The Best and Worst Christmas of All Time

The Best and Worst Christmas of All Time

It’s 6:00 AM in early 1987 and I’m getting dressed for work.  I’ve just come back from 45 days of Christmas leave and it’s my first day back on the job. Except that my uniform no longer fits. Now I’m in trouble. Christmas, 1986 was one for the ages.  My first wife and...
Busting the Myths Around Introversion

Busting the Myths Around Introversion

“Most introverts are quiet because they are scared of people judging them.” “Sometimes it’s hard to find someone who truly understands the joys and challenges of being an introvert.” “As an introvert, how hard is it to be in a relationship?” I’m reading my latest...
Knowledge + Experience = Wisdom

Knowledge + Experience = Wisdom

“Mr. Munro,” the receptionist says, startling me out of my mental preparation. “He’s ready for you.” I stand up and follow her into a large office.  It’s game time. It’s December 22, 1998, and I’m interviewing for my first post-Navy job. It’s for a leadership...
Life Lessons Learned from a Job at Ralphs

Life Lessons Learned from a Job at Ralphs

It’s 3:50 AM, and I’m standing outside the Ralphs grocery store on 17th Street in Santa Ana, CA. My first day on the job. A month or so ago, my mom came home from grocery shopping at that same Ralphs and discovered she had been undercharged a few dollars. She...
Why We Need an INNER CIRCLE

Why We Need an INNER CIRCLE

It’s 9:00 AM and I’m at the bottom of the steps to the second floor in my mom’s apartment complex in Clarksville, TN.  It’s a Friday, any Friday, since I’ve had Lisa block the calendar to keep this day open so I can check in on my mom. Mom lives by herself as she has...
Don’t Trip Over Your Ego

Don’t Trip Over Your Ego

It’s 9:50 AM and I’m getting a little nervous. I’m wrapping up my one-hour breakout session on How to Fix a Poor Performer and Turn Them into a Superstar at the 2016 HR Florida conference in Orlando. This session is based on my most recent book and as soon as my...
A Little Appreciation Goes a Long Way

A Little Appreciation Goes a Long Way

It’s December 5, 1983, at 5:30 in the evening and I’m on a bus traveling from Los Angeles down to San Diego. The day started early.  I woke up at 3:00 AM and quietly left the house I grew up in for the last time. As a boy anyway.  I’m on my way to Navy boot camp.  I...

It Wasn’t Because of Football

Two hours before kickoff, I’m getting amped up for the game.  Back in Black by AC/DC is playing, and I can feel the rush of adrenaline and a little rage. This is the first game of the season.  But it’s not my season.  It’s my son’s.  He’s sleeping soundly in the back...
Just a Little Encouragement

Just a Little Encouragement

I’m sorting through a plastic bag filled with old papers, booklets, brochures, newspaper clippings, and photos.  My eyes are watering, not because anything is sentimental, but because it’s so dusty. This is a bag of Malcolm’s Greatest Hits according to my mom.  She...
I Can Do This

I Can Do This

It’s 4:00 in the afternoon and I’m standing in a long line of people waiting for a ride.  It’s noisy and chaotic.  I’m just excited to be heading home. My driver’s name is Shirley and she’s picking me up in a green Ford truck. Everyone around me is finding their ride...