Not long ago, I wasn’t having much fun at work. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something was off. I was frustrated with my team and things felt out-of-control. In spite of much growth and success, it seemed like we had hit a ceiling.

I didn’t know exactly how to describe my situation. I wasn’t sure what the reaction would be. Who would feel sorry for me, someone given the great privilege and opportunity to lead an amazing team at a great company? But that didn’t change the internal conflict I was feeling while trying to perform two important roles in our organization: Visionary and Integrator.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Jon Wenger, President & CEO of Genesis Products. We hope you enjoy Jon’s wisdom and perspective.

The RV industry is having its best year ever - and this is great for Elkhart County and the surrounding area. As a result, our community is experiencing record low levels of unemployment. As a large employer in the region (Genesis currently employs over 500 people in Indiana), I am asked this question all the time: “Do you struggle getting good people?” In my opinion, this is the wrong question.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger David Nicole, President & CEO of the United Way of Allen County. We hope you enjoy David’s wisdom and perspective.

We used to “Show up and Throw up.” For United Way the relationship with a company’s CEO is critical. The CEO determines both the corporate contribution and the level of access United Way has to the company’s employees. As any good sales department would do, the fundraising team would make annual visits to the CEOs of our top campaigns.

There are plenty of book lists out there. This post is a little different. While I’ve got examples of specific books for you, more importantly I want to emphasize the kind of books you should read. As Japanese author Haruki Murakami has written, “If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.”

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Justin Maust, President and Founder of Leader Legacy. We hope you enjoy Justin’s wisdom and perspective.

Your personal and team success hinges on one primary skill…your ability to identify and solve your issues. In my 7 Practices For Building Powerful Teams, Remove the Ripple is the 6^th practice.

“Houston, we have a problem!!” I’ve got lots of energy. I’m passionate. I run hard. However, behind closed doors, I’ve been known to procrastinate.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Ron Kitchens, Chief Executive Officer of the Southwest Michigan First Group of Companies. We hope you enjoy Ron’s wisdom and perspective.

Each year, I get to welcome a group of local, future leaders to “my house,” our offices at Southwest Michigan First. Recently, I found myself being a bit overwhelmed at the opportunities each of these kids has in front of them. The generosity of the Monroe Brown Foundation has arranged for each of these dynamic young people to not only receive a tremendous internship with an innovative company, but also a college scholarship.

I consistently have great conversations with most of these young people but one that stands out was not the one that thanked me for the free food or for helping the Monroe Brown Foundation. It was the young lady who asked, “Other than education, what else should I do to succeed?”

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Dan Asleson, President & CEO of the YMCA of Michiana. We hope you enjoy Dan’s wisdom and perspective.

Isn't it strange, that princes and kings,
And clowns that caper in sawdust rings,
And common-folk like you and me,
Are builders for eternity? 

Each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass, a Book of Rules;
And each must make 'ere life has flown,
A stumbling block or a stepping stone. 

R.L. Sharpe

I was young (17 years old) when I first heard this poem and decided I would commit it to memory. I fell in love with the simplicity and beauty of the first stanza. We are all builders, regardless of one’s roots.

And I figured at that young age whatever tools I had in my bag would be enough to build whatever I set out to build. And they were. Those tools did me well over the next two decades. I was definitely making stepping stones, moving up in my career, and taking increasingly greater positions of leadership at work and in the community.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Tony Hutti, CEO/Owner of Renaissance Executive Forums Indiana. We hope you enjoy Tony’s wisdom and perspective.

Over 25 years ago, I started taking at least one week a year to read and reflect. This time proved to be quite valuable – now I take at least three weeks a year to focus on reading and reflection. I cannot overstate the importance of this time in growing my various businesses and keeping work-life balance.

Are you taking time to sharpen your saw? Are you devoting time to recharge your intellectual and emotional battery?

My brother Jon has meticulously planned the trip of a lifetime for us. It’s a “coming of age” experience for his son and my two boys. Two forty-something brothers and their three teenage sons.

Where we’re going, the living standards are definitely not on par with the United States. Therefore, we’ll be on a combination of planes, trains, and automobiles being flown, conducted, and steered by outfits that aren’t regularly reviewed on Yelp or TripAdvisor.

We’ll be on the move, traveling light, and staying in hotels, lodges, camps, and personal residences. He assures me that at worst it will be “gentleman’s camping” and I’ll "survive."

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Patrick Frazier, owner and executive coach for The Coaching Authority. We hope you enjoy Patrick’s wisdom and perspective.

What does it take to be successful?

Ask around and you will find different answers to the formula of success. The truth is, success leaves clues and you can achieve the success in the area you desire by observing the common qualities and principles. They are simple and considered to be common sense but most people simply do not follow them.