Tag Archives: award

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Would Steve Jobs Consider You a Bozo?

This is the biography of Steve Jobs that I read.

The world is filled with admirers of Steve Jobs, and rightfully so. The man was an incredible visionary, innovator, speaker, businessman, leader, and communicator. His impact has left little untouched.  One overlooked talent though, was his use of simple language to convey his passion for a product or service. How many times did we hear him say, “insanely great, phenomenal, awesome, revolutionary, amazing, and of course magical?”

His word choice was in sync with his passion for minimalism in design and the simple elegance of his presentation. Uncomplicated. Straightforward. Direct. Powerful. The advertisements, stores, packaging, and even his dress embodied this motif.

He chose simple words, but words powerful in their connotations. They were chosen with care. They were delivered with passion. They told a story.

My favorite term Jobs used was when he called someone or their idea a Bozo.

Bozo was a term Steve would use to describe someone that just didn’t get it. Click to Read More

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Chalk Art Tribute to Steve Jobs

A tribute to Steve Jobs:

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

including corporations, schools, churches, conferences,

and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

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The Secret to Accomplishing BIG Goals and Dreams!

Toe in water thumb 10

Each and every day I take out a small index card and make my to-do list. The result is simple; I get things done.

Each year I set goals for myself and monitor them regularly in my journal. The result is always positive; I accomplish some great goals each year.

Still, there are some tasks that either evade me, or I am avoiding, and some BIG life goals that I cannot even seem to get started. With them, I seem to be in a rut. I continually write them down as ‘to-do’ but barely make any progress. The worst of it is in the the reality that these are the goals and accomplishments that would mean the most to me if completed. They would make the biggest impact in my life.

I have always read and heard that you need to write goals down and that they need to be specific. Most of the time that works well for me, but recently I have uncovered a secret that has allowed me to make progress in those really tough areas that I have been stagnant for so long.

The solution is: The Secret of ‘Some‘.

A novel can be 50,000 words. You can’t write one of those in a day.

Ten pounds is 35,000 calories. You won’t be losing that in a day.

Too often the knowledge of ‘the amount’ it takes to finish prevents us from starting or staying on track.

We surrender out of fear of failure and convince ourselves with the improbability of success or imagine the exhaustive state we will be at, even with a fraction of the progress.

That is why most people don’t write novels or ever lose that ten pounds.

I recently discovered this amazing adjective called some. It’s not scary nor even measurable, yet with it you can get anywhere and accomplish anything.

Can’t run a marathon? Great, run some.

Can’t reduce your diet down to 1800 calories a day? Super! Just reduce it by some.

Some allows us to reach our goals. Some allows to make progress.

The only thing that must accompany some to make it happen is the noun consistency.

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

including corporations, schools, churches, conferences,

and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825


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September 11th: A Celebration on a Solemn Day

9 11 Tribute Final

Today is September 11th and our home reflects a dichotomy of emotions.

A woman on the television solemnly reads the names of those who lost their lives ten years ago at the World Trade Center.

…our house is decorated with balloons and streamers.

Airports are on heightened security due to unconfirmed reports of terrorist movement.

…we will eat cake and sing.

Our leaders hold their breath.

…we celebrate my daughter’s birthday.

Today is September 11th.

It’s not easy celebrating anything on such a solemn day, but I cannot allow my daughter to be robbed the joy of celebrating her life. Still, my mind drifts elsewhere. I think about the lives lost, and I briefly question the wisdom of going to a cinema or a shopping mall in fear of some act of revenge on the anniversary of perhaps the darkest day in our history. We proceed. Perhaps our decisions are weighed a little move heavily. Perhaps I am a bit more conscious. I privately and publicly mourn those who died, honor the heroes, and carry on being a father.

That’s what Americans do best; we carry on. March forward. Advance.

We do not forget.

My daughter gets it; the day is no longer hers. An unfortunate lesson. A sad coincidence. A lesson in service, honor,  perspective and gratitude. Families were robbed of loved ones, our country defiled of its innocence and safety, and her day is overshadowed by the remembrance of a tragedy.  In truth, she would have it no other way.  I believe she feels honored to celebrate her life today as a tribute to so many who gave up theirs. At times it seems odd, and at times, perfect.

Yes, today is September 11th. It’s okay to celebrate birthdays, cheer for your football teams, drive your child to soccer, and laugh at a movie. If we didn’t, the act of terror would have succeeded and continued, and the so many who gave their lives so willingly, truly would have died in vain. We must carry on, march forward, advance, yet never forget.

At church this morning we were reminded to forgive, and I know that cannot be easy. I celebrate my daughter’s life while another father marks the anniversary of his daughter’s death, and yet, I know forgiveness indeed takes place. How do you do that? I am amazed. I have much to learn.

September 11, 2001 was an incredibly humbling day for me. It was as if Death itself had given me a glimpse of my own mortality, a reminder of life’s frailty, and an understanding of the horrors man can conceive and act out.  Yet within that shadowy bush of thorns, a blossom of hope and courage emerged like a single red rose, as I was also given a glimpse of the courageousness of mankind, witnessing selfless acts of every day people, stepping forward like the heroes in the comic books I read as a child. I saw giving, sacrifice, compassion, and the complete erasure of nearly every dividing characteristic. On that dark hour we were not aligned to political parties, economic classes, or members of a race. We stood together.

From the ashes of destruction fueled by misguided hate rose a nation united, determined, to advance against a common cause, to make an impact.

On our country’s darkest hour, I was reminded what it means for me to be an American, a Christian, a father, and a neighbor.

Today is September 11th and our home reflects a dichotomy of emotions.

Carry on. March forward. Advance. Never forget.

Happy Birthday Allyson.

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

including corporations, schools, churches, conferences,

and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

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Reward Commitment: Invent a buy-back program

I picked up my daughter’s basketball sitting

Deflated basketball

where she practices at home.  It was as smooth as an apple.  Useless.  All the bounce was gone, and it was becoming threadbare in some areas. I was about to toss it in the trashcan and get her a new one when my daughter stopped me.  She told me she was taking it to practice with her that day and that her coach would give her a new basketball. In fact, she elaborated, her coach would give her a new basketball for every one she wore out.  Wow! What a fabulous idea!

My daughter’s coach did in fact give her a basketball for every one she wore out, but more amazing than that is that her coach instilled in her a desire to practice, gave her a visual goal, and reinforced the successful habits of a committed athlete. Well done.

I incorporated that idea into my own life. I have been wanting a new laptop for some time. Not just any laptop, but the new MacBook Air from Apple. I have saved my money and all I need to do is place the order, but I made a commitment to myself to wait until I have finished the book I have been working on for the past two years. My current laptop used for writing will be replaced with the new one when the book is finished and query letters mailed.

It’s easy to become distracted, but there are techniques we can employ to counter them and become more productive, and I believe creating your own buy-back program is an excellent idea to meet your goals.

Discipline, focus, commitment, and training are the keys to success in any area in life, whether it be writing, sports, art, or anything else. The distractions become less influential when we have a clear measurable goal in front of us.

I hope you can find an area in your life that you can set-up a similar buy-back reward program. Perhaps you can use it with a friend or family member, or perhaps even with yourself.

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

including corporations, schools, churches, conferences,

and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

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What’s Next?

Question mark“What’s Next?”

Is there a marathon in your future? Certification? A trip? A new house? A book?

Asking, “What’s next?” can be incredibly powerful, perhaps even a life-changing question. A question that can change the quality of your life. A question that can change your purpose, perhaps even create your legacy. Too often the question is either avoided completely or embraced too quickly.

Some people ask, “What’s next?” with excitement and anticipation. Others avoid it outright.

Avoidance: Why are some people afraid to ask, “What’s Next?” Perhaps they are comfortable and complacent where they are at and they don’t want to disrupt that false sense of security. They live in their past accomplishment, and talk about what they have accomplished. Everyone should celebrate their victories in life, but everyone needs to move on to a new challenge sooner than later. Asking, “What’s Next?” creates progress and forward movement, and it’s fun. Sitting down and planning your next big move, goal, event, project, race, or plan is excitement building time. I love these creative periods of brainstorming and envisioning.

But I’m Content: A friend of mine tells me he is content. He believes what’s next will find him when the time is right. In the meantime he relishes in his stories of past accomplishments. I understand that, because he really has accomplished much, but for me I must ask what’s next and seek it out. Life is short and I want to make the most of it. When opportunity presents itself, I will pounce on it. In the meantime, I will be attempting to make my own luck in this world. I will show gratitude, I will be thankful, but I will not be content. There is too much in this world to do. I am thankful for the innovators before me where not content. Mother Theresa could have stopped her life of service in her sixties.

Are your greatest days in front of you or behind you? It doesn’t matter what your age is or your physical status. You can accomplish great things and you should be asking what’s next.

Premature: Some people ask “What’s next?” prematurely. I suffer from this. I am always anxious to move on to the next BIG thing, sometimes my energy shifts before I have completed an important project. What’s next is powerful and important, but it has it’s place and time. Make sure you finish up your project or dream before moving on too quickly. If this happens to you, I encourage you to read my post, “It’s Not Time for That Yet!” and learn how you can maintain those great ideas, finish what you’ve already started, and prepare to ask yourself, “What’s next?”

Magic Hour: The best time to begin envisioning what you will do next is not after you accomplish your current goal or project, but as you enter the final finishing stages. Hemingway always abandoned his writing for the day mid-sentence to keep himself fresh and eager to dive back in to writing. I know I must sign up for another athletic event before I finish competition on my current race or I will get a touch of the blues and fall out of training. I know my wife always enjoys looking forward to a trip. Apple computers has a pipeline of “what’s next” products they are preparing. You should have a list ready in your journal and actually begin working on it as you finish your latest and greatest life victory.

I hope you decide to connect with me on Facebook or Twitter and let me know what’s next for you.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

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The Lost Art of Letter Writing: Part Four of How Leaders Respond Timely

Mailbox iStock 000001202894XSmall5 I have embraced the power of technology and social networking but I have not been so foolish as to have abandoned the single most influential and personal form of communication available — letter writing. It still amazes me that I can send my words to someone thousands of miles across the country in such a short amount of time, and make an impact in their life, and perhaps even mine. Letter writing is indeed a lost art, and one leaders need to embrace and master.

Can’t afford to give your hard working employee a raise?Reward them with hand-written praise. Even a post-it note with a couple of well chosen words hand-written will go farther than your most skillfully worded email or text, because you’ve made it personal. You took time out of your day for them. You created something tactile. It’s art.

Letter writing isn’t just a skill, when it’s done correctly it elevates itself to an art form. Its power is only increased by the fact that so few others participate in its creation. Think about it. Nothing is more cherished in the mail than a hand-written card or a well worded letter. People receive hundreds of impersonal emails a week but perhaps only one personalized letter. (If even that.)

If you want to stand out and make an impact: practice, master and utilize the lost art of letter writing. People remember those who remember them.

Write letters. Write thank-you cards. Send a note of congratulations. Leave someone a personalized message of appreciation.

There are few things as exciting as seeing a personalized letter in your mail. Not a form letter or junk mail, but a real letter written by someone, just to you. You know someone took the time to pen this note. You stare at the envelope and wonder what is inside.

It’s Unique. No one else is doing it. Letters stand out. Wow! You took the time to do this for me!?!

Compliment: Corporations and organizations receive a lot of negative feedback. It is rare indeed when someone writes a letter to offer thanks or recognition. Sometimes they like to reward that. I actually received a phone call from the CEO of OGIO bags once because I wrote a letter telling them how awesome I thought their bags were. They loved it. I was invited to assist with a creation a triathlon sports bag. The product never got off the ground, but it all started with a letter.

To Thank & Congratulate: I am always mentioning my Moleskin journal in my posts because I know of its incredible value in my life. I always keep a couple of thank-you cards in the built-in folder in the back. I like being first to thank someone for their help or congratulate them on a success. I strive to be first and I strive to be memorable. Always write thank-you notes and send congratulation cards. It’s never too late. There is never a bad time to send a get well or sympathy card. Be on top of this!

Postcards: The power of a written letter is that it is personal. When you remove that personal touch and create a form letter that you mail to a hundred or more people, it is now reduced to junk mail. People just don’t have time for these. (Yes, I know there are exceptions.) My postcards are a little different because on the reverse side I have my art and that, at least for some, makes it a keeper and more importantly a reader. It is also very easy to personalize a postcard with one sentence and your signature. “I am looking forward to meeting you at this conference! ~ Kelly” A powerful one liner. Keep it short.

I recommend writing a letter a week to those you admire. Ask nothing in return. Just let them know you exist and you appreciate what they do. Practice your craft well. One day a door will open, and you will be remembered.

Be sincere. Be authentic. Don’t say what you don’t really mean. Keep your word.

You need to read well written letters. Study them. Practice. Enjoy the process. Find ways to make personal letter writing a part of your leadership practice.

www.kellycroy.com

Click to email Kelly questions about presenting at your event!

1-800-831-4825

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

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Great Leaders Respond Timely.

What’s your response time?Stop watch

Communication is essential to leadership. To communicate well is to influence others into making a difference. Most leaders understand the importance of communication, and they spend a great deal of time on what they want to say and how they want to say it. Unfortunately, many emerging leaders do not understand that WHEN they respond is as important as their message, and in some cases even more.

A leader must master responsiveness.

The story of NASA’s Apollo 13 mission is a highlight in history of how leadership emerges during times of trouble, and how great response time identifies leaders within an organization and in life. The story of Apollo 13 mission is full of heroes, but what I love most about it is how the men in mission control, not just the astronauts themselves, are proven to be heroes for responding timely. They emerge as leaders.

In a world dominated with the ability to communicate quickly with smart phones, laptops, and social media sites, it is sad that so few do. Calls are not returned promptly. Thank you cards are never sent. Emails fill inboxes. Text messages hang in limbo. Assignments miss their due date.

What is the consequence of not responding timely?

Much. You may not be leading a mission to safely return wayward astronauts from a mission gone wrong, but you really should respond to every message with a sincere level of diligence and importance.

Remember, you’re not replying to a message, you’re replying to a person.

How do you feel when you wait on hold, an email remains unanswered, a call unreturned? If you’re like me you begin to question whether it was received, question the person on the other end, become frustrated or worse.

When questions go unanswered people fill in the gaps. They often assume the worst. False information is spread, and negative impressions are formed. Am I not important enough to merit a reply? Is my question less important than others?

Some leaders mistakenly believe that to respond quickly (aka promptly) is a sign of weakness: they’re afraid it will show they don’t have more important activities, and that others will judge them inferior for too quick of a response. But what does a quick response mean to the person receiving it? It tells them, “Hey! I matter. I’m important.” We like people that recognize us, spend time with us, and reach out to us. We admire them. We become enchanted. We want to do business with them. We want to help them. A quick response is endearing. It fosters loyalty. It matters.

I’m hoping that the leaders that dig these communication moats around their castles don’t mistakingly believe they are protecting themselves or their business by delaying their response. They’re not. They are, in actuality, creating more problems, creating more work and damaging the positive image they work so hard to make.

The solution: Respond Timely.

But I don’t have time to respond to everyone. Wrong! You can’t afford not to.You will be surprised how little time it actually takes.

What does a leader need to make timely responses? Some courage, some time, a good attitude, and most importantly a plan. In a future post I will address some productivity secrets that I have gleaned from the greats, and some I probably mistakenly credit to myself. These will be helpful, but you have to convince yourself of the need to respond to the people that contact you.

Great leaders in all walks of life master the timely response. They don’t react. They don’t shoot from the hip.  They measure, weigh, and time their response accordingly. Please consider your communication habits and see if timeliness is an area you may wish to give some greater attention.

www.kellycroy.com

Click to email Kelly questions about presenting at your event!

1-800-831-4825

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker. He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.