Welcome to Misti's Insights
What If You’re Too Short?
"Belief goes a long way in provoking greatness, and as leaders, that’s our most important job.” – Misti Burmeister A couple of years after they built a horse barn, my parents and my brother decided that owning horses was too much work, so they converted the barn into...
You Want Me to Do What? OK!
"If you've recently hired someone who’s not performing as you’d like, consider giving specific instructions on what to do, rather than what not to do.” – Misti Burmeister One great way to get to know colleagues and potential customers is to join them for an activity...
No Wonder They Keep Cutting You Off
"The next time you find yourself complaining about certain behaviors in your employees, stop and consider whether you might be unconsciously reinforcing those bad habits.” – Misti Burmeister Sitting around the table with me were eight highly-acclaimed CEOs from the...
Don’t Hire Confident People
“When we believe in our employees and create a culture that fosters their success, we attract employees who are confident and capable.” – Misti Burmeister “If he had self-confidence, he wouldn’t be working for me,” JW said, referring to an employee whose results...
What You Don’t Want Them Saying About You
“The generous leaders who share the credit and the profits with their team will attract and retain the highest-quality, dedicated team players.” – Misti Burmeister I stood on the corner of a busy street in Towson, Maryland, listening as Greg shared about his...
Why Should I Dance?
“Leaders who provide structure for success effortlessly attract great “dancers”–workers who are accountable, productive and hard-working.” — Misti Burmeister If you’ve ever been to an event – a wedding, fundraiser, conference, etc. – where there was dancing, you may...
How Do You Want to Die?
“How I die is nowhere near as important as how I live.” — Misti Burmeister Many years ago, Zig Ziglar asked me that very question. Well, maybe not in exactly those words, but close. He asked me to write my own eulogy, which includes death. Or does it? In my opinion,...
Would You Paddle Board in Your Underwear?
“Sometimes we have to throw ‘the rules’ aside, say yes, and let life work out the details for us.” — Misti Burmeister On May 4, 2013, Alison Whitmire organized and hosted the very best TEDx event I’ve ever experienced – TEDx Rock Creek Park. The day was filled with...
The Best Leaders Don’t Always Lead By Example
“What matters most in leaders is the ability to provoke greatness!” — Misti Burmeister After that final bell sounded, releasing us from school for the day, I would throw on my shorts and tank top, grab my gear, and head out for track practice. Track & field season...
Why Didn’t I Think of That?
“Resist the desire to control everything, and you will open yourself up to possibilities.” — Misti Burmeister I can be a know-it-all – at least on occasion. Hard to imagine, right? But alas, it happens, particularly in high-stress situations. Poor Reggie, the chief...
The Little Things Matter
“If you start chipping away at your corporate culture, you might just lose your most valuable asset – your employees.” — Misti Burmeister Most leaders cannot compute investing in their people, particularly when the market shifts. Yet, just like the best time to invest...
The Most Important Interview Question Ever
“Keeping your eyes open for opportunity, even when you’re in a job you love, will put you in a better starting position when it’s truly time to move on.” — Misti Burmeister Most of us spend more time with our co-workers than with our families, yet few ask the most...
To Compete, or to Collaborate …
“Competition doesn’t have to be about beating other people. It’s about collaborating and improving our game.” — Misti Burmeister I have been a member of Toastmasters for several years but have never competed. Despite having been an Olympic track-and-field hopeful in...
What To Do About Your “Ugly Babies”
"If you only focus on the dirt, you’ll never find the treasure." — Misti Burmeister “What if I don’t actually care about this guy?” asked Sarah, a senior executive in the entertainment industry. We’d spent nearly an hour of our coaching session discussing how to get...
Playing Scarce
“Those with a scarcity mindset waste time complaining about how hard it is to find talented people.” — Misti Burmeister If we are to lead others to greatness, blow our numbers out of the water, and experience limitless success, we must give up scarcity as our modus...
If You Don’t Ask, You Don’t Get
“Asking for help makes us vulnerable, and yet through that vulnerability, some of the most magical relationships have a chance to form.” — Misti Burmeister Asking for help is not easy. Most of us worry that doing so will make us look vulnerable, weak or even...
10 Things Really Amazing Leaders Do
10 Things Really Amazing Leaders Do “Amazing leaders know diversity is critical to success, so they find ways to work with those who are different from them.” — Misti Burmeister What separates bad or mediocre leaders from the truly great ones – you know, the ones who...
Never Enough
“Truly great leaders make time to provoke greatness in their teams.” — Misti Burmeister There's never enough time to be as patient or persistent with our teams as we need to be. We’re simply too busy dealing with the crisis of the moment to focus on developing their...