Bixler Highlights
Welcome. Thanks for taking a look. I welcome your feedback. -Susan
October 27, 2010 - Atlanta Habitat Dedication
I was so honored to dedicate three new Atlanta Habitat Houses today! I introduced our corporate sponsors, thanked our many volunteers, and watched the kids pick out their new bedroom in their new home.
Hundreds of volunteers from The Home Depot and Prudential Real Estate Investors along with substantial funding from both companies forever changed the lives of these families. “These are the best days of the year for me,” said one Home Depot volunteer who has worked on a house build each year for seven years. “I am fortunate to work for such a community-minded company.”
5 Facts:
- Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, as well as other Habitat affiliates around the world, continues to be the only builder of affordable homes with no interest loans.
- The Home Depot has worked side by side with Atlanta Habitat for most of its 28 year history and with Habitat International for over 30 years.
- New homeowners must contribute 250 sweat equity hours on their home and on others.
- Mortgages are typically less than $650 – generally no more than families were paying for rent – which includes escrow for taxes, insurance, a termite bond and a maintenance savings fund.
- Volunteers who build Habitat homes help save the homeowner approximately $30,000 - $40,000 in building costs.
October 21, 2010 - Straight Talk from Jamie Dimon
What an impressive leader, who deserved his standing ovation. The Metro Atlanta Chamber featured Jamie Dimon, Chairman of JP Morgan Chase who is arguably the most powerful and outspoken banker today. We heard straight talk, passion, and a level of transparency that was refreshing. Here are some highlights that I believe are meaningful to everyone running a business.
- The U.S. needs to believe in itself again, so turn off the negative media. We have the best foundation to do business; it is both deep and wide. We also have the best universities in the world. Most U.S. companies focus on employees and customers, as well as on profit. They aren’t mutually exclusive.
- Four areas Dimon believes the country needs to address: l. Energy policy 2. Immigration 3. Education 4. Infrastructure
- The Stock Market is a voting machine, not a weighing machine.
- As he defended current banking practices, he said it never does any good to make a bad loan, if all it does is delay bankruptcy.
- A true test of a person or nation is to give them power and then see what they do.
- Some grow into a job, some swell into a job. There is no room today for swelled egos and entitlements. Pay attention, get feedback, and don’t isolate.
- Make sure you have “Truth Tellers” on your leadership team. More than one.
- Keep good people and train, train, train.
- Get rid of the bad apples and under-producers.
- Nothing replaces a strong work ethic.
October 6, 2011 - Standout with the best!
The Hampton GM Conference at the Hilton Orlando this week was a huge hit! Margaret, Tracy and I experienced a "family reunion" with 2,500 GMs from around the world. We were as excited as the GMs about the 5 fresh and exciting brand initiatives. Marcus Buckingam did a standout job on his new strengths assessment - STANDOUT. We welcomed our newest Circle of Leadership class who will be mentored by the previous year's graduates. The alums were featured as life-size, star quality, cardboard cut-outs all over the hotel!
Phil Cordell, Global Head of Hampton, and Chris Nassetta, CEO of Hilton Worlwide, shared these key leadership principles that work for all our businesses:
1. Simplify things to the core.
2. Do them well and consistently.
3. Don't try to be all things to all people. Know the essence of what your customer wants.
4. Embrace "Distributive Leadership" where all team members, particularly those closest to the customer, are empowered to solve problems.
5. Massively communicate on every level to create alignment, especially with top customers.
6. Leadership is largely a selfless endeavor. There is no room for ego.
September 22, 2011 - Put Me In, Coach
All coaching is, is taking leaders to where they can't take themselves. Please read the latest coaching article that references THE POWER OF FEEDBACK: A Story of Blind Spots, Insight, and Breakthrough Leadership by First Tennessee's Meridian Magazine by clicking here.
September 15, 2011 - I miscalculated!
I thought we could go totally green with THE POWER OF FEEDBACK: A Story of Blind Spots, Insight, and Breakthrough Leadership but I was wrong. Digital books are great, but authors miss 80% of the business book market by providing only on-line versions. So on to softcover! Amazon and Barnes & Noble will be shipping the new book by mid-October and we will have copies at our office by the end of September. Let me know if you want an autographed softcover copy. One of my pre-viewers wrote, "I started reading your book last night and finally put it down about 1:00 a.m., half read. This morning I have ordered 10 copies for our entire management team, lots of good insights there..."
I thoroughly enjoyed writing this business novel and am happy for wider distribution. The characters were great fun to create as I reflected on real-life experiences. It is also connected to a long-term issue that I see in the business community….what I call “The Empty Bench.” While economic conditions are difficult now, the real problem will be a lack of experienced leaders who can successful step in and grow businesses when the Baby Boomers retire.
August 10, 2011 - From the Heart.
The recent Bixler Eletter was from the heart. The Anatomy of a Successful Coaching Program was a tribute to every coach and every coachee who has become a significantly better leader from coaching. Bill McCarney, former head of University of Colorado wrote “All coaching is, is taking a player where he can’t take himself.”
July 22, 2011 - It was a true honor to be in this crowd.
I don’t know who voted for me, but thanks! The Women of Excellence lunch at the Atlanta History Center sponsored by Business to Business magazine was terrific. Our table of friends, clients, and family were fun and it was an honor to be a part of this tradition in the business community. Kudos to the 14 talented and contributing women who were honored that day.
June 30, 2011 - He is one of the nicest guys.
It was a pleasure to dedicate another Warrick Dunn Family Foundation home and accept the donation of brand new furniture and furnishings for Atlanta Habitat’s 1,105 home. A humble guy, he holds all kinds of NFL records. But the record he is most proud of is that his foundation has filled 105 Habitat homes with brand new sofas, computers, washer, dryers, beds and everything that a new homeowner could dream of. As Warrick says, “ Habitat builds it, and we fill it.”
May 26, 2011 - My favorite place to eat lunch.
Jim Rhoden, the owner of The Georgian Club, and Johnny Isakson, Senator from Georgia, asked me to be on The Board of Directors of the club. As a member for many years, I can't believe that my favorite place to have lunch and schedule our executive coaching sessions, asked me to be on the board. Looking at this roster of luminaries, I am certainly in over my head. But I have secured a place on the committee to taste all the new entrees.
March 25, 2011 - Clark is just as real (and frugal) as he appears on radio and TV.
As a charter member of The Clark Howard Society of Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, I am delighted and honored to continue to support the fine mission of Atlanta Habitat, building affordable homes for hardworking worthy families in our community. As Clark says, “I’m a cheap guy. And Atlanta Habitat is the best deal around!” By the time Clark turns 50, he will have sponsored 50 homes. That is unmatched, anywhere.
February 11, 2011 - THE POWER OF FEEDBACK goes digital.
When I wrote my first book in 1982, I never imagined that I would still be writing books in 2011 and that they would be paperless. We just published the digital version of THE POWER OF FEEDBACK on Amazon and Apple. I wanted to approach this 7th book not as a “how-to” but rather as a story. The seven characters of my made-up company, Collier Energy, become highly dysfunctional and somewhat self-destructive as they continue to travel their tunnel vision paths. Like we all do. I squirmed and sweated myself as I wrote it, because feedback is so difficult to receive. And change is even harder. But I hope I have captured how uplifting it is to confront personal issues, be humble enough to listen to feedback, and then grow by leaps and bounds as a professional. Self-knowledge is a wonderful thing.