I just got invited to become one with Denver's Yelp Elite Squad! Check out my reviews if you're interested. I travel a lot for work and I rely on Yelp to find the good food spots and am glad to share my finds for future out-of-towners. Finding the non-chain places adds an hour of adventure to my necessary on-the-road work. Joining this trend-setter group and following the popular crowd is not something I usually do but there are some pluses to being the leader in social circles.

1. Forces You to Explore
• I love trying new things. I've eaten raw quail egg, cooked donkey, fried chicken feet, and duck liver (froi gras). When you are the leader, if you say eww then those behind you will likely follow suit and stay away. If you try it, then you give the option to those behind you to make their own choice. It is encouraging to watch someone else try the unknown first and give other confidence to follow suit!
2. Describe in Detail
• You better quickly tell me why this is a 5-star place, especially if my first impressions walking in are not that great. Ambiance, quality, flavor, anything can make remove/add a star. Like if they deliver and it is soggy when you get to your room. Or the knowledge of the server on wine pairings. Maybe what you like isn't the same as others so you need to be specific about what drew you in or drove you away.
3. One time wonder or becoming a regular
• There are some coffee shops that are fun and then there are those that you return to again and again. If I travel and visit a place more than once, it is definitely a keeper. If you start being recognized and there is consistency in temperature and taste from visit to visit, they may earn a picture. :-) There is something really special about these places and my goal is to find them everywhere!

Thanks for visiting!

A little bragging of my team: successful day one completed! When you are introducing massive change to nearly 200 people all at once, it can be overwhelming. One bad attitude, one misunderstanding, one mishap and slow correction, can quickly domino the day away... and none of that happened. It was because we have a great team and because meticulous planning was done. Here's what I learned from observing this success.

1. Give them tunnel vision
• When you have 20 things to learn, start with 10. Or even better, start with 5. Narrow what people have on their plate to divide and conquer. If you plan and communicate that they only need to worry about their portion of the pie, there is less amount to worry about. Stress can be managed by workload (to an extent).
2. Keep the code names
• If you named the project some silly acronym at the beginning, just stick with it to the end. Don't change it because the terminology can easily become a barrier if there aren't people that can remember it. The little things can turn into big things if they trigger an emotional response. Keep it it simple to avoid frustration.
3. Write it down
• Wow was I impressed by the notes each person took, the training booklets on everyone's desk, and the helpful hints online at their fingertips. It made questions easier to answer or even solve on your own. When you have a reference point like a diagram, screenshot, or example that triggers that memory of "oh ya, do that next" you can see progress from hour to hour. Amazing!

Inspired by Mother's Day this week, here's a post to help you think about how lucky you have it. There have been some pretty sweet commercials for Mother's Day this year and your mom really is someone unique and special to you. It makes me think of how many people in my life and career have been amazing. I wouldn't be who I am today without people like my coworkers, my friends, and especially my Mom. Do you have a special figure in your life that you look up to and are motherly, loving, and supportive?

1. What have you done that enabled me?
• Is there something you are doing today that you couldn't do if someone else didn't help you get there? I know my Mom pushed me into tough Math classes in school. My mentor referred me to speak at that conference. My significant other picked up the slack when I got laid off. In hindsight, there are a lot of things that I wouldn't have (or couldn't have) done if I didn't have someone else secretly (and fervently) fighting for me.
2. What have you done that shows unconditional devotion?
• Sometimes we screw up. Sometimes we make bad decisions. Sometimes we make the right decision for us but someone else sees it as the wrong one. And yet it is usually all okay. The people that forgive you for your mistakes, those that give you a second chance and believe in your character, trusting you're better than that; they are worth so much. 
3. What do you support me in that no one else does?
• Who is that little voice that whispers "You can do it" or "Try it anyways"? We doubt ourselves all the time, wondering if it we made the right choice or not. Be thankful for those that see you as someone worthy of respect and greatness and offer confidence that you are on the right path. Be thankful for those that push you to be more than who you think you are on your own.

My inspiration this week comes from a great article full of tips from TED talk speakers. The last one states that "If you have thirty minutes, take 25. If you have an hour, take 50." They say that you are respecting your audience when you are conscientious of their time. Whether it is a TED talk you listen to by choice or a routine meeting that you have to attend, finishing early can earn you a lot of respect back! Here's a few reasons why.

1. Get on to the next thing quicker
• We know you are ever so important and are running from one meeting straight to another. And when it is down 3 stories or a virtual meeting that requires 2 different hookups to get connected, travel time exists. After your 8:00 am meeting, all of a sudden you are late to every following meeting that day. Give them time to get where they are going and your audience will thank you.
2. Be succinct
• Ending your assigned time early doesn't mean you ran out of material for your audience. It means you took the time to compose your thoughts in a simple yet effective way. People love when you keep things simple for them to understand and you can get to the point quickly so they can make decisions.
3. What if scenarios
• You know it happens: the projector breaks, there are tons of questions, a surprise dependency comes up. Any project manager or meeting manager knows it is inevitable and you have to be flexible for whatever happens. If you give yourself and your meeting that extra time built in, dealing with mishaps will be tons easier for everyone!