Today’s special guest is Mark Villareal and we’re talking about
his new leadership book, Leadership
Lessons from Mom.
his new leadership book, Leadership
Lessons from Mom.
Bio:
Mark Villareal is the
author of the International Best Seller Shortcuts
Get You Lost! A Leadership Fable of The Dangers of the Blind Leading the Blind.
The book reached #1 status in the U.S., Canada, Australia and #12 in the U.K.
Mark Villareal has been an established public speaker, presenter, coach and
consultant for many years. He has been a guest on The Viki Winterton Radio
Show, The Dr. Jo Anne White Radio Show, The Energy Shift with Sonia Bueno de la
Torre, The Dare To Dream Show with Debbi Dachinger, and Talenttalk Radio to
name a few. He has had multiple articles published in magazines and
publications.
author of the International Best Seller Shortcuts
Get You Lost! A Leadership Fable of The Dangers of the Blind Leading the Blind.
The book reached #1 status in the U.S., Canada, Australia and #12 in the U.K.
Mark Villareal has been an established public speaker, presenter, coach and
consultant for many years. He has been a guest on The Viki Winterton Radio
Show, The Dr. Jo Anne White Radio Show, The Energy Shift with Sonia Bueno de la
Torre, The Dare To Dream Show with Debbi Dachinger, and Talenttalk Radio to
name a few. He has had multiple articles published in magazines and
publications.
Mark Villareal has a passion for developing people in a manner that helps them
achieve their goals. Villareal has been helping business leaders succeed for 35
years. Early in his career he realized that the more he focused on others’
success, the more his career blossomed as well. It is with a servant’s heart
that Villareal has helped employees and managers reach their next level of
success. Villareal has had the innate ability to quickly identify
high-potential individuals. He mentors them via personal instruction;
professional development plans, and focused coaching. He has assisted in
developing consultative sales executives, managers, and business leaders.
Villareal has a passion for leadership development and has a hunger for
continued growth and development. He believes strong leaders pay if forward.
Welcome, Mark. Please tell us about your current
release.
release.
My mother I quote was the
best leadership coach who chose to be a housewife. The book describes and
demonstrates the lessons she taught me throughout my lifetime and how they
formed my character and who I am. The book correlates those lessons to business
and leadership today.
best leadership coach who chose to be a housewife. The book describes and
demonstrates the lessons she taught me throughout my lifetime and how they
formed my character and who I am. The book correlates those lessons to business
and leadership today.
What inspired you to write this book?
I am amazed by women in
leadership and in addition, working mothers, whether single or married at how
they balance their life and yet still make a tremendous impact with the raising
of their children. I believe that mothers make the most important impact of our
future leaders of tomorrow. Many years ago I had the privilege of employing several
single mothers that drove my success. It was grown organically as one single
mother would recommend another. Their “I cannot fail” attitude drove their own
success and drove my overall success. That business won an award for the most
outstanding location of that business of over 260 Worldwide. I make it a point
to pay it forward. The book is not only a testament to my mother but all women.
leadership and in addition, working mothers, whether single or married at how
they balance their life and yet still make a tremendous impact with the raising
of their children. I believe that mothers make the most important impact of our
future leaders of tomorrow. Many years ago I had the privilege of employing several
single mothers that drove my success. It was grown organically as one single
mother would recommend another. Their “I cannot fail” attitude drove their own
success and drove my overall success. That business won an award for the most
outstanding location of that business of over 260 Worldwide. I make it a point
to pay it forward. The book is not only a testament to my mother but all women.
Excerpt from Leadership
Lessons from Mom:
Lessons from Mom:
As the next few years went
by, and as I made other choices that would have repercussions,
Mom at least wanted me to learn valuable lessons that she believed
at some point would bring me through any consequence. No matter if
I was going to be a Rocket Scientist or a Restaurant Cook, Mom
wanted me prepared to succeed, be the best at what I chose, and have
lessons to teach others. That is the true mentorship of a leader.
Mom knew that we were at a point where she could not change my
direction, so she made me better prepared for the direction I was headed.
What a wise woman. I can still remember our conversation and her
words, and like Mom, she repeated them many more times throughout my
life.
by, and as I made other choices that would have repercussions,
Mom at least wanted me to learn valuable lessons that she believed
at some point would bring me through any consequence. No matter if
I was going to be a Rocket Scientist or a Restaurant Cook, Mom
wanted me prepared to succeed, be the best at what I chose, and have
lessons to teach others. That is the true mentorship of a leader.
Mom knew that we were at a point where she could not change my
direction, so she made me better prepared for the direction I was headed.
What a wise woman. I can still remember our conversation and her
words, and like Mom, she repeated them many more times throughout my
life.
“Marcos, your choices will
bring happiness and sadness in your life. Enjoy the good times and
treasure them. Keep your head up and have faith in the Lord during
the hard times and ask the Lord, “What is it that I am to learn from
this”, and then listen. Most of all, never give up. Remember that life is
lived in the valleys and you need to attack life to make it through. But those
few times that you reach the mountain tops remember, to enjoy the
view. It is the view from the mountain tops that will keep you
fighting forward in the valley for that next moment on the mountain. Because
you have been to the mountain top and you remember the view, you
will fight to get back there again.”
bring happiness and sadness in your life. Enjoy the good times and
treasure them. Keep your head up and have faith in the Lord during
the hard times and ask the Lord, “What is it that I am to learn from
this”, and then listen. Most of all, never give up. Remember that life is
lived in the valleys and you need to attack life to make it through. But those
few times that you reach the mountain tops remember, to enjoy the
view. It is the view from the mountain tops that will keep you
fighting forward in the valley for that next moment on the mountain. Because
you have been to the mountain top and you remember the view, you
will fight to get back there again.”
She hugged me, and left my room.
What exciting story are you working on next?
I am expanding more in my
speaking engagements and workshops to help businesses. I am scheduled to speak
at several women entrepreneur events. I also mentor several women aspiring to
grow into leadership. Of course I have my third book outlined and in the works.
The next book is business focused on key points that organizations need to do,
or can fail to do for success.
speaking engagements and workshops to help businesses. I am scheduled to speak
at several women entrepreneur events. I also mentor several women aspiring to
grow into leadership. Of course I have my third book outlined and in the works.
The next book is business focused on key points that organizations need to do,
or can fail to do for success.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Funny but I have written
for a while, almost 20-years, but more for manuals for business process and
education. My first book I wrote several years ago and it sat unfinished until
I refocused my efforts on its completion over a year and a half ago. It was
published in 2016 and became and International Best Seller, which I am humbled
by. I write blogs to help share what I consider important messages of learning
and education. Hopefully they are motivating as well.
for a while, almost 20-years, but more for manuals for business process and
education. My first book I wrote several years ago and it sat unfinished until
I refocused my efforts on its completion over a year and a half ago. It was
published in 2016 and became and International Best Seller, which I am humbled
by. I write blogs to help share what I consider important messages of learning
and education. Hopefully they are motivating as well.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day
like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to
write?
like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to
write?
I combine writing with
mentoring others, coaching, and consulting. In addition, I do public speaking.
So my day starts with exercises assigned by my speaking coach that include
breathing, posture and voice exercises. My coach is awesome. I then spend about
2 to 3 hours a day going over my speaking and speech for the next event. I tend
to do more writing in the evening. Leadership Lessons From Mom was almost all
written at night time.
mentoring others, coaching, and consulting. In addition, I do public speaking.
So my day starts with exercises assigned by my speaking coach that include
breathing, posture and voice exercises. My coach is awesome. I then spend about
2 to 3 hours a day going over my speaking and speech for the next event. I tend
to do more writing in the evening. Leadership Lessons From Mom was almost all
written at night time.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Not sure if I have an
interesting writing quirk. I would state that I have many ideas that come in
the middle of the night that wake me up. So I wake up, grab my cell phone, and
either text the ideas to myself or email them to myself. It is important I do
this as I have at times thought that I would remember the idea and unfortunately
I do not. I have found it invaluable to text or email when the idea is fresh
and clear.
interesting writing quirk. I would state that I have many ideas that come in
the middle of the night that wake me up. So I wake up, grab my cell phone, and
either text the ideas to myself or email them to myself. It is important I do
this as I have at times thought that I would remember the idea and unfortunately
I do not. I have found it invaluable to text or email when the idea is fresh
and clear.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As any child I went
through a lot of phases, but around the age of 13 I wanted to learn and be in
the computer technology industry. I had visited my father’s work and at that
time a computer was the size of a refrigerator. Anyway I brought home a
computer book from his office and started studying it then. Funny but I was in
technology for 20-years.
through a lot of phases, but around the age of 13 I wanted to learn and be in
the computer technology industry. I had visited my father’s work and at that
time a computer was the size of a refrigerator. Anyway I brought home a
computer book from his office and started studying it then. Funny but I was in
technology for 20-years.
Anything additional you want to share with the
readers?
readers?
Yes, to follow up on the
question on what I wanted to be when I grew up. I tell the story in my book
about how at different times I would tell my parents that I wanted to be an
Astronaut, a Police Man, or a Fireman, etc. Each time as a child my parents
would encourage me and I believe we as children do this to impress our parents.
Finally as I was developing in age my mother stopped me and told me what she
wanted me to be. She stated, “Mijo, which means my son, the one thing I want
you to be that would put a smile on my face is a good example. If you make sure
you are a good example as a son, brother, friend, husband, father, employee,
etc. then I will be satisfied. That is what I ask of you. Be a good example.”
Hopefully she is smiling from heaven.
question on what I wanted to be when I grew up. I tell the story in my book
about how at different times I would tell my parents that I wanted to be an
Astronaut, a Police Man, or a Fireman, etc. Each time as a child my parents
would encourage me and I believe we as children do this to impress our parents.
Finally as I was developing in age my mother stopped me and told me what she
wanted me to be. She stated, “Mijo, which means my son, the one thing I want
you to be that would put a smile on my face is a good example. If you make sure
you are a good example as a son, brother, friend, husband, father, employee,
etc. then I will be satisfied. That is what I ask of you. Be a good example.”
Hopefully she is smiling from heaven.
Links:
Thanks for being here today, Mark.