and the
since my CEOs were baby boomers and the
since my CEOs were baby boomers and the students were millenials it made me
students were millenials it made me
students were millenials it made me realize the different generational
realize the different generational
realize the different generational impacts and generational conflicts that
impacts and generational conflicts that
impacts and generational conflicts that exist at work and play out in every
exist at work and play out in every
exist at work and play out in every aspect of our lives and then it hit home
aspect of our lives and then it hit home
aspect of our lives and then it hit home literally I recently had to renew my
literally I recently had to renew my
literally I recently had to renew my passport and my wife she was answering
passport and my wife she was answering
passport and my wife she was answering the passport renewal renewal questions
the passport renewal renewal questions
the passport renewal renewal questions she was grinning as she asked what color
she was grinning as she asked what color
she was grinning as she asked what color is your hair well I confidently
is your hair well I confidently
is your hair well I confidently responded that it’s brown like it’s
responded that it’s brown like it’s
responded that it’s brown like it’s always been
always been
always been she then grabbed her cell phone and
she then grabbed her cell phone and
she then grabbed her cell phone and began texting my daughter and she asked
began texting my daughter and she asked
began texting my daughter and she asked her she said what color is dad’s hair
her she said what color is dad’s hair
her she said what color is dad’s hair as if to build some unified support in
as if to build some unified support in
as if to build some unified support in the family for some other color than
the family for some other color than
the family for some other color than brown right you know I was completely
brown right you know I was completely
brown right you know I was completely surprised when they collectively
surprised when they collectively
surprised when they collectively responded that my hair was gray we you
responded that my hair was gray we you
responded that my hair was gray we you look as surprised as I was to hear their
look as surprised as I was to hear their
look as surprised as I was to hear their response up to this point I bet you were
response up to this point I bet you were
response up to this point I bet you were thinking I was a millennial speaker
thinking I was a millennial speaker
thinking I was a millennial speaker right it may surprise you
right it may surprise you
right it may surprise you I’m a gen Xer you know the Forgotten
I’m a gen Xer you know the Forgotten
I’m a gen Xer you know the Forgotten generation the generation that brought
generation the generation that brought
generation the generation that brought you Nirvana slackers we’re not worthy
you Nirvana slackers we’re not worthy
you Nirvana slackers we’re not worthy from Wayne’s World all right or the
from Wayne’s World all right or the
from Wayne’s World all right or the generation that suffers from the middle
generation that suffers from the middle
generation that suffers from the middle child syndrome a feeling of exclusion
actually or the bridge generation or the
actually or the bridge generation or the generation responsible for blending
generation responsible for blending
generation responsible for blending together the baby boomers those that are
together the baby boomers those that are
together the baby boomers those that are in their 50s and 60s and the Millennials
in their 50s and 60s and the Millennials
in their 50s and 60s and the Millennials those that are in their 20s and early
those that are in their 20s and early
those that are in their 20s and early 30s think about it
30s think about it
30s think about it Gen X is the solution to the baby
Gen X is the solution to the baby
Gen X is the solution to the baby boomers and the Millennials conflicts
boomers and the Millennials conflicts
boomers and the Millennials conflicts and it’s all happening at work and it
and it’s all happening at work and it
and it’s all happening at work and it all started with this thing called
all started with this thing called
all started with this thing called work-life balance
work-life balance
work-life balance you remember that work-life balance
you remember that work-life balance
you remember that work-life balance however it’s no longer about balance
however it’s no longer about balance
however it’s no longer about balance it’s about blending together work in
it’s about blending together work in
it’s about blending together work in home life
home life
home life technological economic and social
technological economic and social
technological economic and social factors have substantially changed the
factors have substantially changed the
factors have substantially changed the way we live with over 60 million
way we live with over 60 million
way we live with over 60 million multi-generational households in the
multi-generational households in the
multi-generational households in the u.s. that’s 60 million homes with at
u.s. that’s 60 million homes with at
u.s. that’s 60 million homes with at least three generations living under one
least three generations living under one
least three generations living under one roof just in the u.s. there’s work from
roof just in the u.s. there’s work from
roof just in the u.s. there’s work from home days at virtually every company and
home days at virtually every company and
home days at virtually every company and there’s access to work 24/7 so what
there’s access to work 24/7 so what
there’s access to work 24/7 so what happens at work has a much more
happens at work has a much more
happens at work has a much more significant impact on our personal lives
significant impact on our personal lives
significant impact on our personal lives and how we show up in our communities
and how we show up in our communities
and how we show up in our communities than at any other point in history we
than at any other point in history we
than at any other point in history we used to look at work in life like they
used to look at work in life like they
used to look at work in life like they were separate kind of like a divided
were separate kind of like a divided
were separate kind of like a divided plate of food with different parts for
plate of food with different parts for
plate of food with different parts for each food group and serving but
each food group and serving but
each food group and serving but technologies change that with technology
technologies change that with technology
technologies change that with technology there’s less separation between work
there’s less separation between work
there’s less separation between work home life and our community life
home life and our community life
home life and our community life it’s crazy that it’s taken us this long
it’s crazy that it’s taken us this long
it’s crazy that it’s taken us this long to figure it out we’ve known we’ve known
to figure it out we’ve known we’ve known
to figure it out we’ve known we’ve known forever that people that we we seek
forever that people that we we seek
forever that people that we we seek connection and inclusion rather than
connection and inclusion rather than
connection and inclusion rather than work in life being separate like a
work in life being separate like a
work in life being separate like a divided plate of food it’s more like a
divided plate of food it’s more like a
divided plate of food it’s more like a veggie fruit smoothie all blended
veggie fruit smoothie all blended
veggie fruit smoothie all blended together making something healthy and
together making something healthy and
together making something healthy and sweet but when we look at a typical day
sweet but when we look at a typical day
sweet but when we look at a typical day you know we spend more than half of our
you know we spend more than half of our
you know we spend more than half of our waking time and work or work related
waking time and work or work related
waking time and work or work related activities given that how do you think
activities given that how do you think
activities given that how do you think work impacts our personal lives and how
work impacts our personal lives and how
work impacts our personal lives and how we show up in our communities in today’s
we show up in our communities in today’s
we show up in our communities in today’s modern multi-generational family work
modern multi-generational family work
modern multi-generational family work impacts all kinds of relationships
impacts all kinds of relationships
impacts all kinds of relationships relationships between spouses our
relationships between spouses our
relationships between spouses our significant others relationships between
significant others relationships between
significant others relationships between parents and children and what about our
parents and children and what about our
parents and children and what about our friends outside of work
friends outside of work
friends outside of work this Blenda fication impacts virtually
this Blenda fication impacts virtually
this Blenda fication impacts virtually every relationship that we have and at
every relationship that we have and at
every relationship that we have and at the core of this is work because that’s
the core of this is work because that’s
the core of this is work because that’s where we spend most of our time so
where we spend most of our time so
where we spend most of our time so workplace environments are the platform
workplace environments are the platform
workplace environments are the platform to positively impact employees personal
to positively impact employees personal
to positively impact employees personal lives so that they in turn positively
lives so that they in turn positively
lives so that they in turn positively impact their communities this connection
impact their communities this connection
impact their communities this connection this connection between work and life it
this connection between work and life it
this connection between work and life it made me think about when I was growing
made me think about when I was growing
made me think about when I was growing up every night at dinner my mom would
up every night at dinner my mom would
up every night at dinner my mom would talk about her workday and it wasn’t
talk about her workday and it wasn’t
talk about her workday and it wasn’t always nice even now I remember her boss
always nice even now I remember her boss
always nice even now I remember her boss gene and how gene unknowingly played a
gene and how gene unknowingly played a
gene and how gene unknowingly played a role in raising me if gene was happy at
role in raising me if gene was happy at
role in raising me if gene was happy at work that day my mom was happy at dinner
work that day my mom was happy at dinner
work that day my mom was happy at dinner if on the other hand gene was in a bad
if on the other hand gene was in a bad
if on the other hand gene was in a bad mood guess what right my mom was in a
mood guess what right my mom was in a
mood guess what right my mom was in a bad mood too this impacted much more
bad mood too this impacted much more
bad mood too this impacted much more than a sporadic dinner conversation it
than a sporadic dinner conversation it
than a sporadic dinner conversation it impacted my relationship with my mom and
impacted my relationship with my mom and
impacted my relationship with my mom and how I viewed this this thing called work
how I viewed this this thing called work
how I viewed this this thing called work and I had three other siblings that gene
and I had three other siblings that gene
and I had three other siblings that gene unknowingly influenced at a young age my
unknowingly influenced at a young age my
unknowingly influenced at a young age my mom’s work played a significant role in
mom’s work played a significant role in
mom’s work played a significant role in how I was raised and today it makes me
how I was raised and today it makes me
how I was raised and today it makes me think about the
think about the
think about the I have a dinner with my family you know
I have a dinner with my family you know
I have a dinner with my family you know there’s a lot of research out there
there’s a lot of research out there
there’s a lot of research out there supporting how how moods impact
supporting how how moods impact
supporting how how moods impact relationships and interactions there was
relationships and interactions there was
relationships and interactions there was a study by roy baumeister of Case
a study by roy baumeister of Case
a study by roy baumeister of Case Western Reserve in the study he placed
Western Reserve in the study he placed
Western Reserve in the study he placed the researchers placed a plate of
the researchers placed a plate of
the researchers placed a plate of freshly baked warm steaming hot
freshly baked warm steaming hot
freshly baked warm steaming hot chocolate chip cookies next to a bowl of
chocolate chip cookies next to a bowl of
chocolate chip cookies next to a bowl of radishes and they asked half of the
radishes and they asked half of the
radishes and they asked half of the subjects to eat the radishes and ignore
subjects to eat the radishes and ignore
subjects to eat the radishes and ignore the cookies and the other half just to
the cookies and the other half just to
the cookies and the other half just to eat the cookies at the end of that they
eat the cookies at the end of that they
eat the cookies at the end of that they asked all of the subjects to solve an
asked all of the subjects to solve an
asked all of the subjects to solve an impossible puzzle the researchers then
impossible puzzle the researchers then
impossible puzzle the researchers then step behind and watch through one of
step behind and watch through one of
step behind and watch through one of those looking glass mirrors and they sat
those looking glass mirrors and they sat
those looking glass mirrors and they sat there and observed and you know what
there and observed and you know what
there and observed and you know what they saw they saw the cookie eaters they
they saw they saw the cookie eaters they
they saw they saw the cookie eaters they looked relaxed one of them tried a
looked relaxed one of them tried a
looked relaxed one of them tried a straightforward approach she hit a
straightforward approach she hit a
straightforward approach she hit a roadblock and tried again and again and
roadblock and tried again and again and
roadblock and tried again and again and again the cookie eaters they just kept
again the cookie eaters they just kept
again the cookie eaters they just kept trying the radish eaters on the other
trying the radish eaters on the other
trying the radish eaters on the other hand they looked completely different
hand they looked completely different
hand they looked completely different they muttered as they worked they barked
they muttered as they worked they barked
they muttered as they worked they barked at the researchers some of them got
at the researchers some of them got
at the researchers some of them got frustrated and just put their heads down
frustrated and just put their heads down
frustrated and just put their heads down on the table and simply gave up on
on the table and simply gave up on
on the table and simply gave up on average the radish eaters gave up 60%
average the radish eaters gave up 60%
average the radish eaters gave up 60% sooner than the cookie eaters
sooner than the cookie eaters
sooner than the cookie eaters essentially what this means is that the
essentially what this means is that the
essentially what this means is that the radish eaters had some pent-up
radish eaters had some pent-up
radish eaters had some pent-up frustration from avoiding the cookies
frustration from avoiding the cookies
frustration from avoiding the cookies that impacted their ability to stay
that impacted their ability to stay
that impacted their ability to stay patient and positive in something
patient and positive in something
patient and positive in something completely unrelated like solving a
completely unrelated like solving a
completely unrelated like solving a puzzle of course the unofficial results
puzzle of course the unofficial results
puzzle of course the unofficial results of this are that we should all eat
of this are that we should all eat
of this are that we should all eat cookies all the time right that’s my
cookies all the time right that’s my
cookies all the time right that’s my interpretation anyway seriously when
interpretation anyway seriously when
interpretation anyway seriously when connected to the workplace and home life
connected to the workplace and home life
connected to the workplace and home life the study indicates that a stressful
the study indicates that a stressful
the study indicates that a stressful unfulfilled work environment affects our
unfulfilled work environment affects our
unfulfilled work environment affects our ability to remain patient and positive
ability to remain patient and positive
ability to remain patient and positive and other unrelated situations like our
and other unrelated situations like our
and other unrelated situations like our home life remember what the CEO said to
home life remember what the CEO said to
home life remember what the CEO said to my students remember what they said they
my students remember what they said they
my students remember what they said they said that their work life for their
said that their work life for their
said that their work life for their company negatively impacted their
company negatively impacted their
company negatively impacted their relationships with their spouse and
relationships with their spouse and
relationships with their spouse and their children
their children
their children of course the opposite of this is true
of course the opposite of this is true
of course the opposite of this is true to an engaging fulfilling work
to an engaging fulfilling work
to an engaging fulfilling work environment has the power to impact much
environment has the power to impact much
environment has the power to impact much more than the company’s bottom line
more than the company’s bottom line
more than the company’s bottom line since we spend most of our time at work
since we spend most of our time at work
since we spend most of our time at work the workplace culture is the spark that
the workplace culture is the spark that
the workplace culture is the spark that kicks off a complimentary cycle of
kicks off a complimentary cycle of
kicks off a complimentary cycle of positive community impacts this takes me
positive community impacts this takes me
positive community impacts this takes me back to a conversation I had a
back to a conversation I had a
back to a conversation I had a conversation with a CEO he told me that
conversation with a CEO he told me that
conversation with a CEO he told me that he read a book a book about employee
he read a book a book about employee
he read a book a book about employee engagement and he said that if he
engagement and he said that if he
engagement and he said that if he improved his company’s employee
improved his company’s employee
improved his company’s employee engagement he would improve his
engagement he would improve his
engagement he would improve his company’s culture and then he set out on
company’s culture and then he set out on
company’s culture and then he set out on a mission to improve his company’s
a mission to improve his company’s
a mission to improve his company’s employee engagement as I spoke with him
employee engagement as I spoke with him
employee engagement as I spoke with him I realized that he was only focused on
I realized that he was only focused on
I realized that he was only focused on what happens at work I recommended that
what happens at work I recommended that
what happens at work I recommended that he look at engagement as if it were a
he look at engagement as if it were a
he look at engagement as if it were a muscle that needs to be exercised
muscle that needs to be exercised
muscle that needs to be exercised constantly at work and at home
constantly at work and at home
constantly at work and at home the Blenda fication of these two areas
the Blenda fication of these two areas
the Blenda fication of these two areas would actually create more repetitions
would actually create more repetitions
would actually create more repetitions turning a workplace skill into a 24/7
turning a workplace skill into a 24/7
turning a workplace skill into a 24/7 habit I mentioned that there’s this
habit I mentioned that there’s this
habit I mentioned that there’s this process a process I call great it’s a
process a process I call great it’s a
process a process I call great it’s a process where employees at every level
process where employees at every level
process where employees at every level of the organization can participate they
of the organization can participate they
of the organization can participate they can take what they learn as far as
can take what they learn as far as
can take what they learn as far as engagement and actually use those skills
engagement and actually use those skills
engagement and actually use those skills to help build communities I told them
to help build communities I told them
to help build communities I told them that if he started taking this on he
that if he started taking this on he
that if he started taking this on he could watch his greatness spread
could watch his greatness spread
could watch his greatness spread throughout the company and into the
throughout the company and into the
throughout the company and into the community but that was really just my
community but that was really just my
community but that was really just my way of catering to his ego you have to
way of catering to his ego you have to
way of catering to his ego you have to do that sometimes right actually the
do that sometimes right actually the
do that sometimes right actually the word great is an acronym it’s an acronym
word great is an acronym it’s an acronym
word great is an acronym it’s an acronym for the following five steps first
for the following five steps first
for the following five steps first greatness we need to look at people
greatness we need to look at people
greatness we need to look at people differently we need to view everyone is
differently we need to view everyone is
differently we need to view everyone is if they have a spark of greatness inside
if they have a spark of greatness inside
if they have a spark of greatness inside something positive inside that’s waiting
something positive inside that’s waiting
something positive inside that’s waiting for us to find and then we need to take
for us to find and then we need to take
for us to find and then we need to take responsibility it’s my responsibility to
responsibility it’s my responsibility to
responsibility it’s my responsibility to not only find their spark of greatness
not only find their spark of greatness
not only find their spark of greatness but to ignite it in virtually every
but to ignite it in virtually every
but to ignite it in virtually every communication that we have and then we
communication that we have and then we
communication that we have and then we need to avoid extinguishing the spark
need to avoid extinguishing the spark
need to avoid extinguishing the spark and we extinguish sparks through
and we extinguish sparks through
and we extinguish sparks through negative
negative
negative oceans and criticisms that will surely
oceans and criticisms that will surely
oceans and criticisms that will surely put out someone’s spark
put out someone’s spark
put out someone’s spark next we need to apply fuel to the spark
next we need to apply fuel to the spark
next we need to apply fuel to the spark and we do that by providing
and we do that by providing
and we do that by providing encouragement empowerment and direction
encouragement empowerment and direction
encouragement empowerment and direction that will make sure that it takes off
that will make sure that it takes off
that will make sure that it takes off and then finally we need to teach
and then finally we need to teach
and then finally we need to teach ourselves we need to teach ourselves not
ourselves we need to teach ourselves not
ourselves we need to teach ourselves not others how to sit back watch listen and
others how to sit back watch listen and
others how to sit back watch listen and learn as their success spreads like a
learn as their success spreads like a
learn as their success spreads like a wildfire throughout the company into
wildfire throughout the company into
wildfire throughout the company into their home life and throughout the
their home life and throughout the
their home life and throughout the communities as he personally adopted
communities as he personally adopted
communities as he personally adopted these steps others followed the company
these steps others followed the company
these steps others followed the company began to experience lower turnover
began to experience lower turnover
began to experience lower turnover higher loyalty and stronger financial
higher loyalty and stronger financial
higher loyalty and stronger financial success but there was a greater impact
success but there was a greater impact
success but there was a greater impact as others followed his lead not only did
as others followed his lead not only did
as others followed his lead not only did they become more engaged employees they
they become more engaged employees they
they become more engaged employees they became more engaged husbands and wives
became more engaged husbands and wives
became more engaged husbands and wives moms and dads and they became more
moms and dads and they became more
moms and dads and they became more active in their communities the growth
active in their communities the growth
active in their communities the growth extended far beyond the walls of this
extended far beyond the walls of this
extended far beyond the walls of this company in this case the Blenda fication
company in this case the Blenda fication
company in this case the Blenda fication and work in life was the path for one
and work in life was the path for one
and work in life was the path for one small company to make a significant
small company to make a significant
small company to make a significant impact on its community so we need to
impact on its community so we need to
impact on its community so we need to embrace embrace this Blenda fication of
embrace embrace this Blenda fication of
embrace embrace this Blenda fication of work in life since we spend most of our
work in life since we spend most of our
work in life since we spend most of our time at work workplace companies are the
time at work workplace companies are the
time at work workplace companies are the greatest platform for improving
greatest platform for improving
greatest platform for improving communication enhancing relationships
communication enhancing relationships
communication enhancing relationships and strengthening marriages and also
and strengthening marriages and also
and strengthening marriages and also enriching childhood engagement and
enriching childhood engagement and
enriching childhood engagement and workplace companies can accomplish the
workplace companies can accomplish the
workplace companies can accomplish the almost impossible task of blending
almost impossible task of blending
almost impossible task of blending together in uniting baby boomers and
together in uniting baby boomers and
together in uniting baby boomers and Millennials now that would be worth it
Millennials now that would be worth it
Millennials now that would be worth it wouldn’t it so in today’s
wouldn’t it so in today’s
wouldn’t it so in today’s technology-driven multi-generational
technology-driven multi-generational
technology-driven multi-generational world the Blenda fication of work in
world the Blenda fication of work in
world the Blenda fication of work in life is the spark that will build our
life is the spark that will build our
life is the spark that will build our community
”
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