After nearly 12 years with Sleepy's/Mattress Firm, our family has decided to take on a new challenge.
Announcement: The Next Demma Family Adventure
Author: John Demma
Welcome to my blog. I have been a manager for fifteen years, and for the past five years I have been leading teams of 500 people or more as a director and VP for large growth companies. I share my leadership journey and thoughts here with the hopes of helping and inspiring other leaders.
Demma’s Notes: How to Talk So Kids Will Listen (or what I like to call The Parenting Bible)
The term "game-changer" is so overused today, but I can't overstate how much parenting has changed for me since listening to "How to Talk".
Demma’s Notes: Learning to Eat Soup With A Knife
Learning to Eat Soup With a Knife by John Nagl uncovers common themes for effectively dealing with insurgent or non-conventional warfare.
How to Create Great Team Building Exercises
Teamwork is important. In fact, teamwork may be the most important competency for an organization operating in a world of complexity.
#firstsevenjobs
Dishwasher/busser Cigar telemarketer Pizza delivery/pizza maker Waiter Bartender Restaurant manager Sales manager
Maybe You’re Wrong About Participation Trophies Too
Participation trophies aren't just a way to make everyone feel good about themselves. Maybe they're that too, but they're so much more to my son.
My Top 5 Regrets From College (and few things I’d gladly do all over again)
This is a pretty terrible advice letter for anyone college bound, but what can I tell ya. College was awesome. Try to enjoy it.
Demma’s Notes: 5 Leadership Takeaways from Shoe Dog by Nike Founder Phil Knight
I've always been a Nike fanboy, but I never heard of Nike's founder Phil Knight until my Audible app recently recommended his awesome new memoir Shoe Dog. I loved the book, so here's a quick recap to maybe pique your interest in reading Shoe Dog for yourself.
My Leadership Style Update: Be Like Water
Bruce Lee. Legendary Kung Fu master, martial artist, actor, philosopher, author, and one of my idols. He is perhaps best known for pioneering the martial arts style called Jeet Kune Do. An update to my post about describing My leadership style.
The Ultimate Leadership Skill
Hubris slays another Ancient Greek. "Pride comes before the fall," says the bible. Gatsby was ruined by his own opulence and swagger. People have been warning other people through stories to stay humble for a long long time now.
Fortune Favors the Offensive: 5 Principles of speed and aggression from history’s greatest generals
One of the great regrets of my life is not having served in the military. I've become painfully aware of my lack of service since moving to the D.C. area, where it feels like everyone is either active duty or retired military or a "defense contractor" or an FBI/Secret Service agent. They're all way way … Continue reading Fortune Favors the Offensive: 5 Principles of speed and aggression from history’s greatest generals
Banning the “O” Word
Age doesn't make us old. Admitting defeat to Father Time does. For my fellow thirty somethings, and certainly for people in their twenties, calling ourselves old is just insane.
Management Skills: 5 Ways to Develop Mental Toughness
How do middle class people of the developed world keep the edge, work ethic, and values their immigrant ancestors had? How do we develop mental toughness?
How to Overcome the Fear of Flying (or, my strange journey back to 30,000 feet)
The fear of flying is an emotional issue, and trying to overcome a strong emotional fear with logic is like bringing a knife to a gun fight. If you're stuck on the ground like I was, you're going to have to address the underlying emotional concerns before you're ready to hear the statistics.
How to be a Little Less Afraid of the World (advice from Jack London)
Jack London is one of my go-to mentors for manliness. What follows below is a snippet from his memoir about sailing around the world, The Cruise of the Snark.