The Authors Journey
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Involuntary Electroshock Therapy
It was July, not just any July, it was an oilfield July, and the Western Kansas wheat stubble made the sun 20 degrees hotter. The humidity, stifling. It was 1977, near the Petersilie lease (no, you can’t make this up), south of Ness City. I was riding shotgun in the cab of an unairconditioned gin…
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Week Minded This Week: I’m tired of “leadership.”
Was that a 440-volt shock to see me say something like that? Leadership is a Result Let me explain. In the same way that I am tired of hearing the term “psychological safety,” I am tired of hearing the word “leadership.” Psychological safety has become the $10 word for not intimidating your team members or…
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I am without words
Tomorrow night at midnight, Week Minded will be fully released into the wild. I think many of those in my orbit will just be happy for me to talk about it a bit less after tomorrow. I have been consumed by it. Nights, weekends, lunch hours, etc. I was obsessed with turning all edits around…
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What is Happening? The Inexplicable MUST READ!!
In a very strange and wonderful series of events on March 27th, there lies a mystery. As happens on many Friday nights, Renee’ and I playfully discuss whether we’re energetic enough to go out to grab a quick bite of Mexican food, to order in, or if I go pick up Chinese food. We kicked…
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The Story Your Hands Tell
By Rod Branch There’s a leadership idea that has always resonated with me: People don’t follow the leader.They follow the story the leader represents. Recently, that idea came into focus in an unexpected way. I was sitting on a plane, holding the first printed copy of my book, Week Minded: 52 Reflections on Leading and Living.…
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Proof Books Are on the Way
We pushed the button to order books on Monday. This is yet another milestone moment….. On Monday, March 9, 2026, we approved the e-proof of the book. The e-proof is the electronic file that holds the engineering instructions for the machine that manufactures the book. Once that happens, you can order the actual proof copy.…
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Countdown to Publication: Hardback and Paperback Launch
Last night at 9:51 PM, I completed the final edits from the proofreader. Today, Ginny did one more round of edits, and the file left the nest for IngramSpark, the printer. The file runs through “the gumball machine” for 3-5 days, and the paperback is engineered. I picture it like when the scarecrow was in…
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The Proofreader
Another milestone this week. All of the edits to the book chapters were completed and off to the proofreader it went. That is a big deal. I have decided to put a sample chapter out there now that we have come this far. Week Minded: 52 Reflections on Leading and Living Week 4: Take the…
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The Foreword and the AfterWord – The Alpha and Omega
As the Chief Relationship Officer of my life, I measure my wealth by the value-based connections and relationships I collect. I am a very rich man that way. When I first asked Dr. Taryn Marie and Gair Maxwell to write the foreword and afterword for Week Minded, I didn’t know them like I know them…
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Launch Date May 2nd!!
Wow, what an eventful week. Fifty-two! 52 Weekly inspirational true stories. 5/2 is May 2nd! Five – Two, a Saturday. May 2nd is Read Across America Day. Since we needed to move the book release out of Easter weekend, this was a terrific second choice. New this week: Dr. Taryn Marie and Gair Maxwell are…