Matt Heller - Performance Optimist

01/13/2025

Are you easy to reject? -

Most people don't want to be rejected. In fact, I would imagine the majority of human beings work to avoid being rejected at all costs.

01/08/2025

I don't know what you do -

For context, I was talking with someone I have known for years. I consider her a friend and a trusted colleague. We even worked for the same client (in different disciplines) at the same time.

01/03/2025

Time to turn off the out-of-office reply! -

On a daily basis, lots of email messages go into your spam or junk folder. If you are just getting back from some time away from your inbox, don’t forget to hop on over to that folder to see if anything important went there by mistake.

12/30/2024

Share your wisdom! -

A key element of personal development is taking in the suggestions of others and applying them to your situation. I also believe it’s a great honor and privilege to be able to share what you know in an effort to help others.

12/27/2024

It's a strange time... -

The airing of grievances and feats of strength for Festivus are complete. Christmas is over. Boxing day is done. Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are still happening. It’s not quite the New Year everyone has been waiting for. We’re sort of in a no-man’s-land black hole of “what should we be doing?”

12/18/2024

Happy Hollandaise! -

In one of the first iterations of the Mastermind program back in 2016, the group had brainstormed a particular issue one of the participants was having. When she went to her boss with the recommendation and said, “this is what the Masterminds said”, her boss then said, “Well if they said so, I...

12/11/2024

Do bears need a haircut? -

I know I already said I was thankful for IAAPA, but I also want to give some special shoutouts to those who made the Expo just a little extra special. First, these three…

11/25/2024

Thankful for IAAPA (and many other things!) -

If you have ever been involved in a miscommunication or misunderstanding, it could be due to your ability to truly LISTEN to the other person. With hundreds of ways to be distracted, the art of actually listening to someone is becoming an antiquated skill.

11/13/2024

ALL CLEAR Learning Series - The Lost Art of Listening -

How many of you have ever had a miscommunication with someone? Everyone should be nodding your head, because we all have!

11/04/2024

A missing part of me -

Have you ever been inspired by a song? I mean SO inspired that a lyric or the emotion of the music caused you to rethink your world or how you see it?

10/30/2024

10/30/2024

It takes a village. -

One is an adage for raising kids, the other is investment advice. They BOTH apply to leadership development.No one manager, mentor or trainer will teach a developing leader everything they need to know. Similarly, no single method of learning will be sufficient to create the skills needed to succeed...

10/21/2024

IAAPA and 2025 are just around the corner! -

When it comes to industry fun, few people get it better than Laura Woodburn Krolczyk! A few years ago, when the CNC (Coaster Nerd Con) trip was going from Hershey Park to Knoebels, she provided us all manner of Hershey gear and made us promise to wear it at Knoebels (they have a fun rivalry!)

10/16/2024

If you have graphic design needs, I am not your guy.

10/13/2024

Don't call it a comeback! -

Today, Oct. 13, 2024, marks the 1-year anniversary of my quadruple bypass surgery. I missed the IAAPA Expo in 2023 while I was in recovery… at least we didn’t have to think too hard about Halloween costumes.

09/25/2024

If I had a nickel... -

I couldn’t go on much longer without mentioning some more people that made our CNC24 (Coaster Nerd Con) a super successful trip this summer! Mark Rosenzweig has become our unofficial Kings Island tour guide and helps us make sure we get on the best rides, have the best food and of course, take the...

09/12/2024

Anger gets a bad rap! -

Aloha! You might notice that I have moved this recognition segment to the beginning of the newsletter… above the fold, if you will. If people are truly our greatest assets, then shouldn’t we talk about them first?

09/02/2024

Who labors on Labor Day? -

Is Labor Day just about parades, BBQ's and the unofficial end of summer in the US? That's HOW we celebrate, but that's not WHY we celebrate.