Author: Doug Brown

My AND to Chet’s beautiful tribute to Larry... Thirteen years ago today, I turned 45.  Two hours of that day was spent with Larry Allen, as we visited with a potential client, then debriefed that visit in Larry’s car.  What a gift, I thought at the time, to be with Larry on my birthday, seeing … Continue reading With Larry…

Chet opens today’s BBTL book entry with two CCD statements of fact:  Humans do not hear well when hurting.  Humans listen to one voice above all others—their own. Yet, most of us can’t resist quickly jumping in with judgement and advice.  NOT. GOOD.   Picture this scene.  Someone you care about is struggling or hurting.  You know … Continue reading Day 127: Lead the afflicted and addicted…

To my mind, today’s BBTL book entry is the ultimate BTL “back to basics” recipe, capturing the essence of both becoming and remaining  Built to Lead.   You see, building a strong CORE, authoring your OPUS and PoPing it out isn’t enough.  The same way training for and running your first half marathon in no way guarantees a lifetime of fitness, … Continue reading Day 121: Sunday discipline…

As Chet writes in today’s BBTL book entry, “We don’t change old habits…we wire up better ones.” Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, defines the “Habit Loop” as Cue—Routine—Reward.  The cue is the trigger that starts a behavior.  The routine is the behavior itself.  And the reward is what the behavior gives us.  Better habits, therefore, come from better routines.  And better routines … Continue reading Day 98: Habits…

In today’s BBTL book entry, Chet writes, “Excellence is you at your best and can only be obtained when you do more than you think…when you get joy from learning to do hard things well.”  In other words, excellence exists beyond our comfort zone, beyond our current capabilities, and beyond what’s familiar or easy.  Excellence requires us to embrace the struggle and happily do the REAL. … Continue reading Day 83: Excellence…

Today’s BBTL book entry opens with one of my favorite Chetisms – Life is an energy management problem. You see, we all have a “to do” list.  Regardless of our post, position, calling or career, we all have an ever-increasing, seemingly never-ending “to do” list.  And for too many of us, that list is often filled with more “must dos” than “love tos.”  Let me explain. … Continue reading Day 76: Fatigue to full…

You win! Congratulations. Now what?  Celebrate, of course.  But then what?  Well, that depends.  Are you okay with a “won-and-done” or are you in this for the long-haul?  Because if your mindset is won-and-done, your legacy will be one-and-done.  But, if you’re in this for the long-haul, today’s BBTL book entry is aimed at you.  Chet writes, “If you want to lose … Continue reading Day 58: Win/lose and learn…

Navy SEALS and Army Green Berets are among the toughest sons of guns on the planet.  They train for, chase down and absolutely thrive in a world of danger, chaos and stress the rest of us can barely fathom, no matter how many movies we watch or books we read.  But for all their training, … Continue reading Day 50: Four healers…