While catching up on some of Godin's posts a couple of weeks ago, I came across one that really rattled me as I read it. Three Ways To Add Value focuses on three words that can quickly expose how little time we daily dedicate to moving ourselves, our team, or our organization forward by acting on change. See which of these words best describes where you spend your time:

Building and maintaining a highly engaged, cohesive team is difficult under the best of conditions. Doing it with four generations in the workplace, a constant need for innovation, and a desire by all employees for greater work/life satisfaction can make it seem impossible!

If you’re looking for a quick way to determine how your time as a leader or manager could be better spent to build a more effective team, ask these seven questions from time to time:

I live and die by being prepared to deliver effective presentations. A few years ago I found an organization that routinely gives me fresh ideas on how to more strongly connect with my audiences... and I've been speaking professionally for over 20 years! Ovation Communication is a communication skills consulting firm that enables clients to deliver their message more effectively. Their  consultants combine their experience as professional actors with their knowledge of the business world to create complete communicators. You can learn more about Ovation at their website. Today's guest post is by one of their fabulous team members, Bridget Bierne.

As one of the 114 million people who watched the Super Bowl on Sunday, I must say that I truly enjoyed the entire event. By halftime I normally lose interest and find myself choosing something else to do, but not this year. The actual game was mesmerizing as it unfolded, and I will forever remember those final minutes in the 4th quarter. Malcolm Butler taught me everything about how to handle a second chance not only in football, but in life.

There it was again. I had experienced it multiple times that day, and it just surfaced again. I was having dinner with a group of consultants, one of whom had moved to the US from Europe a few years ago. In our conversation I asked him if he was surprised by the larger food portions here than in Europe. He said, "Yes, but I've learned to adapt to prevent overeating." At that moment we were each served a very large piece of red velvet cake. Continuing in conversation, I noticed my new friend ate about half of his piece and then pushed it toward the middle of the table. I looked down at my piece, and then did what I too often do... I sighed and then ate the rest of my cake.

One alternative to New Year's Resolutions I am seeing more this year is coming up with a word or words to guide your actions and decisions. The word should help clarify choices you make, and have the end result of improving some aspect of your professional or personal life.

Yesterday, Alex (my older daughter) and I went to see The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies. It might seem like a strange activity for a 48 year old dad and his 19 year old daughter, but our "journey" with all things Middle Earth has been a truly memorable 10 year experience. It's also taught me much about how one can judge the quality of a day, year, or even a lifetime.

If you have flown on a commercial airline in the past year, you know how the experience falls somewhere between getting a flu shot and having your teeth cleaned at the dentist. Crowded flights, people bringing absurdly large bags on board, and just the push of loading and unloading the airplane have combined to lessen the enjoyment of traveling by air. The faces of those waiting to board the plane seem to say, "Let's just get this over with."

At the General Hugh Shelton Leadership Forum last week, an executive from Cisco Systems made an interesting comment. He said that we are in the season of expressing gratitude that begins with Veterans Day. He's right. I find myself having a stronger focus on being thankful during this time of year than any other. It also caused me to wonder how well we do in saying "Thanks" to others in the workplace. I was disappointed by what I found. Consider the following statistics from a study at Berkeley:

Mohamed El-Erian was a man who seemed to have it all. As CEO of the investment firm, Pimco, he made millions of dollars per year (100 million actually). He also had a supportive family... or so he thought.

Last January, while arguing with his 10 year old daughter about brushing her teeth, she handed him a list of 22 special moments El-Erian had missed since the beginning of the school year. The events ranged from a Halloween parade to her first soccer match. At first El-Erian defended the absences, but then he realized that his lack of work-life balance was hurting his relationship with his daughter. So... he did something about it... he resigned. El-Erian opted for a number of part-time jobs that would allow him to spend more time with his family, especially his daughter. You can read his insightful resignation letter here.

Alice Herz-Sommer, the oldest known living survivor of the Holocaust, died Sunday. She was 110 years old. She and her five year old son were imprisoned at the Theresienstadt concentration camp, while her mother and husband were sent to Auschwitz and were later gassed. Herz-Sommer and her son returned to Prague after the camp was liberated by the Soviet Union in May of 1945.

A music teacher and accomplished pianist, Herz-Sommer was known for her strict routines, eating only chicken or fish for 30 years, swimming daily, and refraining from alcohol. She lived in London until her death. Her life story is documented in the short documentary, The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life.