Celebration

Today is Optimist New Year, because of the winter solstice, the sunlight is gaining and the darkness is retreating. You won’t notice if you watch for more light this week, because the difference is infinitesimal. But this year, the metaphorical difference is huge. We all need more light, joy, and hope. Religious scholars agree there…

Yes, the virus is raging. Mother nature is definitely off-kilter. And the dark noise of political bickering seems to be in overdrive. There are so many reasons to be concerned about our collective future…but there is brightness ahead. Just two weeks from today, the receding sunlight, will turn the corner and reverse its dark veil.…

By now, you know my belief in leaders blending their personal and professional lives. And, I know first-hand how living and working with a focus on the Seven Fs: faith, family, finances, fitness, friends, fun, and future – helps leaders improve empathy and sincerity in their endeavors. This week Melinda and I are celebrating our…

If you are reading this, you are probably taking a sanity break from family festivities. So, on behalf of the staff and coaches of Good Leadership Enterprises, we wish you the happiest of holidays, the merriest of Christmas celebrations, and a prosperous New Year. Goodness is when people thrive together – both personally and professionally – in a culture of encouragement, accountability, and positive teamwork. We look forward to helping you find new ways for goodness to pay for you – at home and at work.

Nothing significant ever happens alone. Never has this phrase been more true than this past Saturday, when our second child, Kathryn Anne Batz, married Maxwell Bowell in front of 220 family and friends. It was the second wedding we’ve hosted in our family in the past 18 months. In July of 2017, our son Ben married Sarah in much the same fashion as Katie and Max. So…what’s this have to do with good leadership?

Two weeks ago, I was the Master of Ceremonies, and part of the team that hosted the MN Business Top 100 Best Places to Work celebration. Instead of a snoozy dinner, the event felt more like senior week before college graduation. It was a party! This annual event has emerged as the best one in its category. Because the best and brightest of the MN small, medium, and large business scene get just a little bit rowdy in celebrating their success. It was awesome! But, are awards worth the investment? Business awards in general create a divide:

As much as I’m loving the World Cup soccer tournament this year, I’m slightly muted in my joy because USA isn’t in the mix. I love chanting “U-S-A! U-S-A!,” even when we are getting our butts kicked. Maybe it’s my advancing age, but I’m feeling my patriotism surge these days. Yes, the dialogue coming out of Washington DC is troubling. And yes, I’m sick of mass shootings and corporate shenanigans. But, I’m also the son of a Veteran. So, here’s what I’m celebrating:

This past Saturday, June 2, 2018, our youngest child, Anna Mary Batz, graduated from college. It was one of those moments where I really felt successful. What does that even mean? By whose definition of success would I make that statement? And why is it important to “feel successful?” Yes, my work is important, but without a doubt parenting is the most satisfying part of my life. Melinda and I share many things, but mostly we share the idea that

Let’s start the summer with a celebration! Two weeks ago, the co-host of our Good Leadership Breakfast Series earned the “Woman of the Year” designation by the Leukemia Lymphoma Society of Minnesota. On Saturday, May 19, Julie McDonough claimed the stage in joyous, graceful elegance as a huge crowd cheered her name. Her smile was radiant and magnetic. What I admire about what Julie did the most is this: