Ropella

Life Is Short - So Slow Down

Author: Robbie Ropella  Posted 2 weeks, 6 days, 23 hours, 55 minutes ago.  

Robbie shares her thoughts…
Pat and I just recently headed out to the ACI, which is our favorite conference of the year. As it is only a six hour drive, we decided to forgo flying and drive on over to Orlando. We made excellent time and had just commented on how easy the drive was…when out of nowhere, traffic came to a standstill. I had never seen traffic this bad, and in over an hour and a half we only made it approximately one or two miles down the road. Pat whipped out his trusted iPhone and quickly found out that a horrible accident had occurred there earlier in the day. 10 people had lost their lives and 18 were in the hospital due to fog and smoke covering that very highway.

Pat had me get off the interstate at the next exit and try a different route, which he had navigated with his iPhone map. Unfortunately, we were not the only ones with this new plan, Pat’s route took us right over to where the brush fire was and the traffic was pretty much the same there. The traffic cleared up an hour and 45 minutes later and let me tell you, at that point, driving 55 miles an hour seemed like you were flying.

We were happy to arrive that night at our hotel, and after watching the news, we were quite thankful that we had chosen to drive out on Sunday morning as opposed to Saturday evening, which we had considered.  What was a huge inconvenience for those caught in traffic was a lasting tragedy for others and my heart goes out to all who lost loved ones that day. This experience did impact both Pat and me considerably. While we may get so busy rushing here to there to check off our boxes and grow more business, we need to focus on what really counts in life. 

That evening, though we were both stressed and tired, we went out on a date for sushi.  We didn’t discuss work, but just enjoyed each other’s company and realized life is short.  Sushi never tasted so good and Pat’s laughter was even better.

Pat responds…
Yes, this experience was very thought-provoking and teaches us about the need for perspective. Had we left earlier, we could have been caught in this accident. All the planning and work we do means nothing when we or our loved ones go through a tragedy like this. I am always pushing to accomplish more in less time with more people and resources. Robbie wants to slow down and connect more with those we meet along the way. She’s probably right – I needed this perspective to get me to slow down and smell the roses.

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Vision Casting for the New Year

Author: Patrick Ropella  Posted 1 month, 2 weeks, 4 days, 12 hours, 11 minutes ago.  

Pat shares his thoughts…
This time of year we all think of New Year’s Resolutions as our most pressing personal priority.  Most often we think of the obvious resolutions like weight loss, starting an exercise program, managing our money better, or spending more time on relationships, etc.  I like to look at resolutions a bit longer term as I head into the new year.  So I commit every year during the Christmas break a time to focus on where I want to be in the next 2 to 3 years.  I like to use the vacation down time between Christmas and New Years for what I call Vision Casting.

A good way to keep that vision “in sight” year round is to create a Goals Board.  I have a collage of photos including places I want to go, the success I would like to achieve, and new toys I would like to acquire, along with happy pictures of me and my family. It’s very fulfilling at the end of the year to chart the success we have experienced. Motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, said “You need a plan to build a house. To build a life, it is even more important to have a plan or goal.”  So what life plan do you envision – what blueprint could you provide that shows you have real clarity for where you want your life to take you?

This year I would like to challenge you to do more than set a resolution, cast a vision.

Michael Hyatt Chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishers, has a great website and wonderful tool to help you with the process of developing your own life plan:  Check it out here: www.michaelhyatt.com/life-plan.

Robbie responds…
Vision casting is a great way to start off the new year. Not only has it helped me map out my goals on a professional level, it helps me actually plan and implement quality family time so that the year doesn’t slip away.  It also helps me gauge my success and lets me know when to recalibrate to get myself back on track.  I strongly recommend this tool to everyone who is driven and would like to have a healthy work-life balance.

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Just Be Yourself

Author: Patrick Ropella  Posted 2 months, 3 weeks, 2 days, 1 hour, 34 minutes ago.  

Pat shares his thoughts…
I just got done watching the first episode of the new “reality” TV show called The Headhuntress, and was surprised to see the direction given by the “Headhunter” to candidates prior to an interview.  Shouting at someone who is quiet and reserved and telling him to be loud and aggressive is a waste of time as far as I am concerned.  Candidate preparation before an interview is highly overused, and in some cases is just dead wrong.  Interestingly enough this gentleman did not act aggressive on his interview, but fell back on the creativity and marketing abilities that he had in spades - and nonetheless he came out as the top candidate.  My point for getting into all this is that people who are going through a career change deserve better “professional” treatment - not theoretical, kooky one liners, delivered in front of a TV camera for ratings success. 

There’s a lot to be said in regards to taking the gifts and abilities you were given, improving upon them through professional development, and then just being yourself - whether your interviewing for a job, looking for a wife, or parenting a child.  After all, each is a long term commitment, and if you start off the relationship just by being “yourself,” you’re much more likely to be appreciated 90 days later when everyone drops their typical “interview masks” and gets down to working and playing together under the pressures of day-to-day life.

Robbie responds…
You hit the nail right on the head with this one, Pat, and I couldn’t agree more.  How many times have you seen people date and pretend to be something they are not only to have the relationship disintegrate later on?  When Pat and I met, we just laid our cards on the table. I let him know I am competitive, adventurous, and not much of a cook.  He let me know he was assertive, had strong opinions, and would push for growth both professionally and personally.  We knew who the other really was, and after 20 years of marriage, we are still going strong.

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What Will Be Your Legacy?

Author: Robbie Ropella  Posted 3 months, 2 weeks, 6 days, 18 hours, 13 minutes ago.  

Robbie shares her thoughts…
The passing of Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, was indeed a very sad affair. He was a visionary who created something from nothing and is a true example of the American Dream. His name is known worldwide for the technology he brought to the marketplace that has impacted all of our lives, leaving behind quite a legacy. That got me thinking forward a bit to the question: what type of legacy will I leave behind? I obviously have not left an impact on technology, but what about in other areas?

My mom is a great example of an average person impacting others lives in an extraordinary way. We expected her to die of stage-four, non-hodgkin’s systemic B cell lymphoma over nine years ago, but she’s a fighter. Since then we have almost lost her to lung cancer, blood clots, and pancreatitis on numerous occasions, but she keeps fighting. Her focus, interestingly enough, is never on herself, but on serving others and ministering to them. Whether it’s someone walking around Wall Mart who looks sad and dejected because they just lost their job or someone whose spouse has just passed away, Mom is constantly taking time to listen, pray, encourage others, and give back to those in need. 

When I go back home to visit, people often stop me in a store just to let me know what a blessing my mom has been in their lives. I have decided that’s the type of legacy I want to leave behind. We are all given different gifts and abilities. Steve Jobs was a genius and his gift to the world was enormous, but you don’t have to be a genius to impact those around you. Sometimes it takes someone ordinary, someone like my mom, who is just a small women with a big heart.

Pat responds…
Wow, to leave a legacy like Steve Jobs…mind bending. To leave a legacy like Robbie’s mom…not likely – I’m just not wired that way. These are two fine examples of lives well lived. I hope my legacy is that my family members, employees, and friends are happy, well adjusted, and catching my contagious entrepreneurial spirit and are energized by my encouraging efforts to be all they can be…no matter where they are in life.

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The Help - Do What’s Right

Author: Patrick Ropella  Posted 5 months, 3 weeks, 20 hours, 45 minutes ago.  

Pat shares his thoughts…
Just saw the movie, The Help. It was a real eye opener to say the least. There are a couple of issues this movie addresses that I feel strongly about. The obvious one being racism. I feel God created one race (The Human Race), and we come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Individuals who have to put others down in order to elevate themselves are often mean-spirited, insecure, and uneducated.

The other issue raised in this movie is bulling. Thank God I wasn’t living in the South during the Civil Rights Movement - because I can’t stand bullies and I don’t bite my tongue well at all. Why people feel the need to stand above others, isolate, segregate, and just be mean spirited to those who look, speak, or act differently, is beyond my comprehension. Followers who stand by and watch such outrageous behavior and then choose to go along with the herd mentality are just as bad as the bullies themselves.

What can we do as individuals?

I pray that as individuals we would look past our differences and instead turn our commonalities and aspirations into a movement for freedom, peace, and equality for all by simply connecting with and respecting others in our day to day life. Let us be an example to this next generation and have the strength to stand up and speak for those who can’t.  Let’s all be a Skeeter (see movie).

Robbie responds…
Pat was a little put off when I dragged him to the movie “The Help,” as most would classify it a Chick Flick, but he loved the film and found it inspirational to boot.  It was good to see a snapshot of how each individual in this movie dealt with the circumstances they faced.  Some were able to fight through their fear and take a stand to give injustice a voice while others refused to come forward and be counted.  Many refused to think for themselves. Instead, they willingly went with the flow, even when they knew their leader was cruel, vindictive, and callous, rather than risk being ostracized.  A large handful of individuals were able to do what was right after others had taken the lead and faced the opposition head on.

I guess this movie and its characters are quite applicable to us today.  When you look at this movie, you can internalize it and decide which individual you will be. Will you take a stand for what’s right even when it costs you something?  Will you look the other way as long as it doesn’t directly affect you?  Do you manipulate and bully those around you to make them fold or comply to your wishes/demands?  The good news is that it’s never too late to change and do what’s right - just ask Skeeter’s mom!

For more information on The Help, check out www.thehelpmovie.com!

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Recharge and Refresh!

Author: Robbie Ropella  Posted 6 months, 2 weeks, 6 days, 13 hours, 41 minutes ago.  

Robbie shares her thoughts…
Ever feel like you have so much on your plate you can’t afford to take a vacation?  Right now I have the summertime blues, because it’s been a while since I have had a vacation and I feel the pressures & responsibilities at work are commanding my time & attention.  Pat gave me some good advice when I shared my concerns.  He said “If you don’t plan to take time off, it’s not going to happen.” That spurred me on to call my favorite resort and book a week at a beautiful condo on the beach.

So while I have a lot on my plate presently, I can now smile and envision myself relaxing in a few weeks time with a great book poolside with the sea breeze blowing in my hair.  What do you need to schedule before the summer is up?  Careful, because if you don’t do it today, the summer may pass you by.

Pat responds…
Wow, can I relate to this topic!  With the great recession essentially behind us now – it sure would be nice to be able to actually take a real vacation and not feel guilty about it. But with the Ropella Search, Leadership, and Media businesses picking up speed again, combined with my weekly business travel, it’s been harder than ever to get an afternoon off let alone a whole week.

Any good leader will tell you that scheduling time off to recharge is just as important as scheduling meetings, travel, clients visits, etc.  And while recharging is crucial, the problem is we seldom practice what we preach! With this in mind, I’m taking a couple of days off this week to play in the yard/finish some landscaping, and I’m looking forward to our upcoming trip to the beautiful condo on the beach.  After I’m fully recharged, I’ll be working like crazy to catch up!

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Celebrate Independence!

Author: Patrick Ropella  Posted 7 months, 2 weeks, 4 days, 1 hour, 2 minutes ago.  

Pat shares his thoughts…
With Independence Day behind us, I am reminded of our founding fathers’ fight for independence for our nation.  I am also reminded of my own entrepreneurial independence.  I’ve been either on straight commission, a loan/draw against commission, or self employed since I was 15 years old.  I moved out on my own when I was fifteen years old and my independent streak has never stopped growing.  I believe very strongly in self reliance…and on the flip side, think very little of those who can take care of themselves, but still require others to support them - and then call it needed social justice. 

That said, I encourage every parent to push their kids to do some sort of entrepreneurial small business before they graduate from high school.  Whether it’s a lawn mowing service, a babysitting service, or as simple running a garage sale from start to finish.  There’s nothing like the feeling you get when you take something from nothing and make your own money from it.  Success (even the smallest amount) breeds self reliance. 

One more thought, service breeds patriotism.  Our country’s independence was won on the backs of people willing to die for your freedom.  Those who have fought and survived for our country deserve our greatest respect.  Let them be your role models, as you consider your own commitment to serve our country in some (even small) way in the coming months and years.

Over the land of the free and the home of the brave…In God we trust.

Happy Independence Day! 

Robbie responds…
Another word for independence is freedom, and in order to obtain freedom you have to become self reliant.  Hillary Clinton says it takes a village to raise your child and I guess I disagree with that.  It takes parents who are willing to invest the time to teach their children skills and values and encourage them to spread their wings and fly when the time is right.  My parents didn’t have the village mentality, either, but they did invest time, taught me to respect others, and strongly encouraged me to do the right thing.  In fact if we didn’t do the right thing, my Dad was sure to help put us on the right track when he got home from work!

I have to say that their investment had a good return.  All of us kids turned out well and have gone on to be strong contributors in the work force and passionate about helping those in need as well as great parents.  With that in mind, I’d like to say “thanks!” to my Mom and Dad who taught me the value of hard work and independence.

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Flex Schedules and Summer Fun!

Author: Robbie Ropella  Posted 8 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 14 hours, 48 minutes ago.  

Robbie shares her thoughts…
Now that summer’s here, we all have the desire to be able to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.  I know that last year it seemed the sun would shine all week long, and the weather would be perfect, only to have the weekend arrive and we would have nonstop thunder storms.  That was a bit depressing to say the least. 

This summer I am going to be working on a flex schedule.  I’d like to occasionally have a three day weekend so I’ll be putting extra time in Monday through Thursday, so that I can have that extra Friday off.  Happy content employees make the best employees and having a flex schedule allows freedom and flexibility to actually schedule some much-needed, downtime/fun-in-the-sun, mental health days.

In order to make this happen, I will need to work smarter not harder, and carefully prioritize my Blue Chips.  Blue Chips are the top three priorities that you have to finish by the end of the day/week.  By writing them down and reviewing them first thing in the week/morning I know just what it’s going to take to accomplish them by Thursday, so that I can take Friday off.  Yes, this may mean that I’m working until 8:00 PM both Wednesday and Thursday night, but having that extra day off at the beach is definitely worth it!

Pat responds…
Yes, “Flex Schedules” are important.  More and more “Best Places To Work” companies are understanding that, as people work longer hours, they simply need more time to take care of family and errands during working hours. And flex schedules allow for this much better than the standard 8 to 5, Monday-through-Friday work week.  If you hire the right people and then let them have flex schedules, most will actually give you more hours than less.  As a world class, prime example - Google gets this and is famous and highly successful for it.  Work hard – play hard.  I have to go golfing sometimes just to recharge my batteries.  Doing so on Saturday when the course is packed is more stressful than going on Wednesday at 9:00.  I’d rather take some time off to golf during the week and have the course almost empty and wrap up business on Saturday.  Sounds great doesn’t it?  Well it’s Wednesday, so I’m off to the Green. See you there!

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What is Religion’s Place in the Workplace?

Author: Patrick Ropella  Posted 9 months, 2 weeks, 6 days, 4 hours, 34 minutes ago.  

Pat shares his thoughts…
With Easter week upon us…and Workforce Management magazine making this topic their cover story…it’s the right time to tackle this touchy subject.  First some facts & quotes: More than 80 percent of all Americans consider themselves religious or spiritual. “Religion and spiritual belief may be a deeply private matter for some employees, but it is part of who they are. Historically, a person’s religious beliefs were considered private. But in this Facebook age, the private has become public and the personal has become professional. In the old business model, you were at a job to work.  In the new model, people want to balance their whole life,” says David Miller, Director of Faith & Work Initiative at Princeton University. 

At Ropella we try hard to be inclusive and accepting of all our team members’ beliefs, and no one should be afraid to stand for what they believe in either.  That may create some spirited debate… but then so what - we’re all adults.  We also encourage our team to support their faith-based charities here.

So, if you are wondering why we are talking about this subject now, it is because this week’s events build up to the Highest Christian Holy Day of the entire year - Easter. The day we celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Robbie responds…
Easter is an important day to many of our staff members.  While they may celebrate it differently based on their particular beliefs, we encourage them and allow them to take the time off that is necessary to participate in various services.  People of faith are more likely to volunteer in their community, they have a stronger work ethic, handle a crisis better, and are an encouragement and help to those around them.  That being said, they should be able to have the necessary time off.  After all, smokers are allowed smoke breaks for something that is actually harmful and a detriment to their health, so let’s support those who are making a positive impact on their work force and surrounding communities. Happy EASTER!!

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Have a Heart for Those in Need

Author: Robbie Ropella  Posted 10 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 18 hours, 21 minutes ago.  

Robbie shares her thoughts…
Watching the news can be an addiction for sure, especially when we become immersed in the updates on natural disasters such as the earthquake and tsunami that just occurred over in Japan.  It’s heartbreaking to hear of the loss of life and other families searching desperately to find and locate their missing loved ones.  This may be politically incorrect to say, but as a women, these stories effect me emotionally and pull on my heart strings motivating me to take action in some small way. 

With the busy schedules we all face, it only takes a moment to break away and make an impact and feel as if you’re making a difference by giving online to various reputable organizations.  With technology as it is, we are truly a global world and are connected by simply turning on CNN.  Let’s use that technology to make a difference and impact others’ lives. One person can make a difference.

Pat responds…
As a highly focused man, I might tend to focus on my business here and not pay much attention to what happens on the other side of the planet. This is how a lot of men compartmentalize things as a means of focusing on the goal. It sounds cold, but we sometimes just don’t think about it if it’s not right in front of us. On the other hand, Hurricane Ivan, a category 5, came right through my backyard In Pensacola, FL a few years back and knocked my business completely out of commission for more than 30 days. Thank God we got help from others or we never would have been able to recover from the loss of income and the mountain of payroll and bills. So let’s not shut off the bad news just because it’s not directly happening to us. Because bad news just as easily could be our turn next - that’s called perspective. Reach out and help others whenever and wherever you can and as often as possible - that’s called paying it forward.

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