Say What?

We all know we are flawed and make mistakes. We know we don’t have it all figured out. And we know there's work to do. But part of finding clarity is discovering the joy in work rather than the seemingly unattainable finish line. Purpose can often be more important than making quota or hitting numbers. And how long does the satisfaction from a "sale" last versus following your passion?

Clutter makes us nervous and stressed. It can derail us from our goals. Clarity will help you find your baseline and silence some of that unnecessary noise.

To gain clarity, here are five questions you can ask yourself:

1. What do you stand for?
2. What will you not do?
3. Why do you do what you do?
4. What are you prepared to do?
5. What will you stop doing?
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit
New Book out in 2016 – Details soon!

Are You Happy?

I’ve mentioned it a few times here that I’ve gone through a lot in the last 18 months but when I step back it gives me perspective that what I’ve experienced is child’s play compared to what others have endured. I have a close friend who often says; don’t compare, but our personal experience is often our most vivid perspective.

We fear losing our income; we stay in stagnant relationships because of money; we settle for good enough, and there's so much more we could do with our lives that isn't attached to wealth or stature.

Who are these people?

What is it about a small close-knit group of people living into their 10th decade on a small Island in Japan or a man who rides his bicycle into town to make a few dollars a day running a rickshaw to return to the tent city where his son greets him with a big smile and gives him joy?

American film maker Roko Belic set out to find what makes humans happy and the result was his 2011 Academy Award nominated documentary entitled Happy. I finally watched it as it’s now available on Netflix.

It's fantastic!


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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

Our Shared Economy

Life isn't simple. Relationships aren't either. In our lifetime, we will fall in love, have several careers, meet many great people, break some hearts, have our heart broken, make money, lose money, make more money, deal with conflict, overcome challenges, and hopefully find some joy along the way.

In his 2009 TEDTalk, Economist Alex Tabarrok sums up our world in the last hundred or so years. It's an interesting perspective.


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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

TED | Alex Tabarrok

Awaken the Child

When you were a kid, you were probably discovering new stuff all the time. There wasn't corporate governance tied to strategic objectives to increase third quarter earnings, you just tried stuff.

Some stuff went well, some not so well, some evolved into other stuff, but you probably didn't over think much because you were too busy discovering and creating. My mom still remarks about how I would get lost in my own world when I was a kid. That kid is alive and well. Is yours?

Snakes and Ladders

But as we grow, we begin to form teams and norms and start to worry more about the opinions of others and grow older and our image becomes more critical than our identity rather than the other way around.

Then we enter the workforce and the race is on to be better than that guy, sell more than her, dress better than him, get the promotion she wanted, make more money than he made, and the world continues to push us to do more – often for them.

Time Flies

So in just a few short years, we go from a kid to a competitive driven individual. Now the business world will love her because there is no place for that childlike wonderment, there is far too much work to be done, meetings to attend, emails to return, and profits to increase. He needs to stay focused on company goals and revenue projections.

Then you may get to a point when you discover your values have been compromised, your goals have been shelved and replaced by those of the person who pays you every two weeks, and you yearn for the simple times when you just discovered new stuff every day without all this noise.

Do As They Say

If you own the company or you’re in a leadership role, telling your employees what to think, want, and feel will work never. Embracing that they do have goals and dreams will work if you do it with authenticity. Don’t be afraid to wake up and help those around you do the same. Put culture and humans in front of profit margins and share price.

Don’t shy away from that young girl who spent hours discovering new ideas on her own. Don’t shun that little boy who lost himself in creativity. Embrace life and let everyone on your team do the same.

The results will astound you.
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Kneale Mann | Leadership and Culture strategist, writer, speaker, executive coach engaging leaders, collaborative teams, and strong business results.

static.guim | flickr

How Curious Are You?

The minutiae of day to day meetings and poor internal customer service can crush a company faster than a nimble competitor. We watch with amazement while companies like Google and Facebook seem to thrive within a hyper creative environment. This is not to suggest these companies don't make mistakes - in fact, many make them in front of the world in spectacular fashion.

It is not also to suggest it's all rosy and fun every moment because real work is being done. But what is the difference between the companies that many read, write and talk about compared to the businesses we pass by every day?

Perhaps successful business owners and managers keep these ideas fresh in the minds.

Stay curious for learning.
Stay curious about improving.

Stay curious through searching.
Stay curious like a child.
Stay curious about now.

Be curious, not judgmental.
Walt Whitman

Stay curious in life.

Stay curious for questions.
Stay curious in discovery.
Stay curious for you.

Stay curious through listening.
Stay curious in business.

Be less curious about people 
and more curious about ideas.
Marie Curie

Stay curious about others.
Stay curious with think time.

Stay curious for next.
Stay curious in leadership.
Stay curious toward answers.

Curious people are interesting people, 
I wonder why that is?
Bill Maher

Stay curious about possibilities.
Stay curious about your strengths.

Stay curious for what drives people.
Stay curious and motivate.

Stay curious. Always.

Don't underestimate the curiosity inside your company.

Kneale Mann

image credit: omnipress | original: Apr 2011

Two Things on Father’s Day

They say you can pick your friends but you can’t pick your family but twice a year we pay tribute to the people who actually brought us into the world. Today it’s dad’s turn. And I can’t know your situation but I hope you and your dad are in a good place or if he’s no longer with us, you think of him fondly. Mom gets half the nod but thanks to my dad for making me creative, smart and inquisitive. I love you.

Thanks to Dads All Over the World

One place you may want to visit today is The Good Men Project. My friend Lisa Hickey is the force behind an idea started by Tom Matlack. There is a book, an online magazine, videos, interaction, a blog and great stuff about all kinds of good men.

And on this Father’s Day, a look at Louis Kahn through the eyes and lens of his son Nathaniel who presented this TED Talk in 2002 about his film “My Architect”. It is a documentary about his legendary father. But it is equally a film about anyone seeking to gain more understanding about their relationships.



Kneale Mann

visual credit: TED

Simple Business Strategy

It might be your biggest ally

There is non-stop chatter about this strategy and that tactic to improve business in every industry and walk of life. It happens in this space almost daily.

There have been countless surveys and research pieces examining why one company thrives while others struggle and it is quite often not about money or the idea. It can simply be a matter of those ideas getting stuck in the mind numbing process of everyday business functions.

Beating Yourself

The minutiae of day to day meetings and poor internal customer service can crush a company faster than a nimble competitor. We watch with amazement while companies like Google and Facebook seem to thrive within a hyper creative environment. This is not to suggest these companies don't make mistakes - in fact, many make them in front of the world in spectacular fashion.

It is not also to suggest it's all rosy and fun every moment because real work is being done. But what is the difference between the companies that many read, write and talk about compared to the businesses we pass by every day?

Perhaps successful business owners and managers keep these ideas fresh in the minds. .

Stay curious for learning.
Stay curious about improving.

Stay curious through searching.
Stay curious like a child.
Stay curious about now.

Be curious, not judgmental.
Walt Whitman

Stay curious in life.

Stay curious for questions.
Stay curious in discovery.
Stay curious for you.

Stay curious through listening.
Stay curious in business.

Be less curious about people 
and more curious about ideas.
Marie Curie

Stay curious about others.
Stay curious with think time.

Stay curious for next.
Stay curious in leadership.
Stay curious toward answers.

Curious people are interesting people, 
I wonder why that is?
Bill Maher

Stay curious about possibilities.
Stay curious about your strengths.

Stay curious for what drives people.
Stay curious and motivate.

Stay curious. Always.

Do you stay curious about ways to improve your business?

Kneale Mann

image credit: ioffer