Welcome to Misti's Insights
How to Leverage Irritation
"The key is to tap into your emotions. Emotion is literally energy-in-motion." — Misti Burmeister During arecent “catch up” call with James, a long-time client, I asked about his greatest challenge. After sharing details of his “self-inflicted stress” of having to...
Was It A Shark?
Miss part 1 or 2 of this story? Click here to read it “It’s okay, I’m okay. Big fish – big water,” I said out loud to myself. As I started to calm, I got the courage to see if it was still there, and it was! Chanting ensued, until Yvette took her paddle, poked it...
Interview with Mark Goulston
Want to learn how to get through to anyone? Are you ready to improve your ability to communicate effectively? If you could get anyone to change a certain behavior, how would you do it? In this interview with Mark Goulston, bestselling author, world-renowned expert...
I Was Amazed At What Happened Next
Miss part 1 of this? Click here to read it While I was prepared for my mom to throw a few bucks in the hat, I wasn’t ready for the result: $500 in 48 hours. Relief! The next day, in the pool with my new friend, Caroline, who I got to know after swimming into...
They Laughed When I Tried To Swim
Has anyone ever laughed at you when you’ve tried something new? When I got her text message at 930am, I laughed, as I remembered feeling as though I might drown just fifteen years before. Wanting to be the cool kid at nineteen, I went to get my lifeguard...
What to do with People who Pee on Your Parade
"If you can assume, in the moment, that the naysayer actually means well, you can respond with information that may be of help to him or her."— Misti Burmeister After spending four days in San Diego with a bunch of happy people – a group of roughly 2,000...
How to Know When Rules will Wreck Creativity
“When your team is having fun, they’ll have greater access to the resources inside their heads to creatively solve problems.” — Misti Burmeister Fifteen years ago, I strolled into the pool area at my university, prepared to walk out with my lifeguard certification....
Do You Expect Too Little From Your Employees?
"When you tolerate mediocrity in yourself, you tolerate it in others." — Misti Burmeister My neighbor, Jane, stopped by to get my advice on an employee issue. The problem is her new assistant Linda, who comes to work whenever she feels like it. “She’s excellent when...
When Blame Trumps Innovation
"Employees will always treat customers the way they are treated by management."— Misti Burmeister On my flight to Cabos, Mexico, earlier this year, I changed planes in Houston, Texas. Unlike the first flight, which was at max capacity, this plane had several open...
Feedback – Podcast
Feedback is critical to personal advancement. In fact, according to a recent Forbes study of 51,000 leaders, those ranked in the bottom 10% in asking for feedback were rated in at the 15% in overall leadership effectiveness. Conversely, leaders ranked in the top 10%...
How Dare You!: What to Do When People Push Your Buttons
“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”~Stephen Covey No matter how evolved or self-actualized we are, no matter how wise or Zen we may be, everyone has certain triggers – issues or topics that we feel sensitive about and that can provoke reactions within...
Do They Know You’re Watching?
Do you perform better when you know others are watching? Research shows the simple answer is “yes.” But how do you make this work to your advantage as a leader? A few days ago, while observing a Crossfit class at Arenal, I witnessed a great example of the motivational...
Exclusive Interview with Maimah Karmo
How do you discover your purpose? Is it being revealed to you, but you simply cannot see it? If you could align your passion and purpose, how would you do it? In this interview with Maimah Karmo, CEO and Foundation for the Tigerlily Foundation, she shares her story...
Is Cheerleading a Waste of Time?
Positive workplace energy is contagious. All it takes is one person – no matter how high-level – to take the lead. And soon others start following in her enthusiastic wake. A close friend of mine, Dora, is an executive in the entertainment industry. Her office has its...
Why Should I Do Business with You?
Have you ever wondered why, despite your exceptional service, customers keep going to the competition? What gives? And more importantly, how do you get them to stay and refer others? Whether we’re talking about keeping talented employees or valuable clients, the...
How to Make Your Boss Cry
"Are you willing to ask the hard questions that might just help your boss, your team, or your colleagues achieve higher levels of greatness?"— Misti Burmeister Whether we’re talking about ex lovers or former employers, we all like to think we’ll be missed when we’re...
Exclusive Interview with Wayne Coffey
How do you develop trust on your team? How do you even know you have picked the right team members? How do you align your people with your vision? Are values even important? In this interview with Wayne Coffey, CEO and Founder of Coffey & Company, he shares his...
Why Is Employee Engagement so Hard?
"Without a strong and compelling vision, it’s easy to get caught up in a “this is mine” mentality that blocks them from sharing resources and collaborating."— Misti Burmeister Most leaders know that disengagement is brutal on the bottom line. In fact, “active...