Personal Development | Bob Holdsworth

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SkimBoarding – A man’s got to know his limitations!

By Bob Holdsworth · Comments (3)

Sunday, August 29th, 2010

So there I was watching my two eight year old sons skim boarding at the beach…over and over…how hard can it be ?? The picture is Chris executing a 180 turn perfectly.

Skim boarding done right!

The process is easy, pick up the board, wait for a little water at the end of the wave’s journey ashore, throw the board, run after it, hop on, balance yourself and ride it for a short distance. I can do that. Bad thought, evil thought, why do I listen to these voices in my head?

So I announce to my stunned kids that I’m going to do it too. They hand over the board, stand WAY back and start looking for my life insurance and a cell phone to call the ambulance. I wait for my wave, the perfect wave, it rushed ashore, white foam, the perfect depth of water for skimming…I can do this. Read More→

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Categories : Business - General, Family - Lifestyle, Just for Fun, Personal Development, leadership

Tags : bob holdsworth, Entrepenuer, family life, lifestyle, Personal Development, personal responsibility, The Holdsworth Group

Business ethics, take the high road, it’s easier to spot trouble.

By Bob Holdsworth · Comments (0)

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Is it me or does it seem like there is another news story about a corporate scandal or political ethics probe about once a week? It makes me wonder how any consumer can trust any of us business owners.

I know that I’m subjected to lots of business scams every week ranging from the Nigerian bank account scam to people posing as suppliers trying to trick a staff member in to ‘placing an order’ for inflated supplies.

I also see competitors trying to cut corners, leaving out information that their clients should be told and everybody seems to be trying to be so politically correct, making sure that they don’t offend someone that their ethics actually has be called into question. What do you or I as business owners stand for, how are we different from the homogenized masses? Read More→

I’m sorry to break it to you, but you don’t know it all.

By Bob Holdsworth · Comments (0)

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

Ever run across one of those people who believes that they know everybody and everything? They are constantly trying to one-up anything you say. They routinely speak up at meetings, not to contribute but more to just be heard by the group and feel good about themselves. If you’re in leadership…don’t be one of those people. As a matter of fact if you’re in leadership, counsel those people after the meeting about their behavior.

Of course, if counseling doesn’t work, the next time they speak up about something, assign them the task as project team leader to come up with workable solutions for an issue. They will quickly realize that they need other people to accomplish the task. I’ve used the ‘task assignment’ approach with success several times.

With all of the advances in technology, the speed at which information is disseminated around the world and each individual’s capacity for learning…no one, not even you, can know it all. Read More→

How to get twice the work done…in half the time.

By Bob Holdsworth · Comments (1)

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

Time is money

I don’t know about you, but my ‘IN’ box never seems to get close to empty. Voice mail, email, snail mail, periodicals, industry journals, client projects, travel schedules, kids on vacation, family time, the operational demands of running three different companies and of course writing, writing and more writing.

People routinely ask me how I manage to get it all done. I work only about 45 hours a week, I’m typically able to take about 6-8 weeks of vacation every year, I’m able attend the majority of my kid’s school events and still manage to build the profitability of each business on pace, each year.

I’m not the smartest guy in the world, I don’t have 26 hours in a day, but I do have very well developed delegation skills and I’m developing a greater ability to sort, prioritize and say no to distracting offers. I also make it a point to surround myself with people who can think through problems, follow through on projects, accept responsibility for their efforts and then I LEAVE THEM ALONE. The word micro-management is not in my vocabulary.

Training, mentoring, coaching, developing and responsibility are and I’m willing to take the time with a person to do the first four so that in very short order they can take on the fifth.

The keys to delegation are as follows: Read More→

Leadership is not simply a plaque on the door.

By Bob Holdsworth · Comments (3)

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

"Everybody wants the title..."

For many, getting a new title, a corner office, or more brass on their collar is viewed as a destination. Often the transition, the right of passage and the plaque on the door becomes an open invitation or an excuse to stop learning.

The truth about a promotion, if you’re a leader rather than a manager…is that the move up is simply a new beginning which creates an entirely new level of responsibility and opportunity. A serious student of business and leadership NEVER stops learning, asking questions, and honing their craft.

Leadership is a craft, an art, and a noble occupation. For some it’s a lifelong aspiration. For others simply a path to their version of success.

My wife has a great saying, “Everybody wants a paycheck, but not everybody’s willing to work!” In the realm of leadership, the correlation is “Everybody wants the title, but not everybody’s willing to take on the responsibility.”

I’ve been fortunate, my career in leadership began more than 30 years ago. I’ve had great mentors, role models and coaches along the way. They all taught me their version of two extremely valuable lessons. First, never stop learning and second, never ever forget where you came from. Read More→