Category: Reck, Ross; Dr.

  • Ross Reck – You Never Know when Fate Will Step In

    Amanda Levens
    Amanda Levens and her boys

    Adoption and Foster Care can change your life.

    Three years ago, Amanda Levens was the associate head coach of the Arizona State University women’s basketball team. According to an article by Chris Murray which appeared in the Reno Gazette-Journal, Coach Levens was driving between her home and the ASU campus when a voice on the radio said, “There are more than 17,000 kids in foster care who could use your help. At the time Coach Levens was in her mid-30s, with no kids, single and working 80-plus hours a week as a basketball coach, but something about the plea from the voice on the radio resonated. She thought, “I can help! I want to help!” She went to the first adoption orientation available, took all the required classes, and was matched (about a year later) with a set of brothers who were three and four. The adoption became official a little more than a year ago, but her boys still weren’t calling her Mom.  They called her Amanda or Mama Amanda. Two months later they were in Costa Rica with the ASU basketball team and her boys finally started calling her Mom. In coach Levens’ own words, “It actually took a lot longer than they said it would, but it just melted my heart.” Imagine how different three lives would be if Coach Levens hadn’t had her radio on that day. If you would like to read this heart-warming article in its entirety, click on this link.

    References:

  • 100% Employee Engagement–Guaranteed! Revised Edition: Introducing a New Management Model

    100% Employee Engagement Guaranteed!
    100% Employee Engagement Guaranteed!
    Available from Amazon.com

    By Ross Reck, PhD

    Imagine a workplace where every employee is engaged with their work … where every employee shows up each day excited about giving every bit of energy, creativity and passion to performing their job. These employees don’t need to be motivated because they already are and they channel their motivation toward creating a competitive edge for their company that can’t be easily copied. They’re constantly making innovative changes to products, services and customer experiences while providing superior levels of customer service which results in loyal customers. This means higher levels of repeat and referral business which, in turn, translates into significant increases in market share. In addition, absenteeism and turnover rates for these fully engaged employees are far below industry averages because they absolutely love what they do. This book presents a new management model that guarantees an employee engagement level of 100%. If you implement this model in your organization, every one of your employees will become engaged with their work; all working at their full potential. Think of what it would mean to the success of your business or organization if you could get all of your employees engaged with their work.

  • How a 98-Year-Old Man Created Meaning for His Life and Others [by Ross Reck]

    Home-made Apple Pie
    Photo by Pixabay

    I saw this story on the PBS NEWSHOUR the other night and was overwhelmed by the amount of goodness that was shared by this man. Leo Kellner lives in Hastings, Nebraska and retired from his job at age 92. Shortly after, his wife of 72 years passed away. Four months later, he was sitting in his house wondering what to do with the rest of his life. Then it came to him, he said, “I can bake.” According to the program transcript, “He made 144 apple pies that first year, and hasn’t stopped since. You might think it provides a great retirement income for Leo, but the thing is, he doesn’t charge a cent. He gives every one of his pies and cakes away for free to friends, those who are sick, or to hospice volunteers, to those attending a funeral, to an elderly woman or a man who just can’t afford a good meal.” He says that baking and giving these cakes and pies away makes him happy because it puts smiles on people’s faces. When asked about any secret ingredients, he responded with, “I make it with love. I don’t just make it just to be making it. I make it with love. That’s my secret ingredient.” Mr. Kellner also admits that if he weren’t doing this, he probably wouldn’t be alive. If you would like to read the entire transcript about Mr. Kellner’s fascinating story, just click on this link.

  • One Famous Man’s Secrets for Growing Old and Thriving

    Aging with Zest

    Curt Schleier recently posted a fascinating article about Carl Reiner on jta.org. Mr. Reiner, who is an actor, writer director and creator of “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” is 95 years old and still going strong with several books about to come out and he’s working on several others. According to the article, “The first thing Carl Reiner does every morning is pick up the paper and read the obituary section to check if he’s named there. ‘If I’m not, I’ll have my breakfast….’” At the suggestion of his nephew, Mr. Reiner set out to find what keeps some old people young. The people he interviewed ranged in age from 92 to 102 and included such notables as Kirk Douglas (100) and Betty White (94). The things these people had in common were the following: they stayed busy, they had a zest for life (one still parachuted while another ran marathons), interacted with others often and they had a funny bone—they found the humor in life and were able to laugh at themselves. This is sound advice from seniors who are thriving. If you would like to read Mr. Schleier’s article in its entirety, click on this link.

  • Ross Reck – The Most Important Things in Life Can’t be Bought; They Must be Earned

    …live a kind, loving and caring life…
    Photo by Mayur Gala

    The Most Important Things

    Ross Reck wrote in one of his recent weekly Reminders, “One of my connections on LinkedIn posted the following quote by Clarence Francis [3] who retired as Chairman of the Board for General Foods in 1954.

    The quote points out that the most important things in life can’t be bought; they must be earned. As Mr. Francis put it: “You can buy a man’s time; you can buy his physical presence at a given place; you can even buy a measured number of his skilled muscular motions per hour. But you cannot buy enthusiasm; you can’t buy initiative; you cannot buy loyalty; you cannot buy the devotion of hearts, mind or souls.

    You must earn these.” When you extend Mr. Francis’ quote from business to life in general, the list of things that must be earned also includes love, friendship and respect. The good news is that all these things are very easy to earn. All you have to do is live a kind, loving and caring life and they’re yours.”[1,2]

    References:

    1. RossReck.com
    2. ConnertMedia.com
    3. Wikipedia – Clarence Francis
    4. Wikipedia – General Foods