Five Reasons To Celebrate A Remarkable Year Of Chatter

8:22AM (EST), June 2, 2020 . . .

The time and date are noted in my sketchbook.

I had sent my share of high-level emails and correspondence over time, but nothing compared to the emotion of that moment. Coffee was brewed well before 6:00am, and I had spent the better part of two hours reviewing my first post again, and again, and then again.

Fortunately, I stopped short of waking our son, who was staying with us during the pandemic and serves as my copywriter and editor.

“Maybe Kristofer should read it over one more time?” was circling in my thoughts, just before I took a deep breath, clicked “Publish”, and entered a new chapter in life.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to help us celebrate the first full year of Tall Tim Talks.

What began as a mere random thought is now a reality. Among the ‘lemonade out of lemons’, and ‘dark clouds with silver linings’ stories that have emerged since the world came to a shuddering halt, comes a personal tale of discovering your true passion, persevering through ups and downs, and loving every minute of the adventure.

Random thoughts and party favors from our inaugural year include:

• The original title of the blog was “Tuesdays with Tall Tim”. When the blog title was changed, Tuesdays remained the targeted posting day.

• We have published 48 Tall Tim Talks over the first 52 Tuesdays, following a theme of consistent posting touted in several YouTube videos studied prior to launch.

• Wandering Ambivert, a fabulously talented photographer from South Africa, was the first to view a post, reacting to Second Nature Mentality within ten minutes of publishing.

• Posts have been viewed by readers in 38 different countries around the globe.

In keeping with the theme of a One Year Milestone Celebration, I thought it would be fun to review a few of my favorite posts.

While each installment receives my undivided love and attention, these are what I would consider this year’s TFT . . .  my Top Five Talks from the previous twelve months of chatter:

TFT #5: Just Keep Thinking . . .

Just Keep Thinking was my New Year’s message to the world.

I had referenced my status as an Eternal Optimist on several occasions prior to this post.

What I felt most compelled to do was encourage the world to adopt an Optimistic Perspective, to choose a path of insight and awareness heading into 2021.

Beyond encouragement, the message conveyed the necessity to act . . . thinking positive thoughts is only the beginning. It’s an important beginning, but without action lacks the ability to influence the world around us.

This also introduced a Just Keeping Thinking Gameplan fixated on “Pickles” (PKLS):

Think Positive | Think Kind Thoughts | Think Like A Leader | Think In Small Bites

Even the most well-intentioned thoughts can be overwhelmed by reality if subjected to persistent negativity.

Manage your Optimism to make it more impactful, assume the mindset of a leader and resist the urge to fall into a victim cycle.

You have the potential for greatness, keep moving forward one thought at a time.

TFT #4: It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere Else

Beyond the play on words of a song made famous by Jimmy Buffet and Alan Jackson, It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere Else established a Culture of Excellence Through Intention (ETI).

I felt this to be a critical message, considering that the pandemic surfaced so many challenges beyond our control. It only makes sense to manage what’s in front of us, beginning with the proper mindset and intention.

Every guest opportunity, every interaction should be approached with purpose, a deliberate and meaningful results-driven objective that begins by asking: What do you intend to be the outcome of this service opportunity?

Your team can fill in the specifics, but the general nature of the response follows this sequence:

Expectations>Engage in the Moment>Exceed Expectations>Create a Memory>Preserve Loyalty

Adopting ETI as a habit-forming mindset helps steer clear of service distractions from external sources such as last appointments of the day and slow business volume.

Posted within the Service Category, this message has universal appeal beyond a service environment.

TTT #3: Leading With A Simplified Palette

I posted Leading With A Simplified Palette about six weeks into the process and was stunned by the lack of initial response.

Thankfully, more readers have dug into the archives to find it, because the concept literally defines my perspective as a leader and approach to leadership development.

Technology has allowed anyone and everyone to voice their thoughts and opinions about what, who, why and how a leader should lead. What this Pandora’s Box of Development has created is mediocrity, a blend of multiple theories and techniques without depth of feeling and expression.

Several years ago, I began to parallel this with Impressionists, artists who stunned the world with their ability to create an enormous breadth of emotion from a simple palette of primary colors.

Breathtaking art from a foundation of simplicity.

My approach keys on six aspects of leadership: Focus, Choice, Communicate, Develop, Coach, and Change.

Mastering these aspects cuts through the chaos, simplifying the art of expression, allowing you to lead with improved clarity and conviction.

Breathtaking Leadership from a foundation of simplicity.

TTT #2: Only Three Quotes

Even though a more recent addition, this was the most viewed post of the year.

The Only Three Quotes You Need started as a satirical look at the massive response received to even the most basic quotes posted on social media.

While the title may hint at satire, the content evolved to once again, tout a simplistic approach to leadership and coaching.

The selected quotes reference three key areas of leadership and coaching: identifying and evaluating sources of behavior, selecting the right talent, and designing an engaged work environment that promotes sustainable growth, achievement, and lasting loyalty.

Each pointed to one undeniable quality: Be willing to change.

Curious as to the identity of the three quotes? Click on the link above to find out.

TFT: #1 Second Nature Mentality

You never forget your first.

Second Nature Mentality was the first post launched, and in many ways, I feel it will always be the best.

This was the christening ceremony for Tall Tim Talks, beginning a journey destined for freedom of expression and thought. It was liberating to finally write on my own terms, in my own words, without having to temper language or direction on behalf of a larger corporate agenda.

It would be just you and me, engaged in conversation, exchanging thoughts and ideas on what matters most in life.

Second Nature Mentality introduced a personal style, more storytelling than pragmatic description. While it contained practical steps and real-life examples, there is enough bandwidth to allow examination from a unique perspective. Afterall, your comfort level is based on trust, earned through an appropriate balance of why, what, and how.

People who know me personally commented on social media that reading Tall Tim Talks was like listening to me speak, with more than one admitting that “I read the posts in your voice.”

Value is not always marked in currency, but often through sharing one’s journey.

The Journey Continues

Every culture has a narrative, a collection of stories shared over time to preserve, educate, or instill values that inspire trust among groups and individuals within the culture.

A storyteller is entrusted with sharing this narrative in a manner that will influence emotional aspects of behavior and deepen a connection to culture.

As we dive headfirst into Year Two, please know that my resolve and commitment to continuous improvement lives on. You have my guarantee that every ounce of my heart, soul, and spirit will be invested in each post, without compromise.

For now, we’ll sip champagne responsibly, and then get back to work.

There’s a lot of talking left to write.

Thank you for sharing a year’s worth of Tuesdays with Tall Tim Talks!